: On Saturday, February 14, Wiederseim Associates, Inc conducted a
one-day sale comprising 550 lots of Oriental rugs, silver,
accessories, furniture, guns and pewter. The highlight of the
sale was the gun and pewter collection of Joseph O. Reese of
Havertown.
Illustrated on the front cover of the catalog was a Philadelphia
Queen Anne-form pewter teapot, circa 1752, bearing the touch mark
of Cornelius Bradford. Standing just seven inches high and
cataloged as having a replaced lid, it far exceeded its presale
estimate of $7/10,000 when it sold for $18,700.
Reese was a WWII naval officer, Civil War reenactor, and an
enthusiastic member of the Pewter Collectors Club. In all, more
than 30 percussion and flintlocks were sold from his collection.
The most sought-after was a Brown Bess flintlock rifle with
original bayonet, which brought $2,860. A Colt Civil War
percussion musket dated 1863 sold for $1,980; a rare percussion
target rifle with brass scope and heavy octagonal barrel signed
"E.S. Sweet"brought $2,530; and a flintlock full stock rifle
signed "Sharpe" with set trigger and brass patch box realized
$4,070. An Army Colt pistol circa 1860 went to $880 and a better
example sold for $1,540. A US army ammo chest marked, "J.C.
Stowell, Pittsburg, 1864" sold for $1,300 and a brass line
throwing gun with carriage brought $2,310.
English walnut partners' desk, $11,000.
A large pair of Staffordshire figures of the Duke and Duchess
of Connaught riding piebald horses brought $2,200 ($1,5/2,000) and
a large pair of standing whippets sold for $1,595. A colorful
Staffordshire figure titled "Lion Slayer" fetched for $825. A large
Japanese blue and white porcelain vase sold for $880 as did a pair
of signed KPM porcelain figures.
An Eighteenth Century quart pewter tankard possibly by Thomas
Byles brought $8,250. A John Townsend teapot, circa 1780, sold
for $4,125; an early Chester County pewter porringer by Simon
Pennock, $3,850; a massive English charger, $1,210; a Rosewell
& Gleason pitcher, $1,045; a spire flagon by Thomas
Carpender, $935; a Boardman & Hall teapot, circa 1845,
$1,430; a monogrammed English quart tankard, $770; and an English
quart tulip tankard, circa 1780, $2,420.
A sterling silver Francis I pattern water pitcher knocked down to
a left bid for $4,070. A gigantic lobster taxidermy mounted on an
oval board and surrounded with nautical rope and seashells sold
for $1,210. An early brass chandelier, possibly Dutch, $2,860. A
gilt girandole mirror with carved eagle crest did $3,300 while
another carved mirror probably of Italian origin sold for $1,320.
Girandole mirror, $3,300.
Furniture included a large oval English mahogany partners'
desk from a Baltimore estate. It had a tooled leather top, blind
fretwork, and multiple drawers. Although described as "in need of
some attention" it went to the phone for a winning bid of $11,000.
A Baltimore Hepplewhite server brought $4,510; a Georgian mahogany
brass bound wine cooler of octagonal form with stand, $880; a
Sheraton cherry chest with bird's-eye maple drawer fronts, $1,430;
and a two-part English Welsh dresser that was illustrated on the
back cover of the catalog, $4,950.
Wiederseim's addendum included a two-part Victorian secretary
desk that brought $1,540 while a secretary abattant did $1,980. A
pair of early fruitwood fauteuils made $1,210. The sale offered
some very high-end decorative pieces to include a fabulous pair
of Queen Anne-style walnut standing bookshelves with leather
bound book decoration, which brought $5,170, a Kittenger sofa
made $1,320 and a set of ten benchmade Queen Anne-style chairs
went to a left bid for $4,730.
All prices include the ten percent buyer's premium.
