Americana Week 2017

[jacon4]

Yeah, it's there, as little info as possible, feet replaced is all it says which is common on pilgrim pieces

[jacon4]

I was a little disappointed in the 20k number, it was OK but not what i was hoping for. The chest itself had a very "english" look to it, very square/rectangular drawer panels and ditto on the sides.  There are no americanized design changes on the sotheby chest at all which may have hurt it price wise. By contrast, look at the side panels of the bird chest, a single raised panel with picture frame type moulding, you do not see that in english chests of that era. Oh well, onto the Thomaston pilgrim chest next week.

[mart]

I wondered about those panels on your chest !!  Thats the only one I have seen with that type molding !!  I think the Thomaston chest will do better but not what is expected !! If so maybe the lower end of that estimate !!  Around 32K ??  What do you think ??

[jacon4]

Yes, those single raised panels with picture frame moulding is a very american type adaptation, check out this chest at the Met, eastern shore Mass but not boston, it's very similar to boston bird chest. One thing about this chest that's very rare, original paint which makes it almost priceless. On thomaston pilgrim chest, i guess 30k.

[jacon4]

Let us not forget about that goddard/townsend chippendale chest! is it real? I dunno but if it is real, i'd say its a million dollar chest or damn close! I hate to say this but, if it's real, what's it doing at Thomaston? Thomaston changed bidding process on this chest, no online bidding which tells me, they think it's real.

[mart]

You know I am the biggest skeptic in the world !!  I start out thinking everything is a fake until I prove to myself it isn`t !!  But I can not find a single thing wrong with the Goddard chest !!  All looks correct !!   I thought the brass lock plate was in an odd place until I saw that the other was a fake lock !!  Real lock is on the right side if you are looking at the front of the top drawer !! 

[jacon4]

Course, they have been making line by line copies of that shops furniture for almost 100 years now, using the same tools just like in 1770. Thomaston is surely aware of that and am pretty sure they have had someone who is an authority look at it so i am assuming it's real. What is it going to sell for?

[jacon4]

Obviously, it's not signed or labeled so that leaves provenance and attributed to. Naturally, that hurts value so knowing what we know, (very little), i am guessing 265k.

[mart]

Well.. they must have some reservations with a $100. to $150.K estimate !!  They did not say "attributed to" and stated it as a Goddard/Townsend piece !!  But it seems that with a piece like this they would have posted the provenance !!

[jacon4]

No provenance posted, at least not yet but if it was signed they would have said so. I assume it's got a so so provenance, not iron clad and they are probably going with construction details peculiar to those shops in Newport. If it had an impeccable provenance or was signed/labeled it would be far more valuable, in the million dollar category i would think.

[jacon4]

UPDATE: Alrighty then, although personally interested in the pilgrim chest above for purely monetary reasons, it's the goddard/townsend chest that is the real star here. It's on sale a week from today, next Sat and bidsquare has  some new info.
"18th c. Townsend & Goddard Block and Shell Mahogany Chippendale Chest, circa 1770, Newport, Rhode Island, raised on fine ogee feet, retaining what appear to be the original brasses, 32- 1/2" H x 38- 1/2" x 20- 1/4", old refinish. LITERATURE - Accompanied by a copy of "The Arts and Crafts of Newport, Rhode Island, 1640-1820", by Ralph Carpenter. Personally inscribed by Carpenter to Leo Wilensky with his reaction to seeing this shell carved block front chest. Also included is a copy of an April, 1980 appraisal by Christie's Appraisals, Inc."

This chest has been known and in the Leo Wilensky collection since at least since 1980 and examined by scholars as well as Christie's so, looks like this is the real deal if one is interested in getting a piece from this families famous 18th century workshop.
I am sticking with my 265k estimate on this chest even though i don't know the full story on it, mainly because it appears real and how often does a chest by these cabinetmakers come up for sale? like almost never! bidsquare listing on this chest at the link.

http://auctions.bidsquare.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/2100/lot/720221/thomaston-place-auction-galleries-important-newport-chest?url=%2Fview-auctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F2100%3Fpage%3D5&utm_source=Bidsquare+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=17807b64a1-Thomaston_winter-feature_2017_2_SaleEmail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e7569126a5-17807b64a1-222436661


 

[mart]

Mmmm.. Think I will go $325K !!  Sounds good so far !!

[ghopper1924]

Mmmm.. Think I will go $325K !!  Sounds good so far !!

You know we love you Mart, but would we pay $325K for you?? 

[jacon4]

Winner gets a karma! I got 30k on pilgrim and 265k on chippendale. What Thomas Dennis is to the 17th century, Goddard/ Townsend  is to the 18th century. They basically took a design feature that had been around for decades (block front) and added alternating carved concave/convex shells and BAM! a masterpiece was born.

[mart]

Mmmm.. Think I will go $325K !!  Sounds good so far !!

You know we love you Mart, but would we pay $325K for you?? 

LOL !!  Only if my sandy land farm came with it !!