Art, Antiques & Collectibles Auctions—9/22

If you are going to be in Philadelphia September 26, go to the oldest auction house in the country, and catch Freeman’s European Decorative Art and Furniture Sale. The preview dates are September 24 and 25.

The sale starts off with a little night music in the shape of a bust of Mozart, Lot 25, by the German sculptor, Eugen Bormel (1858-1932). This bronze bust on a sienna-marble base is going in with a $300-$500 estimate. Lot 115, a beautiful 19th-century French, possibly Sevres or in the Sevres–style, vase-shaped coffeepot has a blue ground with gilt decoration and landscape panels. The classically shaped coffeepot has an estimate of $100-$150.

A silver lode

If you are in need of silver, this is your sale. There are literally hundreds of items from whole boxed sets of sterling flatware to individual ornamental pieces and single serving-piece items.

Look particularly at Lot 336. Possibly the oldest piece in the collection for sale, this handsome George III sterling cream jug marked made in London, 1800, is in a classic ovoid shape with a square handle. The maker’s mark is, unfortunately, rubbed off so we can only speculate as to the maker. This is a good time to invest in Georgian silver with this piece having a low estimate of $150-$200.

Good, not exceptional, furniture

Furniture has some good, although not spectacular, pieces. However, Lot 490 a Georgian-style mahogany supper table with carved dished tilt-top and raised scalloped edge and a nice carved supporting column finished on a raised tripod base will get some attention. Probably mid-19th-century, it’s a nice example of English reproduction work. The estimate is $1,500-$2,000.

Lot 493, a Victorian mahogany cylinder-desk rolls back to reveal a fitted interior for writing above a slide-out drawer on a two-cupboard base. Condition looks good, and the estimate is $2,000-$3,000.

Last, but not least, in the furniture collection is a wonderfully over-the–top dining-chair collection, Lot 528, consisting of two armchairs and six side chairs done in the George II style. The pierced backs are carved with leaves, and the armchairs have scrolled handles. Intact leather seats are raised on curved legs that end in a claw-and-ball foot. If you are looking to make a statement in the dining room, these would be the ones I suggest. The estimate is $1,550-$2,000.

– Christopher Kent is a member of the WorthPoint board of advisers and director of evaluations for WorthPoint. He is also an antiques and collectibles generalist, fine-arts broker and president of CTK Design.

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