Marilyn and Don Forke collected for over six decades within the boundless expanse of late Seventeenth and early Eighteenth Century creation: a mix of New England furniture, English and American needlework, Dutch and English delft, early brass lighting, English and American pewter and early coverlets and textiles. Like any good collector, Don Forke kept tabs on everything the couple bought through scrawled notes within a collector’s journal. The book told the story of when these things were bought, who they were bought from, a description of the work, the purchase price, and some even included little line drawings of the object next to the description. Throughout the couple’s vast collection that approaches the block at Skinner — more than 450 lots — one cannot help but notice their interest in love. Hearts are everywhere, found within Connecticut chairs, New England tape looms, painted blanket chests, a crib, mirrors, cake boards and butter molds, boxes, fireplace and primitive cooking tools, pewter and more. One exceptional example of this is found tooled into the sides of a leather key basket from Richmond. Va., circa the early Nineteenth Century. “I have seen them once or twice, and we’ve sold one in the past,” Stephen Fletcher, Skinner’s vice president and director the Americana department said. “They’re very rare…. and again, it has a heart. I think [Marilyn] couldn’t resist it.” The basket joins other top lots from around the United States in this week’s picks.
SKINNER
Sale Date: August 11–12, 2019
Lot 363
Tooled Leather Key Basket with Six Keys
Richmond, Va., early Nineteenth Century, the oval basket with splayed sides decorated with tooled heart, star and leaf designs, the handle attached with heart and diamond reinforcing, the bottom marked “G,” with five early iron keys and one in brass, basket 7¼ inches high.
Estimate $8/12,000
ROLAND AUCTIONS NY
Sale Date: August 10, 2019
Lot 268
R.W. Martin & Bros. Vase
Vauxhall, London, signed and dated, stoneware vase with elaborate gryphon and foliage design, 8½ inches high, staple repair.
Estimate: $800–$1,200
AUCTIONS AT SHOWPLACE
Sale Date: August 11, 2019
Lot 208
Henry Ford Gorham Sterling Presentation Plaque
Presented to Henry Ford by the Ford Dealers of Atlanta, 1931, featuring the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial, in recognition of the 20 Millionth Ford, 10 inches high, 19.98 ozt.
Estimate: $1/2,000
AMERO AUCTIONS
Sale Date: August 11, 2019
Lot 7
Eight 1780s Chippendale Black Walnut Dining Chairs
Washington DC area, wood identified as black walnut. Foliate carved top rail and back splat, shaped arms with foliate carved hand holds, straight front legs.
Estimate: $10/15,000
MICHAAN’S
Sale Date: August 10, 2019
Arthur Espenet Carpenter Chess Set
Mixed woods, circa 1960s.
Estimate: $8/12,000
UNIQUES & ANTIQUES
Sale Date: August 7, 2019
Lot 1181
Pair of Russell Wright Cast Iron Fire Deer Andirons
Heavy cast iron figural andirons, zoomorphic design, 15¾ inches high.
Estimate: $3/5,000
HERITAGE AUCTIONS
Sale Date: August 13–14, 2019
Lot 98005
Frank R. Paul (American, 1884–1963)
“The Moon Conquerors,” Science Wonder Quarterly cover, winter 1930. Watercolor and gouache on board, 23 by 16 inches. Signed lower right. From the Glynn and Suzanne Crain Collection.
Estimate: $30,000+
GREAT GATSBY’S
Sale Date: August 10–1, 2019
Lot 773
Florentine Style Bronze Boar Fountain
Limestone base, after Pietro Tacca (Italian, 1577–1640), patinated bronze fountain of an Italian boar, commonly known as “Il Porcellino,” sitting by a riverside surrounded by insects and wildlife, the bronze surmounting a cylindrical carved limestone base depicting underwater creatures and elements of the natural world in relief, 67 inches high.
Estimate: $15/18,000
COWAN’S AUCTIONS
Sale Date: August 9, 2019
Lot 63
Ohio Grain-Painted Bed
American, Nineteenth Century. A grain-painted bed with bold block and turned posts and a shaped paneled headboard, 44 inches high, 53 inches wide, 79-inch depth.
Estimate: $150/300
