42 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — February 24, 2023

Auction Action In Knoxville, Tenn.

Case Auctions’ Winter Auction Sees

New Records & Expectations Exceeded
KNOXVILLE, TENN. — “This consignments of similar materi- uary 28-29. While Drury did not being by Southern artists. At the three of her works, with “Church
sale emphasized the strength of al, because there’s certainly an disclose a sale total, she con- apex of the sale at $51,240 was Picnic” earning the most, selling
fresh-to-the-market art, espe- appetite out there for it!” Sarah firmed the sell-through rate of Carroll Cloar’s (American / Ten- to a Kentucky private collector
cially art by Southern and Afri- Campbell Drury, Case Auctions’ more than 98 percent, claiming nessee / Arkansas, 1913-1993) for $24,400, a price Drury
can American artists, which has vice president of fine and decora- it “sold half a million dollars “The Explorer,” which Drury con- acknowledged was a new world
always been one of our favorite tive arts happily shared after the above the high estimate, with a firmed would be staying in the auction record for the artist.
categories here at Case. We’re firm’s Winter Fine Art and lot of new bidders and what South, sold to a buyer bidding in “Moving Day” pulled off a result
hopeful these new records will Antiques Auction, in which more might have been a record num- the room. The painting, done in of $13,420, while her untitled
encourage new discoveries and than 1,200 lots were offered Jan- ber of bidders: at least 7,500 1982 in acrylic on board, had painting of a crouching tiger fin-
from more than 55 countries.” been in the collection of Judy ished at $2,400.
Southern art was indeed in and Pete Nebhut, Nashville. New world auction records for
high demand, evidenced by the One of the lots Drury was most artists were also set for George
top two lots in the sale, both pleased with was the pastel on Ayers Cress (Alabama / Tennes-
wove paper portrait of a man by see, 1921-2008), whose “Shad-
Beauford Delaney (American / owed Landscape” from 1963
Tennessee, 1901-1979), which earned $11,590 from a Tennes-
had provenance to the artist’s see collector. An oil on board flo-
estate and was accompanied by a ral still life by Sterling Strauser
letter of authentication from the (Pennsylvania, 1907-1995) blos-
estate, sold to a Southern buyer, somed to $10,200 and went home
bidding in the room, for $48,000, with a Southern collector, bid-
four times its high estimate. ding in the room.
“[Delaney’s] really hot; his pric- Rounding out the top three pric-
es have just been going up, espe- es at $39,040 was an early Nine-
cially over the last few years. It teenth Century Wythe County,
does appear to be a record for a Va., paint-decorated blanket
portrait on paper for the artist. chest that had been discovered in
By contrast, in 2015 we sold a an estate and owned by the same
portrait in oil on canvas of the family since the late Nineteenth
Sailing above expectations and bringing $51,240, the top artist’s mother for $48,380 and Century. The decoration, attrib-
price in the sale, was “The Explorer” by Carroll Cloar, now sold this portrait for uted to John Huddle (1772-1839)
acrylic on board, 23 by 34 inches, 1982 ($28/32,000). $48,000, which tells you about and family, featured the original
his trajectory. The market is so red wash with grain-painted ele-
strong for African American art- ments on the top and sides of the
ists, it’s a combination of muse- chest, which set off four rectangu-
ums looking to fill holes in their lar lunette panels, the two on the
collections or collectors looking top with red and black six-point
to diversify theirs. The buyer is stars, the two on the front with
very happy to have it.” stylized flowers issuing from
“Southern pottery is a staple A currently ongoing — through black urns. A Southern collector,
for Case,” said Sarah Camp- April 30 — exhibition at Louis- bidding on the phone, faced stiff
bell Drury, observing many ville, Ky.’s Speed Art Museum on underbidding competition, but
of the bidders in the catego- Helen LaFrance (1919-2020) has ultimately prevailed.
ry prefer to bid in the room. generated considerable interest In addition to folk art furni-
This jar, made in East Ten- in the artist, whose memory ture, high-style furniture also
nessee by William Grindstaff, paintings document her rural did well, particularly a Queen
is an uncommon form and and small-town experiences Anne high chest of drawers,
despite the lack of a handle, growing up in the Mayfield and attributed to Newport, R.I., or
a flaw during production, it Graves County areas of Western Boston, which came from the
brought $7,200 ($700/900). Kentucky. Case’s sale featured Memphis, Tenn., collection of

“That had a lot of interest,” Sarah Campbell Drury said of

this Wythe County, Va., paint-decorated blanket chest that
had a long history of ownership with a Smith County, Va., Review by
family. It sold to a private Southern collector bidding on Madelia Hickman Ring, Editor
the phone, for $39,040 ($6/6,500). Photos Courtesy Case Auctions

