: An extremely rare stenciled bed cloth attracted serious attention
from folk art dealers from around the country at Timothy Gould's
local estate auction conducted February 21. A prime selection of
Americana fresh from the estate along with a wide assortment of
items that could have, and in some cases should have, gone to the
trash brought out an absolutely overflowing crowd.
The sale began with a an assortment of household items sold in a
true old-fashion ring-style auction out in the parking lot with
everything from wash tubs and linens to the family automobile
sold. The last item sold prior to the sale moving indoors was the
stepladder the auctioneer had used to call from.
Once the auction had moved indoors from the parking lot, more
than one customer openly wondered if the structure could
withstand the weight from both the merchandise and the "packed
like sardines" crowd. People stood three and four deep around the
outside of the hall from front to rear, were packed in the rear
vestibule and every seat in the room was occupied.
At precisely noon things got serious as Tim Gould strode up along
side the podium and began explaining the history of the estate.
"We are selling the contents of the lifelong home and barn of
Dorothy Sanborn Waugh of Vienna, Maine," stated Gould who added
that the estate was multigenerational. Gould spoke briefly about
the history of the family, apologized for the overcrowded
conditions, and then got right into the meat of the sale with the
offering of a coveted piece of stoneware. The three-gallon
Gardiner, Maine, stoneware ovoid jug marked R. Thompson was
decorated with a large cobalt flower on stalk growing from the
ground. Gould looked for an opening bid of $400 and it was off to
the races with several in the crowd trying to get the local
piece. It ended up selling at $1,760 to a buyer three-deep in the
crowd in the rear of the room. Another Gardiner jug to be sold
was a Lyman and Clark three-gallon ovoid with large floral
decoration in ochre that also sold to a buyer in the rear of the
room for $1,980.
A country sign, probably from the 40s or 50s, said to have been
erected on the estate advertising fresh eggs and fowl, did well
at $2,200, a colorful geometric hooked rug went out at $550, a
folky apple tray in old red paint brought $880, a six-board
blanket box with bootjack ends in old green paint $1,760 and a
grain painted Maine chest sold at $1,100 despite having been
cut-down.
An hour into the sale, Gould stopped the auction and related the
story behind the one item that had attracted national attention
to this small country auction, the stenciled bed cloth.
The rare piece had been discovered by the auctioneer in the
drawer of a 1930s waterfall bureau while he was cleaning out the
estate and Gould speculated that it had gone untouched for the
better part of the last century. Found in near mint condition,
the bed cloth was comprised of a piece of Nineteenth Century
muslin and decorated in a Baltimore album quilt style, although
no quilting was actually used on the well-executed piece. The
decoration, instead, consisted entirely of colorful watercolor
and pigment stenciled panels depicting an ornate tree of life,
birds in trees eating fruit, and baskets of fruits surrounded by
vines with large clusters of ripe grapes.
Gould commented, "This was only the third time that I have been
physically effected by something that I've discovered; I couldn't
believe it when I found it and called immediately for one of my
helpers to come up and unfold it with me. I really didn't know
what to think at first, and as we unfolded it I was absolutely I
was aghast."
As word got out and the first ads hit in the trade papers, the
folk art world perked up and paid attention. Major folk dealers,
several museums and scholars made the trip to Gardiner to examine
the piece that measured 81/2 by 8 feet. All were reportedly in
awe when they left and Gould stated that nobody had anything to
say other than "wow."
The decoration of the bed cloth was colorful watercolor and
pigment stenciled panels.
"There is just so much going on," related Gould in regards to
the decoration. "It has been in my possession for the past four
months and every time I look at it I see something different," he
said noting that he had just discovered a half eaten apple on one
of the trees with a spoonbill bird perched nearby.
Five phone lines were active as the lot was offered with Gould
asking for a $25,000 opening bid. He got it immediately and the
action progressed rapidly among numerous local bidders in the
room moving in $5,000 increments. One bidder in the front row,
with apparent high expectations, was dashed when he dropped from
the bidding at $65,000. Others in the room picked up the slack to
the $90,000 mark where the telephones took over. The lot
progressed rapidly between three phones and at the $120,000 mark
Gould jumped the advances to $10,000 increments. Action slowed as
the lot hit $180,000, although the two phone bidders moved
deliberately pushing the price past the $200,000 point with it
finally hammering at $210,000, $231,000 including the buyer's
premium.
The bed cloth was purchased by Pennsylvania dealers Patrick Bell
and Edwin Hill of Olde Hope Antiques, with stiff competition
coming from underbidder David Schorsch of Woodbury, Conn. "It is
unquestionably the best example of a stenciled bed cover known,"
said Bell of the bed cloth, "The composition, execution, colors
and the use of the spoonbills and turkeys in the trees all
combine to make it a masterpiece." Schorsch called the piece,
"One of those great, exciting, best of objects - truly something
that rewrites our understanding of what is great."
It did not take long for the excitement to end and it was back to
business with a whole bunch of merchandise yet to sell. Other
items in the sale that did well included a turned wooden bowl at
$1,155; a nice trencher, $605; a carved butter pat, $1,155; a
Rufus Dunham pewter coffee pot $440; and a Currier & Ives
print of two albinos $550.
One of six delicately rendered trees of life that decorated the
bed cloth.
An oil on canvas depicting the homestead sold to the person
who now owns the house for $385, drawing an approving round of
applause from the local crowd.
The term brown-bagging was apparently known in Gardiner as four
dome-top beer empty cans in near mint condition were found
stashed away. The condition, remarked the auctioneer, was
directly related to the fact that each had never been removed
from its snug fitting brown bag that had been worn since the
contents had long ago been emptied. Bidding on the beer cans was
brisk with them selling at $1,430.
All prices include the ten percent buyer's premium charged. For
further information contact Tim Gould at 207-362-6045.
