Schwenke – December Estate Auction
Tuesday Dec 12th
The Estate of Theodora Gibson Berg New Canaan, CT
www.woodburyauction.com
50 Main Street North Woodbury, CT 066798
203-266-0323
consign@woodburyauction.com

WOODBURY, CONN. — On Tuesday, December 12, Schwenke Auctioneers will offer the estate of Theodora (Teddy) Gibson Berg, New Canaan Conn., in a sale comprising more than 600 lots. The Berg collection includes a substantial group of jewelry, as well as American, English and Continental formal and country furniture and decorations, Chinese and European porcelain, fine art, folk art, ephemera, books, militaria, architectural elements and garden accessories.

More than 100 lots of jewelry will be sold for the Berg estate, ranging from Tiffany gold to custom-made pieces from various makers. Leading the jewelry group is a platinum, diamond, ruby and pearl necklace with a ruby, diamond and gold removable pendant, attributed to Frank Walter Lawrence. Lawrence was an Arts and Crafts jewelry designer and silversmith who thought of jewelry as “wearable sculpture” and often based his designs on nature. His work was rediscovered by Janet Zapata, guest curator for a 2004 exhibition at the Newark Museum — “Discovering an Unknown Master: The Jewelry and Silver of F. Walter Lawrence” and author of an article on Lawrence that appeared in the April 2004 issue of The Magazine Antiques. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in has one of his pendants on permanent display.

The necklace features a center bow with pave set diamonds and a round diamond measuring approximately .31 pts, cushion-cut ruby approximately .29 pts and pearl 4mm. The neckpiece continues with smaller pave set bows, diamond florettes, tiny rubies and seed pearls interspersed with four round diamonds, each approximately .23 pts, six diamond florettes with four diamonds each approximately .03 pts for a total of approximately .72 pts, two rubies each measure .35 pts. The necklace measures approximately 17½ inches in length with a gross weight of 32 DWT. The pendant has a cushion-cut ruby of medium X clear fine color measuring approximately. 2.53 carats with small cluster of six tiny diamonds and loop suspended and removable from the necklace.

Sterling silver from the estate includes an English sterling five-piece tea set, marked for London, William Fountain maker, with armorial crests and personalized 1922 on bottom of base. Comprising teapot, creamer, sugar bowl with strap handle, a footed stand and a tea box (tea caddy), together with an English sterling Nineteenth Century bright-cut sugar tongs. Gross weight is 47.74 OZT. A companion large oval tray is also offered separately.

The Berg collection includes many items of both Chinese and European porcelain. The Chinese porcelain lots of interest include a pair of Chinese porcelain large square vases with foo dog handles, polychrome decoration, measuring 16½ inches high, 6 inches wide, 6¼ inches deep, and a framed pair of Chinese painted porcelain plaques, one with emperor, one with courtesans, each with inscription and red seal mark.

European porcelain lots are headed by several Flora Danica porcelain wares, including two Flora Danica dishes and a large Flora Danica porcelain bowl — Hieracium Pilosella L, 2½ inches high, 9-inch diameter.

French and other Continental furniture includes a Biedermeier birch corner cabinet, a French provincial writing desk, a French marquetry inlaid mahogany cheval mirror, as well as upholstered pieces such as a three-part French Provincial carved fruitwood duchesse brisee, comprising larger and smaller slat back end arm chairs and a matching ottoman, all with elaborate rosette and entwined carved frames and turned fluted legs with “X” stretchers, each fitted with matched fabric cushions.

Many pieces of English furniture and decorations are being offered, including a George III husk carved sofa, a pair of matching cabriole-form Georgian settees, a George III inlaid satinwood cellarette, several pembroke tables, corner and other cupboards and a George II carved and gilded wall mirror with elaborate foliate cresting and original brass candle arm sconces.

Important Americana lots include a Connecticut figured maple chest on frame from the eastern part of the state and three pieces of carved mahogany classical furniture attributed to Duncan Phyfe, including a curved arm Sheraton sofa, a figured mahogany sideboard/server with veneered backsplash and a rare lyre-back carved mahogany armchair with inset paneled crest, scrolling reeded arms, rosette mounts and carved hairy paw front legs. The chair has a Joseph LiVolsi upholsterer’s label attached to the original gumwood seat frame. LiVolsi is documented as having upholstered numerous pieces in the Winterthur Museum collection as well as the White House and the US Diplomatic Reception Rooms.

The sale ends with several estate Oriental carpets, including Persian, Caucasian and Turkoman room and scatter-sized rugs. Most notable among the carpets are a palace size Persian Kerman carpet from the Berg collection and a Caucasian gallery rug from a Pennsylvania collector.

The sale will be broadcast for live internet bidding on LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable. Live preview will be conducted Thursday, Friday and Saturday before the sale and at other times by appointment. Schwenke Auctioneers is at 50 Main Street North. For more information, 203-266-0323 or www.woodburyauction.com.

On December 12th we will offer The Estate of Theodora (Teddy) Gibson Berg, New Canaan
CT. The sale will also include sterling silver from a New England educational institution as well as American and European fine and decorative arts from various other Connecticut estates and collections. Teddy was known for her renowned gardens, including those she nurtured over the years at her homes in NH and CT. The collection includes a substantial group of fine jewelry, as well as American, English and Continental formal and country furniture and decorations, fine Chinese and European porcelain, fine art and folk art.
See the next edition of the Bee for the full ad.
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