Candlebox Lights Up Bidders' Fancy Selling for $744,825 At Freeman's

PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

:"The market spoke," commented a jubilant David Schorsch when contacted at his Woodbury, Conn., shop moments after the hammer fell for an extremely rare Pennsylvania paint decorated and incised candlebox sold at Freeman's 200th anniversary celebratory auction this past Tuesday morning, November 22. The fireworks flew in the final session of the three-part four-day auction, November 19-22, when the candlebox was offered. Auctioneer Beau Freeman asked for an opening bid of $20,000 on the slide top box painted with a blue ground with red and white stylized tulips, potted tulips, chickens and paisley corners. The bid came immediately from an anxious buyer in the room, one of four bidders in the gallery that expressed serious interest in the lot. The piece bounced back and forth between 14 phone bidders and the room all the way to the $200,000 mark where it became all telephone action. Moving methodically in $10,000 increments, the price escalated to a stunning $744,825, including premium, establishing records all along the way.

"The quality of this object speaks for itself, the history is impeccable," stated Schorsch. "It is the kind of quality, that when it comes out, we just don't know what the monetary value is. It really didn't surprise me, to be honest with you," he said. "I don't think I even got a bid in until around $600,000, $610,000 was my first bid."

"It is the best box that has ever surfaced, it is the best box that has ever been sold," commented Schorsch who bought the piece on behalf of a private client. "If you had a short list of the top two or three American folk art boxes, this would make the list." The box was auctioned during the second day of the Estate of Esther H. Ludwig portion of the auction.

On day one of the important auction, a copy of the first public printing of the United States Constitution was sold during The Bicentennial Pennsylvania Sale, which took place Saturday and Sunday, November 19-20.

The Constitution, printed by the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser newspaper, was dated Wednesday, September 19, 1787, and was in overall excellent condition. It had been preceded by only two draft printings of the Constitution that were used only by delegates to the Continental Congress. Offered as the fifth lot during a Books and Manuscripts portion of the Bicentennial auction on November 19, the lot elicited plenty of excitement.

Bidding on the rare printing opened at $50,000 with competition coming from two phone bidders and two bidders in the room. In the end, a bidder in the front row competed with a bidder standing in the rear of the gallery with the latter claiming the lot for $207,225.

Others of the top lots witnessed over the course of the four-days included a Horace Pippin oil on board depicting an ice fisherman, also sold on Saturday, that realized $162,425; a paint decorated Windsor settee from Monday's Ludwig collection session went out at $95,225; and a George Nakashima conoid bench sold during Sunday's Pennsylvania Modern session realized $48,800. Prices include the buyer's premium charged. A complete review will appear in a future issue.