The top lot of the first day of the two-day event was For-
tunino Matania’s (Italy/United Kingdom, 1881-1963) “Christ
Entering Jerusalem,” which was being sold by a Tennessee The second lot of the first day of the auc-
religious institution and sold to a private collector in the “Portrait of a Man,” by Beauford Delaney, tions was this early Nineteenth Century
south, bidding on the phone, for $9,760. Sarah Campbell pastel on wove paper, 25½ by 19-5/8, is likely Korean Josean dynasty silver inlaid censer
Drury said it was exceptionally well done and almost cer- to be a record for the artist for a portrait on with crane finial, which flew to $37,500,
tainly as an illustration, though they could not find the paper. It sold to a Southern collector, bid- more than 26 times its high estimate. It sold
publication it appeared in ($1,2/1,400). ding in the room, for $48,000 ($10/12,000). to an online bidder ($1/1,400).
 February 24, 2023 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — 43

A buyer outside of the South paid $12,800 for this silver

flute made by Louis Lot (1807-1896) in Paris circa 1864
($2/2,400).

“That was a bit of a surprise. We had some

good comparables but this exceeded even
those despite some condition issues,” was
Sarah Campbell Drury’s comment on the
$20,400 realized by this 1818 copy of the
Declaration of Independence, which came
from a Thompson’s Station, Tenn., estate,
This letter, written from Confederate Presi- that had originally been owned by penman-
dent Jefferson Davis to General Robert E. ship professor Benjamin Owen Tyler, who
Lee, will be leaving the South, selling to an had painstakingly copied the original sig-
online bidder for $11,250 ($800-$1,000). natures ($6/6,400).
“It’s a new record for George Kress,” confirmed Sarah
John and Tina McWhorter, garden ornament, we think it Campbell Drury, speaking about his 1963 abstract oil on
whose collection of early Ameri- may have been more profound — canvas landscape titled “Shadowed Landscape,” which sold
can furniture was well-known in it had the shape of a dipper, to a Tennessee collector for $11,590 ($1/1,200).
Tennessee. Drury said it sold to a which was associated with plan-
client from New England, bid- tation life,” Drury said.
ding online, who was new to One of the best stories of the
Case; she attributed the success auction was associated with an
of the lot to presale advertising unusual circa 1899 Tiffany Stu-
in New England, including in dios lamp with Favrile shade
this publication. that the sellers — who Drury
The first day of the sale got off said were loyal clients at Case
to a strong start with $37,500 — found in a tag sale and pur-
achieved by a Korean Josean chased for $140. It retained its
dynasty (1392-1897) silver inlaid original Favrile iridescent
censer with crane finial. Cata- shade on a base both impressed
loged as likely from the Western “Tiffany Studios New York
province of Pyongan, early Nine- D436/7” and with the mono-
teenth Century and with a silver gram for Tiffany Glass & Deco-
wire inlaid Chinese “Shou” aus- rating Co. A collector on the
picious character marks, the
7-5/8-inch-tall censer had prove- A Tiffany Studios lamp with
nance to Samuel W. Lee & Co of Favrile shade, circa 1899,
Seoul and was being sold by a that had been discovered in
Tennessee religious institution. a tag sale for $130, lit up to
Drury said it had received insti- $29,280 and found a new
tutional interest but that the home with a collector on the
buyer was an online bidder, so West Coast ($4,4/5,400). A Southern institution paid $10,625 for Nashville photogra-
she was not certain if they were pher Harold Lowe’s photographic archive documenting
an institution, trade buyer or Civil Rights protests in Nashville ($3/4,000).
private collector.
Case has been selling works —
both figural and more utilitarian
works — by Outsider “Old Mas-
ter” artist William Edmondson
(American / Tennessee, 1874-
1951) for years and sold to a pri-
vate Southern collector, for
$31,720, a carved limestone
sculpture or garden ornament
that had been estimated at
$10/12,000. Exhibited in the
Tennesee State Museum’s 1981
exhibition, “William Edmondson:
A Retrospective,” the piece had
been acquired by the Nashville,
Tenn.’s seller’s parents directly
from the artist in 1951.
“There was definitely interest
and we had multiple bidders. It
helped that it had been exhibited
previously. It was deceptively “It speaks to how this market has gone crazy,” said Sarah Henry Mouzon’s An Accurate Map of North and South Caro-
simple, but if you saw the angles Campbell Drury, of this carved limestone sculpture and lina with Their Indian Frontiers, published in London 1775,
of the handle and sides, you base by William Edmondson, which a private Southern col- was a rare first-state version and was, as Sarah Campbell
could see Edmondson put a lot lector bid to $31,720. The piece was acquired directly from Drury noted, “important for the American Revolution and
and effort into sculpting this. the artist and included in a 1981 retrospective exhibition the commanders in the field.” It found a new home outside
Though it was described as a on the artist’s work ($10/12,000). of the South with a private collector for $14,640 ($5/6,000).
44 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — February 24, 2023

