The standout lot was a meetinghouse bench with 39 spindles in a dark natural stain, possibly original. The bench tripled its high estimate to attain $33,600. The circa 1840 bench came out of the Enfield, N.H., Shaker community and is stamped “6” on both ends, probably indicating it was the sixth bench in a series in the meetinghouse.

Review by Chuck Muller, Photos Courtesy of Willis Henry Auctions

PITTSFIELD, MASS. — After more than 30 years, it is probably time to clean out the barn. That was the impression of the September 10 Willis Henry Shaker auction, which returned many pieces to the marketplace. The previous sale of items was delineated in the catalog for about a tenth of the items and half a dozen were recycled from last year. A total of 32 of the 251 items in the sale passed this year. Henry reflected, “I feel like a dentist” when trying to solicit bids, and “I like the excitement…every 15 minutes.” Throughout, though, he kept a positive attitude.

In 1860, Brother James Prescott of North Union (Shaker Heights, Ohio) was visiting the New Lebanon Shaker community and wrote home: “…the chair making business…they manufacture a new kind of chair, which turns on a screw pivot, every which way….” A label on the underside of this one said, “E. Ann” for Eldress Eliza Ann Taylor, head of the ministry from 1869–1891. A Michigan couple who has been collecting since the Sabbathday Lake sales in the early 1970s paid $25,200 for it.

As one collector said, “Don’t be too quick to judge Will. He always pulls something out of his hat.” A tip of the hat goes to Henry for annually putting together a good excuse for collectors to gather.

Henry started the “Shaker Auctions” in 1982 and, after the first four or five years, people started asking, “How long can he do it?” Well, he has done it every year except one, but another year he had two. Shaker material culture is a limited commodity and Henry has kept the market alive for more than three decades. Next year will be his 35th and he already has a foundation for a very good sale — part three of the McCue collection.

There were eight collectors named as consignors in this year’s sale with well-known ones, such as Ed Clerk, the Bissland family and Howard and Flo Fertig. Only 13 lots, however, carried those prominent names.

The largest consignment, 27 lots, came from the estate of Marion “Kippy” Bolton Stroud, an appreciator and mover in the art world. Stroud founded the Fabric Workshop & Museum in Philadelphia and developed a residency program devoted to new media, with more than 600 artists participating since its beginning in 1977. In 1990, she founded the Acadia Summer Arts Program on Mount Desert Island, Maine. She mixed her love of art with Shaker and was a regular at the Henry sales. The proceeds from the auction of her items is going to the Fabric Workshop and Museum. Stroud was a better appreciator than she was an astute buyer. She bought what she liked, which often lacked quality.

There are always a couple pieces exceeding $50,000 in Henry’s auctions (there were two last year) but none in this one. The highest price was $33,600 for the almost-10-foot-long spindle-back bench. This year, there were eight lots that exceeded $10,000 and brought a total of $156,600. Last year, there were nine over the $10,000 threshold with a total of $250,500.

This classic Enfield, N.H., sewing desk was unusual for the tin bottoms on the smaller drawers and its thin drawer across the bottom. It came with a copy of a 1917 letter from Eldress Josephine Wilson, E. Canterbury, N.H., referencing Great Aunt Addie as the owner, and it brought $10,800. Last year, Henry sold one for $24,000, the same amount paid at a still-earlier Henry auction. In May, the Erhart Muller sale at Skinner included one with original red surface making $67,650. The differences in price reflect provenance, style, surface and condition.

This difference reflects the “graying” of the market, but also offers opportunities for younger collectors. Although Henry points to another piece of the McCue collection to be sold next year, the dispersal of the Erhard Muller estate at Skinner’s in June pointed to the ending of the first-generation of collectors who acquired directly from the Shakers. Today’s major collectors, including entertainer Bill Cosby, acquired most of their collections in the marketplace from early dealers or auctions beginning with the 1972 auction from the Sabbathday Lake Shakers. Those buyers are now well in their 70s. And even if a person started accumulating Shaker material with Henry’s sales, he/she is probably now retired.
Those collectors have been watching, studying, buying and upgrading for well over 30 years. An object needs to be very special to gain their interest. All of the major buyers at the September sale (excluding anonymous absentee and phone bidders) are a part of that astute aging group.

There were 79 bidding numbers issued in addition to the absentee and telephone buyers. By the 21st lot when more than half the items went to those not present, Henry commented, “We might want to do this at home next year.” But long-time collectors who were present, as much for the renewal of friendships as chance to buy, acquired four of the top seven lots.

There was a group of young design students visiting historic Hancock and sitting in on the auction. Henry addressed them a couple times and suggested they needed to take a closer look at the Shaker design and material. He is certainly right, and this sale was a good example. It was one for the beginner who is not yet enamored with “pristine” or “all original.”

In the auction, there was a lot of two low-back Shaker dining chairs ($330) and a lot of three spindle-back dining chairs ($1,020). Compare that to new ones sold by Shaker Workshops ($393 each). Either lot of real, authentic Shaker chairs go for less than reproductions! Or a set of six side chairs for the same money as new ones! And there was a pair of No. 3 rockers with original finish that went for only $240. Let’s furnish the house!

While most of the case pieces exceeded $1,000 (comparable to prices at Pottery Barn), there were several that were below that number. Several of these would be good sellers in the general Americana market, sans the “Shaker” label.

The value of oval boxes, like many antiques, is dependent upon condition and surface. One lot of three in various sizes and condition did not receive an opening bid. Another lot produced in the Twentieth Century had a shiny finish and went for $840. The box pictured here was in chrome yellow and from the collection of Howard and Flo Fertig. It was bid to $8,400, the high price for boxes in the auction, to an Illinois collector.

