DOWNINGTOWN, PENN. — Spatter deaccessioned from the Phillips Museum of Art at Franklin and Marshall College collection, originally compiled by the late Dr Robert L. Schaeffer, Jr, was sold at Pook & Pook this past Saturday, April 26. This was the second offering of Schaeffer’s spatter ware collection at Pook’s with rock solid prices once again established across the boards.
Four hundred twenty lots comprised the well-received auction with top lots including a vibrant red, blue and green rainbow plate with circle, star and half moon decoration and a ribbed rim, 93/4 inches in diameter, selling well above the $¾,000 presale estimates at $23,000. Another lot selling at $23,000 was a vibrant green and black rainbow spatter cup and saucer with vibrant red thistle decoration in the center, estimate $1,2/1,500.
An unusual red, green and blue rainbow platter with random crisscross decoration in the center soared past the $5/7,000 presale estimates as it hammered down for $21,850, as did a red spatter cup and saucer with a rare decoration depicting two men on a raft with billowing sail atop green water.
A cup and saucer decorated in a red, green, yellow and blue rainbow drape pattern was also hotly competed for with it also garnering a final bid of $20,700, against a $2/3,000 estimate.
Proceeds from the Schaeffer collection will benefit an endowment fund at the Phillips for maintenance of the museum’s permanent collection, with preference given to acquisition and conservation.
Prices include the 15 percent buyer’s premium. A complete review will appear in a future issue.