Pennsylvania Items Bring Solid Prices at Hesse

This sewing organizer sold early and well in the auction.

Painted Wooden Caddy Brings a Solid $25,300 at Hesse

OTEGO, N.Y. - Two lucrative antiques auctions were held by Hesse Galleries on October 21 and November 18 at the 53 Main Street sales room.

In spite of bad weather predictions, a full house was in attendance at the November 18 event offering the Edward and Isabel Freehafer collection, which focused on Pennsylvania antiques. More than 450 lots were sold consisting of treenware, decorated toleware, chalkware, redware, wrought iron, glass, fraktur, ceramics, textiles, paintings and prints, furniture, books and a variety of accessories.

Early in the auction agenda an original painted wooden sewing caddy with floral decoration was sold for a resounding $25,300, followed shortly after by two pieces of toleware, a coffeepot and covered sugar, which brought $11,000 and $4,400 respectively.

Several pieces of early Pennsylvania redware included a scarce Berks Co. jar with slip tulip decoration, which brought $4,730. Other top lots were an Antonio Jacobson marine painting, which fetched $7,920 and a large needlework picture by Anna Glenn dated 1843 which realized $4,400.

Coffee anyone? Fork over $11,000 for this remarkable toleware example first.

More than 170 lots of Pennsylvania ceramics were led by a Gaudy double rose cup and saucer which brought $4,950 and a blue splatter school house cup and saucer which rang up $4,620. Among furniture items, a tall clock with heart, crescent moon and teardrop inlay sold for $13,200; a tall bracket foot chest brought $4,290; a Pennsylvania dower chest garnered $8,690; and a petite corner cupboard with glass lites sold for $3,850.00.

The October 21 auction of Americana hailed principally from the Mohawk & Hudson River regions of New York State. Highlights included an Eighteenth Century handpainted English ceramic bowl with the lion of Abyssinia motif, which, after heated bidding, sold to a phone competitor for $3,960. An important New York State portrait of Samuel Wardwell dated 1807 by Cephas Thompson brought $5,850, and an oversized wooden rocking horse (tail, ears and mane missing) sold for $3,960.

Accessories included scarce early cutlery, treenware, ceramics, hearth related items, textiles and early lighting. A selection of country furniture sold including a shoefoot hutch table, which fetched $5,940; a large corner cupboard in blue color, which sold for $3,410; and a Hudson River Valley kas, which garnered $9,400.