Long-time writer and collector Fran Kramer reflected on the rise and fall of trends. She, like many, pointed to the need for new buyers and younger collectors. She suggested that Shaker furniture be promoted not as a specialty but for its simplicity, functionality, quality and made-in-America roots.

“It is compatible with Danish Modern and Twentieth Century artists,” noted Kramer. It should be offered not just to Shaker collectors, dealers and museums, but marketed to Country Living fans, new home buyers or apartment renters or anyone who wants a good piece of practical furniture at a good price. Maybe, just maybe, these buyers will become Shaker collectors, but it does not matter…having them in the marketplace is the point.”

Prices reported include the buyer’s premium.

Long-time collectors of Shaker can look forward to next year when Henry brings some choice items up for bids. And a younger generation can anticipate another opportunity to add well-made products to their living quarters.

For additional information, www.willishenryauctions.com or 781-834-7774.

The auction opened with the 12-inch-diameter yellow spit box. Henry mentioned having one in his first sale and is hoping to have one in his 35th next year. The 1982 one brought $ 2,475; this year’s, $ 1,140. Another later in the auction sold for $ 4,800.

This candlestand has the name of Sister Catherine Dimitroff on its bottom. A history and photographs of Sister Dimitroff at Hancock were included for the $ 3,900, about a third of its low estimate. A second one sold later for $ 1,860.

The 6-foot-4-inch trestle table and the Alfred dining table, about a foot and half longer, commanded the same price — $ 15,600. The one-board pine top, classic form and size made the trestle example quite desirable. Acquired in the 1980s by Ed Clerk, the table with turned legs lacked the classic trestle design but was rare because of its origin.

These six chairs from the Harvard, Mass., and Canterbury, N.H., communities were deaccessioned from a Massachusetts institution. With an estimate of $ 5/7,500, they were passed last year. This time around, the estimate was lowered and they sold at $ 1,680.

This chest has remnants of its original color and a top with breadboard ends and a low backsplash. Another one that was offered had an overpaint of red. But both were classic forms, real wood, very serviceable and would fit into any décor. They would make a nice practical addition to a home for $ 2,160 and $ 2,040, respectively, about $ 200-300 more than a new fiberboard Pottery Barn chest of similar style.

One piece that went well over estimate was the case of ten drawers. From Enfield, Conn., it was a classic form with a dovetailed case and good color. Measuring only 5 feet 11 inches by 36 inches, it joined another tall case chest from last year’s sale in an Illinois collection, realizing $ 32,400.

There were two cloaks in the auction. The blue one at $ 240 carried the label “The Dorothy, Shakers, Hart & Shepard, E. Canterbury, N.H.” It has some fading on the left side where the sun evidently bleached it. The red one earning $ 420 had the label for “Shaker Cloak, M. Noyes, Agent, Trademark, Sabbath Day Lake, Me.” The successful absentee buyer was thought to be the Sabbathday Lake Shakers returning it to the place of manufacture.

Several baskets from the late Kippy Stroud were in the auction, with the 24-inch-tall one on the left going for $ 540, and a 13-inch-tall example in excellent condition bringing $ 1,020 (versus $ 3,230 in 2005).

There are two of these cloth satchels with initials on them that were made for two Shakers in their travels. This rare item went to join the others for a reasonable $ 360.

These two tiger and bird’s-eye maple chairs illustrate the lost desire for Shaker chairs. At the Henry onsite sale of the Doug Towle collection in 2005, Kippy Stroud paid $ 8,775 for the one on the left and $ 29,250 for the example on the right. In 2016, they brought $ 4,800 for the pair.

Desks on tripod stands were made by the Enfield, Conn., Shakers. This one, and a similar one that sold at Skinner’s in June, carried references confirming their Enfield origins. The one at Henry’s had a 1975 note of appraisal by Jerome Blum for $ 1,200. This time, it brought $ 7,500, while the Skinner example went for $ 7,380.

Poplarware, a highly collectible standard in most Shaker sales, was lacking in this one. This grouping of eight boxes had three with the stamp of either Alfred or Sabbathday Lake, Maine. They were hammered down for $ 780 to an absentee bid, probably that of the current Shakers. Another lot included a horsehair brush and a scalloped edged box with a note stating “This basket and thimble belonged to Sister Emma Neale of Mt Lebanon, who was known for making Shaker Tapes” ($ 660 to a Connecticut collector). A lot with a doll’s bonnet and needle case was passed.

The Shakers of Alfred, Maine, were prolific makers of spinning wheels. The relatively common SR AL (Samuel Ring, Alfred), top, went for $ 1,200. But the rare NF AL walking wheel sold for $ 720. The NF mark, often thought to be “North Family” as seen on many Shaker pails, is that of Nathanial Freeman from Alfred (AL stands for the community). David A. Pennington and Michael Taylor refer in their book Spinning Wheels and Accessories to the mark being scarce. Jerry Grant from the Shaker Museum said it was scarce enough that there was not one in its huge collection. The Shakers at Sabbathday Lake were interested and appeared to buy it with an absentee bid.

The rocking writing armchair was this author’s favorite item in the auction and sold for $ 2,640. Unfortunately, its breadth and mine did not match! With rockers and writing arm original to the chair, it was made about 1820-30 in the Watervliet, N.Y., community.

While there were plenty of chairs in the sale — as there always are — there was only one No. 7 and no No. 0 production chairs from Mt Lebanon, N.Y. Two No. 1s with Mt Lebanon decals brought $ 510 (armless) and $ 1,200 (armed, with taped back). A No 4 and No. 3 went for only $ 360. The two pictured, a community side chair with tilters from Enfield, N.H., and a No. 3 rocker, were cheap at $ 330. Try buying new ones for that.