West Coast bid it to $29,280. a rare first-state edition refer-

“We had so much interest in enced in at least three books on
the paper lots; the books, docu- early Southern maps.
ments and maps all did fantas- An online buyer who Drury
tically well. We have a very was not familiar with, and who
enthusiastic bidder base; it’s a may have been making their
key strength for us,” Drury bidding and buying debut at
shared. An example of this was Case, picked up several lots,
the surprisingly high price of including a one-page bifolium
$20,400 realized for an 1818 handwritten autographed letter
copy of the Declaration of Inde- written in 1864 by Confederate
pendence, engraved by Peter President, Jefferson F. Davis
Maverick, Newark, N.J., which (1808-1889) to General Robert
is considered the first copy of E. Lee (1807-1870). Written
the Declaration of Indepen- shortly after the May 5-7 Battle
dence produced for commercial of the Wilderness, the letter
purposes, which had been commended Lee on his conduct
owned by Benjamin Owen Tyler during the event and requested
(1789-1855), a Massachusetts- an audience within two weeks. “She’s best known for her church scenes; that’s a new world
born penmanship professor. The letter was one of nearly auction record for her,” Sarah Campbell Drury said of
A map of North and South Car- three dozen lots from the Nash- “Church Picnic” by Helen LaFrance. It was bought by a pri-
olina, by Henry Mouzon, pub- ville estate of Stanley Horn, who vate collector in Kentucky and sold by the same seller as
lished by Robert Sayer and John was a collector of Tennessee and her “Moving Day,” which finished at $13,420 ($3,4/3,800).
other Southern manuscripts,
Case
Bennett in London in 1775, rose
to $14,640 and sold to a private documents and ephemera. Previously owned by John and Tina McWhorter, this Queen
Case Auctions’ next sale will Anne mahogany high chest had provenance to dealers John
Auctions
collector outside of the South.
The omission of both Fort Sulli- take place July 8-9. For informa- Walton and Peter Eaton, who had advertised it in The Maga-
van and the bar and harbor of tion, www.caseantiques.com or zine Antiques in October 1989. It sold to a new client to Case,
Charlestown indicate that it was 865-558-3033. bidding online from New England, for $19,200 ($8/9,000).

Paintings, Prints, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Kicks Off Lecture Series

