Timeless-Appeal

Timeless Appeal

Introduction by Sarah Gianelli

Paintings and sculpture do not alone make a home. Our living spaces are also works of art created out of many works of art, and curated as thoughtfully as our collections of paintings and sculpture. Decorative objects, furniture, fine silver, stained glass, lamps and historical artifacts not only adorn our homes but create the setting in which we can best appreciate the art on our walls.

Above: Philadelphia Museum of Art, A vignette of furniture designed by the architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe for the house he designed for Philadelphia merchant couple William and Mary Waln. John Aitken made the furniture and George Bridport painted the furniture to match the walls, which he also painted. The upholstery reproduces the original by John Rea. Courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art.

As this special section makes evident, the decorative arts, antiques and Americana market is thriving in the auction and fine art show arenas, and seeing a surge of interest from a younger demographic of millennial collectors as well. From Colonial-era pieces to mid-century modern designs, these finely crafted, often functional, objets d’art provide a window into American history that can be easier to decipher than in a painting or sculpture. As our young nation was being forged, we can see the European influences and the uniquely American aesthetic taking shape across all items from fine furniture to ceramics and silver. The evolution of our country’s cultural history is literally pressed into the pieces themselves.

Once a year, we open up our coverage to highlight American decorative arts and antiques, a genre that is intimately connected to the more traditional forms of fine art that is at the core of this magazine. They complement our artwork visually to be sure, and also through the added historical context they provide to the era it was created.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pitcher, ca. 1835. Tucker Factory, Philadelphia. Hard-paste porcelain with enamel and gilt decoration, 107/8 x 11¾ x 9 in. Gift of Mrs. William M. Elkins in memory of her husband, 1947. Courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pair of Vases, 1827, Tucker Factory, Philadelphia. Hard-paste porcelain with enamel and gilt decoration, 8½ in. x 8¼ in. Gift of Miss Mary Lea Perot, 1958. Courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art.

In the remainder of this special section we will highlight decorative art dealers, auctions, upcoming fine art and antique shows, as well as hear from the leading experts and scholars who specialize in this area of the fine art world.

Based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Leland Little Auctions has specialized in the sale of fine, high-end collectible objects for more than 20 years, with sales achieving over $17 million per year and growing. “We pride ourselves on providing collectors, estates and institutions with world-class auction services. The strength of Leland Little Auctions is a team of experienced professionals dedicated to their fields,” shares the auction house.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Teabowl, 1765-1770. John Bartlam Manufactory, Cain Hoy, South Carolina. Soft-paste porcelain with underglaze blue hand-painted (interior) and transfer-printed (exterior) decoration, 15/8 x 3 in. Purchased with the Baugh-Barber Fund, 2012. Courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Leland Litte Auctions, Tiffany Studios, Poppy Table Lamp, ca. 1900. The Signature Winter Auction, December 3, 2022. SOLD: $39,000

The Leland Little Decorative Arts Department is a showcase of beauty for the sake of beauty. “Tiffany lamps and tall case clocks, Italian crystal chandeliers and French Empire candelabra—these are the things that add a touch of the extraordinary to our homes,” notes the auction house. “The classical elegance of a Herend fish scale animal or the grace of a Lalique bowl brings us joy in its pure exquisiteness.” Whether in the market to buy or sell, the boutique auction house invites collectors of all kinds to “explore your next treasure with Leland Little.” Leland Little will be hosting a fine art auction on March 12 and a decorative arts auction on March 14.

Leland Little Auctions, Pan of Rohallion, by Frederick William MacMonnies (1863-1937). Decorative Art Auction, December 13, 2024. Sold $16,000

Roberto Freitas, of Roberto Freitas American Antiques & Decorative Arts, has been dealing independently in fine American antiques since early 2002. With nearly 30 years’ experience in the antiques business, he has learned the trade hands-on, working for other prominent dealers. He exhibits at antiques shows country wide, and has sold to major collections and museums.

Roberto Freitas American Antiques & Decorative Arts, Bound Home, shellwork valentine with inset painting; painting: 5½ in., case: 15 x 15 in., signed lower right: ‘R. Cahoon’, shellwork signed on lower edge: ‘B.A. Woodman #93’,by Bernard Woodman (1920-1986) and Ralph Eugene Cahoon Jr. (1910-1982).

Roberto Freitas American Antiques & Decorative Arts, Hand-carved Oak Tiller, ca. 1870. Length: 44 in.

His inventory consists of period American furniture of the 18th and 19th century, complemented by folk and fine art, decorative objects and antiques. Currently in his inventory are works that include a sailor’s shellwork valentine by Bernard Woodman with an inset circular painting by Ralph Cahoon that depicts an American three-masted schooner, and a mermaid in the water holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and a banner reading “Bound Home” in the other. Freitas says, “Between 1977 and 1982, Ralph Cahoon and Bernard Woodman collaborated on dozens of delicate and charming sailor valentines, combining Bernie’s beautiful shellwork with Ralph’s whimsical fantasies.” The piece is housed in an octagonal wood box with glass cover. Also of note is a hand-caved oak tiller, circa 1870, from a yacht named Merlin. Freitas explains that the tiller is “carved with the name of the yacht, its owner’s name, G. T. Raynes, races won and a coat of arms, Esse Quam Videri (to be, rather than to seem), leading to a rope-twist which terminates with a merlin’s head.” —