Rare & Exceptional Pieces
RARE CUT OUT PICTURE OF THE US Ship "NORTH CAROLINA". One of the finest examples of this genre. Cover of The Magazine Antiques, February 1952. Most likely by Lt. Beekman V. Hoffman, (1789-1834) who served as a lieutenant of the U.S.S.Constitution and worked a similar picture of that ship. This picture was purchased from Harry Shaw Newman 8/4/1950. This example is more intricate than the one of The Constitution. Calligraphy examples are seen on the reverse paper backing. Not signed but the Constitution one was and this is undoubtedly by the same hand, both originally owned by the same collector. Original gold leaf frame. 19 1/2" 23 1/2" $25,000
Very rare Masonic English Gigantic Celebration Pitcher. Fabulous design, decoration and perfect condition. Dated "April 28, 1834 -The Loyal Samaritans Pride Lodge SALFORD". Numerous masonic images on both sides and rim. Lustre on handle. 19 1/2" H. 21" Wide from spout to handle. $8500
Adam Naming the Animals $35,000 This wonderful oil painting on a tin tray is one of five known with Adam off to the side in The Garden of Eden with an assortment of delightful animals, birds and the predictable snake coiled with forked tongue. They all portray a virtual “Peaceable Kingdom” where the lion and tiger, rhinoceros and elephant, giraffe and kangaroo, alligator and peacock, monkey and porcupine all peacefully coexist with lambs and dogs, turtles and deer, bats and zebras, horses and camels and more. No signatures on any of these trays. The designs on four of them are mostly similar with Adam standing at the right next to the coiled snake with a monkey on the branch above. In two of these four he is modest with a wreath of foliage encircling his waist, in the other two he is nude. The fifth tray shows Adam on the left, nude and approaching a completely different view and landscape. It is with two camels and comparably sized horses, one white, one black. The scene is of rolling hills, palm like tree and a stream with swans and ducks, a porpoise like animal and a pair of threatening vipers with red forked tongues heading his way. There are various other animals in the foreground with others on the back hills with flocks of birds above. No animals facing forward as in a group picture like the others. All of these trays are of similar size with very slight deviation, 30” x 22”. All have different stenciled borders, elaborate in myriad ways. All are of white paint design on the black tray background with some use of gold leaf in the midst. Three trays have cut out side handle holes, two do not. They all have the appeal of an Edward Hicks, but are more likely England’s answer to an early unknown nineteenth century artist. As a child, I was aware of another tray outside Philadelphia with Eve portrayed instead of Adam. If it is hidden away in some collection and no one is enamored of it, I would love to reunite it with Adam.
Napoleon and his relatives created with a large leaf as background. Attributed to Henry Rieter de Winterthur of Switzerland, calligrapher, c. 1810. 7 1/8" x 12 3/4" $650
Rare Silkwork Embroidery of the Philadelphia Waterworks on the Schuykill River below where The Philadelphia Museum of Art now resides. Circa 1850. In original gilt wood frame. 31" x 38" $11,000