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Author Topic: Americana Week 2017  (Read 9209 times)

jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #30 on: February 05, 2017, 02:53:43 am »
lol, we could be way off here even using play money. It would not surprise me if this chest went for 2 or 3 times our estimates, it's that rare and a very special piece of americana and, it's not like a piece like this comes to market often. So, if one is in the market for a piece like this, it's probably now or not in your lifetime that another one will come along.

Bottom line? Mart! DON'T bet your farm on this one, you could very well lose!

BTW, according to Mary May of Charleston SC, a nationally known carver, those shells are not easy to carve, far from it.

"These Newport shells are not very easy to carve. When you start to carve the concave and convex secions, there are some tremendous grain difficulties – especially if the wood itself is not clean and straight grained. I would recommend trying it in basswood first, just to get the technique down. And… I do use sandpaper on this to finish the final surface. Just be careful not to round over any of the sharp edges of the little ledge that is carved."

Happy Carving!

https://www.marymaycarving.com/blog/2011/11/17/carving-the-convex-newport-shell/
« Last Edit: February 05, 2017, 03:19:35 am by jacon4 »
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #31 on: February 05, 2017, 05:17:49 am »
THAT, is a hell of a lot of work to decorate a block front, the block front itself isn't exactly a piece of cake either. I would add that only the concave shell (center shell) is carved directly into the drawer front itself, the convex shells (left/right shells) are carved with a separate piece of wood and then attached to the drawer front. So, don't mess up that center shell or you need a whole new drawer front!

« Last Edit: February 05, 2017, 05:37:59 am by jacon4 »
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mart

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #32 on: February 05, 2017, 07:15:55 am »
I am well aware of that grain problem !!  My granddad could carve anything with his trusty pocket knife !! I tried but mine looked like a two year old with a chainsaw carved it !!  Of course my knife was not nearly as sharp as his was !!
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #33 on: February 05, 2017, 03:56:00 pm »
Could grandad carve this with a pocket knife?
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mart

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #34 on: February 05, 2017, 05:17:14 pm »
No don`t think the knife would have been sharp enough for that !!  He did a heck of a bobble head turtle though !!
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #35 on: February 06, 2017, 05:56:06 am »
He did a heck of a bobble head turtle though !!

LOL, I bet he did!
I don't think it's known who it was in the goddard/townsend families that was a master carver or how this shell decoration came about but one thing for sure, it was a huge hit on block front furniture. It transformed the block front, which was/is a very difficult build by itself, demanding the highest level of woodworking skill, into an art form.
There are some who say that the Chippendale style is just Queen Anne with a bunch of carving slathered on it but i say that's nonsense. I say Chippendale is rococo and folks who disparage the chippendale style just don't like rococo furniture, simple as that.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2017, 06:10:03 am by jacon4 »
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #36 on: February 11, 2017, 02:10:45 am »
OK, today is the day that the old woman could lose her farm! I'll post prices on pilgrim & chippendale chest later today. It's me against the old woman on price prediction and, i plan on winning!
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mart

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #37 on: February 11, 2017, 08:29:45 am »
LOL !!  I said $32K on pilgrim and $325K on Goddard/Townsend !!
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #38 on: February 11, 2017, 12:48:52 pm »
OK, pilgrim went for 18k, chippendale chest was passed!

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mart

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #39 on: February 11, 2017, 03:45:53 pm »
18K ??  Is good furniture down that much ??  How high did the Goddard get before it passed ??
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #40 on: February 11, 2017, 04:56:32 pm »
50k, which is low. If you remember the pilgrim chest in NYC last month sold for 20k, was in line with that number. 2 years ago in NYC at christies a pilgrim chest sold for 40k so, bottom line, auctions are a crap shoot. Still, no offence to Thomaston but both these pieces should have been listed in NYC with the big boys.

BTW, you owe me a karma, i estimated 30k on pilgrim and you were 32
« Last Edit: February 11, 2017, 04:59:23 pm by jacon4 »
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KC

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #41 on: February 12, 2017, 10:15:11 am »
Sounds like you both fizzled out on the guessing game this time!  😮

The stock market may be up...but antiques are going up with them at this time!
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jacon4

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #42 on: February 12, 2017, 01:53:46 pm »
Sounds like you both fizzled out on the guessing game this time!

Hey, It HAPPENS with early american furniture, no doubt! Still, the old woman LOST on the pilgrim thingy but , it could have been worse, she coulda lost her FARM!
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KC

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #43 on: February 12, 2017, 08:37:22 pm »
Jacon4
Quote
Hey, It HAPPENS with early american furniture, no doubt! Still, the old woman LOST on the pilgrim thingy but , it could have been worse, she coulda lost her FARM!

Thank goodness she didn't lose the farm....I need her support here in the South!  :)
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ghopper1924

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Re: Americana Week 2017
« Reply #44 on: February 13, 2017, 08:25:38 am »
Quote from: KC on February 12, 2017, 10:15:11 am
Sounds like you both fizzled out on the guessing game this time!  😮

The stock market may be up...but antiques are going up with them at this time!

Really? I hope you're right.
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