Bonhams Skinner – The William Dana Lippman Collection: Splendor of American Furniture
November 14, 2023
skinner.bonhams.com
274 Cedar Hill St, Marlborough MA 01752

MARLBOROUGH, MASS. — Bonhams Skinner will offer the William Dana Lippman Collection | Splendor of American Furniture, a single-owner collection of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century New England furniture on November 14. From the California estate of William Lippman, the sale will present more than 100 examples, which reflect Lippman’s high standards, connoisseurship, knowledge and appreciation of beauty.

Born and raised in Providence, R.I., Lippman developed a passion for collecting early and, after settling in California with his wife, filled their Holmby Hills residence with an eclectic blend of East and West Coast styles, Indigenous art, European paintings, colonial furniture and antique Persian and Caucasian carpets. Throughout his life, his collecting was guided by some of the most notable dealers of the time who helped him curate a high-quality collection that was not limited to one discipline, period or style. Their influence is particularly evident in Lippman’s selection of early American high-style furniture particularly from New England, New York and Philadelphia. Encyclopedic in nature, there are representative pieces from nearly every New England colony and stylistic period.

“We are immensely pleased to offer this once in a lifetime collection at Bonhams Skinner. It is apparent from the superb quality of the collection as well as speaking with his daughter that William found tremendous joy and pleasure in studying and researching the works that he collected,” commented Stephen Fletcher, executive vice president of American furniture at Bonhams Skinner.

The quality of furniture is best exemplified by a Chippendale cherry carved chest on chest attributed to Benjamin Burnham, Colchester, Conn., circa 1770. Estimated at $300/500,000, the chest on chest is a cabinet maker’s masterpiece incorporating a rich variety of carved elements. New York craftmanship is represented by the Taradash family Chippendale mahogany carved tea table, circa 1765, featuring a carved apron, acanthus-carved knees and claw and ball feet ($100/150,000). Additionally, the Hopkins Family block-and-shell-carved kneehole dressing bureau, circa 1780 ($100/150,000), is a sophisticated example of Providence, R.I. cabinet-making. Its placement, front and center in Lippman’s entry hall, was a fitting introduction to the treasures that could be found throughout his home.

Lippman’s appreciation for Americana extended beyond furniture with a particular interest in weathervanes. This includes a detailed copper horse-drawn fire pumper attributed to J.W. Cushing of Waltham, Mass. ($150/250,000). Lippman additionally had an eye for American art, which is highlighted by “Sunny Morning, Gloucester Harbor,” an oil on panel painted in Boston in 1847 from Fitz Henry Lane (1804-1865), an American artist known for his marine paintings ($100/150,000).

The final component of the sale is a selection of Persian and Caucasian rugs from Lippman’s collection. Standouts include a Pinwheeel Kazak ($20/30,000), a room-size Malayer carpet from the first half of the Nineteenth Century, ($20/30,000) and several early Bakshaish and Serapi carpets. Many of these rugs have been previously published.

With a proclivity for the eclectic and an interest in the story behind a particular object, Lippman’s collecting was not limited to any one category or time period. The sale in November will focus primarily on the Americana and fine Caucasian rugs and Persian carpets, while additional works from his collection will be featured across numerous sales this fall, including American art in New York and Native American art in Los Angeles.

Bonhams Skinner is at 274 Cedar Hill Street. For information, www.bonhams.com/auction/28638/the-william-dana-lippman-collection-splendor-of-american-furniture-bonhams-skinner or 508-970-3000.

PREVIEW
Marlborough, MA
November 9, 10, & 13
CONTACT US
+1 (508) 970 3200
americana@bonhamsskinner.com
skinner.bonhams.com
EXTRAORDINARY CHIPPENDALE CHERRY CARVED CHEST ON CHEST, ATTRIBUTED TO BENJAMIN BURNHAM (C. 1729-73), COLCHESTER, CONNECTICUT, C. 1770
Skinner Auctions LLC. MA LIC. 2304. 274 Cedar Hill St, Marlborough MA 01752