W.T. Richards' Work Commands Copake's Americana Auction

COPAKE, N.Y.

:Fresh-to-the-market items commanded strong prices at Copake Auctions' cataloged Americana February 11 sale that featured the contents of a Hudson River museum and more.

While furniture may have comprised the bulk of the lots, the top lot of the day was a William Trost Richards work that realized $9,900.

The oil on panel, "Guernsey," with full provenance on the back from William Vareika Fine Arts in Newport, R.I., was inscribed with location on verso and signed lower left. It descended in the family of the artist.

Auctioneer Michael Fallon said the painting attracted a lot of attention during preview and this lot proves the value of provenance and buying quality merchandise from a good dealer.

"I was very encouraged by this sale. It was 99 percent estate fresh and we had a really lively crowd," he said.

Furniture offerings were primarily Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century American and Continental. A Nineteenth Century Federal carved mahogany multipart secretary desk with a detachable molded cornice above a bookcase section with unusual mullioned doors that sold for $3,300. The circa 1820-25 piece after Duncan Phyfe was set on a three drawer mid-section on base with fold down writing board and kneehole desk having drawers and flanking cabinet doors and raised on acanthus carved hairy paw feet.

A Nineteenth Century classical period New York pier table with Egyptian marble top above a convex apron realized $9,625 after stiff competition between a phone bidder and a left bid from a dealer. The circa 1825 table was set on Egyptian marble columns above a plinth base with turned and carved feet.

A Nineteenth Century Hepplewhite mahogany tall case clock, case having a tombstone door with quarter columns, molded panel under door, and stepped out molding, sold for $3,300. The clock stood 90 inches and was signed Walker & Hughes.

An Eighteenth Century Queen Anne Spanish foot armchair with a rush seat and bold front stretcher fetched $2,200.

A Nineteenth Century Hepplewhite French foot inlaid cherry chest retaining its original brasses sold for $1,430 while a very decorative Nineteenth Century Continental single-door cupboard with extensive paint decoration of flowers, birds and the like realized $825.

A Tiffany floor lamp with gilt patina, base signed "Tiffany Studios New York #678A," was hammered down at $825.

Other fine art standouts included a watercolor on paper signed "Geo. Howell Gay" and titled on verso, "Fall River Landscape" that sold for $935 in its possibly original frame and a Twentieth Century oil on board showing a view from West Point showing a Nineteenth Century Hudson River with boats and titled on the back "Veronica B. Nemethy Scene on Hudson," that realized $412. The diminutive work was signed on the front by the artist, whose family is known for its Hudson Valley scenes. A painting on Masonite of a white horse set against a landscape background, 26 by 33 inches, unframed, realized $1,265.

A framed Chief Two Moon Bitter Oil cardboard advertising sign with provenance sold for $1,045.

Textile standouts included a well-executed Princess Feather quilt with bold border and poppy flower corners that realized $1,100. The never-washed quilt still bears pencil markings. Samplers maintained their popularity with a fine "Amerika My Nation 1817 A Maine" example featuring a seascape and ship with American flag that realized $742 and "Miss Anna Olson's School 1800, Sarah Simms age 7 years" that showed buildings, birds, baskets of flowers and butterflies that realized $880.

A buyer with a mind to historical preservation snapped up a set of four cast iron General Electric lampposts with original GE globes from the Rip Van Winkle Bridge for $1,650. The 7-foot, 2-inch-high posts had been restored and electrified.

Amid all the Americana was a touch of modern with a pair of reed and tubular steel chairs that sold for $800.

All prices reported include the ten percent buyer's premium. For information, www.copakeauction.com or 518-329-1142.