The gem of the day at Willis Henry’s Shaker sale October 10, at the Shaker Community here, was an 1843 cupboard over a case of drawers that brought $178,250.

Bidding on the cupboard, made in pine and basswood, opened at $50,000 and skittered around under the crowded tent.

The 78-inch-tall piece was attributed to Brother Amos Stewart of the Mount Lebanon community and its finish had matured to an elegant honeyed hue. It was part of the 1932 landmark exhibit “The Furnishings of Shaker Dwellings and Shops” at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield.

A complete report of the sale will appear in a future issue.

-FMM