Statues & Asian Art With Award-Winning Scholar On March 12
Online Art Galley
NORWALK, CONN. — On Zoe Anderson Norris (1860- The East Side, which described Forgotten Journalist Zoe Ander-
www.georgebettongallery.com Sunday, March 12, at 2 pm, 1914). Writer and publisher of her recent dream that she son Norris, 1860-1914. Kahn
Lockwood-Mathews Mansion the bimonthly magazine The would die soon, she suffered said, “I’m really looking forward
Museum will kick-off its 2023 East Side, Norris focused on fatal heart failure and her pre- to giving a progress report on
Lecture Series with award-win- New York’s immigrants and diction made headlines in my five-year journey into the
MOVIE POSTERS ning scholar and journalist Eve outcasts in dire straits. She newspapers nationwide. story of a writer who was brave
M. Kahn, who will give a talk sometimes worked undercover Kahn, an independent scholar and foolhardy, trying to change
WANTED based on her exhibition at the to expose issues that still reso- specializing in art and architec- the world.”
Highest Prices Paid for: lobby cards,
1 sheet, 3 sheets, window cards, glass slides Grolier Club in Manhattan nate in today’s society. A Ken- tural history, design and preser- The lecture will take place at
773-525-9152 through May 13, “To Fight for tucky-born longtime Manhat- vation, was a weekly antiques Stepping Stones Museum for
email: [email protected] the Poor with My Pen: Zoe tanite, known as the “Queen of columnist at The New York Children’s Multimedia Gallery.
Anderson Norris, Queen of Bohemia,” Norris also founded Times from 2008 to 2016. She Light refreshments will be
Bohemia.” The lecture series is the Ragged Edge Klub, which contributes regularly to the offered following the presenta-
chaired by Trustee Kathy Olsen met for weekly dinners com- Times, The Magazine Antiques tion as well as a special drawing
WANTED who said, “Ms Kahn’s insights
into the intrigue and wonder of
bining activism and dancing.
She handed out aristocratic
and Apollo magazine and serves
on the boards of scholarly insti-
for a private tour of the Grolier
Club given by Kahn on March
Antiques of all kinds. Will buy for the Gilded Age via the life of Zoe titles to Ragged Edgers, such tutions, including the Grolier 18, 11:30 am to 1 pm. The Step-
cash or will sell on consignment – Anderson Norris will be an as Lady Betty Rogers of the Club. Her biography in progress ping Stones Museum is at 303
no lot too large or too small. event to remember." Bronx and Baron Bernhardt of for a university press is provi- West Avenue. For information
Kahn will explore the legacy of Hoboken. A few days after sionally titled, Queen of Bohe- and reservations, www.lock-
B & S Auction Service Gilded Age author and reformer completing the last issue of mia Predicts Own Death: The woodmathewsmansion.com.
Thomas Barrows
P.O. Box 141 Currier Museum Celebrates
Portland, Conn.
Tel 860-342-2540 Black History Month With New Acquisition
MANCHESTER, N.H. — The Currier tion which included paintings of Blacks,
Museum of Art recently acquired one of the Hispanics and Asians. I decided that this
earliest depictions of free Black people in unique painting showing Blacks as free
Europe. Painted in Antwerp around 1650, people in the Seventeenth Century belongs
GET MAX CASH! “Black Men and Women in a Tavern” shows in this museum.”
figures drinking and smoking in a relaxed “Black Men and Women in a Tavern” joins
for Sports Cards setting. Produced in the circle of the Flem- several recent acquisitions by Black artists,
and Memorabilia ish artist David Teniers the Younger, the including major works by Robert Duncan-
work closely resembles paintings of the son, and important Black painter of Nine-
period showing white people carousing in teenth Century America, Norman Lewis, a
taverns. leading member of the New York School
Blacks from Africa appear in European and Faith Ringgold, a much-beloved con-
art beginning in the Sixteenth Century, but temporary artist.
they were normally presented as exotic fig- The painting is closely related to the tav-
ures in the roles of servants, slaves or bibli- ern scenes painted by David Teniers the
cal figures. They almost always wear elabo- Younger (1610-1690) and his workshop,
rate foreign attire. In this painting, Blacks which often show people smoking and
are the main focus of the scene and wear drinking, and sometimes misbehaving.
ordinary clothes of the time. There were These depict white individuals exclusively,
Black communities in the port cities of the except for the Currier Museum’s new paint-
Netherlands, including Antwerp, Amster- ing. David’s younger brother, Abraham
dam and Rotterdam. Artists like Rubens Teniers occasionally depicted Black men as
Call (732) 290-8000 and Rembrandt sketched Black individuals servants or slaves, usually in ceremonial
Email [email protected] in Antwerp and Amsterdam, respectively. dress.
This genre scene does not appear to record A later copy of the Currier Museum’s
specific individuals, but evokes the daily painting is now in the Walters Art Museum,
life of Black people in Antwerp, comparable Baltimore; it was acquired in 2019 as a
to scenes of white people in urban taverns. “Black Men and Women in a Tavern,” work by the Dutch artist Adriaen van Ost-
The painting is a generous gift from Salo- circle of David Teniers the Younger, ade as from the 1630s. However, this work
mon Lilian of Amsterdam, who said, “When mid-Seventeenth Century, oil on wood. is derived from the Currier Museum’s
I visited the Currier Museum in 2022, I was Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, painting, which was made in Antwerp, not
so impressed by the diversity of its collec- N.H. Gift of Salomon Lilian. Amsterdam.
 February 24, 2023 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — 45

A Group Of Stoneware Face Vessels

Thought To Have Been Made In West Tennessee
By Justin W. Thomas
KNOXVILLE, TENN. —
Among the objects sold in Case
Antiques’ two-day auction Jan-
uary 28-29 were two rare Twen-
tieth Century stoneware face
vessels attributed to West Ten-
nessee, where each jug was
marked on the base “$2.00.”
The lot was cataloged as fol-
lows: “These two West Tennes-
see stoneware unglazed bisque-
fired face vessels were likely
made at the Paris Pottery in
Henry County, Tenn., or at the
Pinson Pottery in Madison
County, Tenn. The lot includes
one face vessel or sculptural A circa 1936-37 photograph of Eli Lafever’s kiln and associ-
head with a prominent nose ated wares in Putnam County, Tennessee, which shows in
and an open mouth with an the circle possibly another diving bell. Photo courtesy Ten-
open base, presumably to put nessee Potteries, Pots and Potters – 1790s-1950.
over a fence post, and one face
jug with brown glazed high- common on the Caney Fork
lights including sideburns.” River and its tributaries. One
The lot sold for $375 (includ- of these tributaries is the Fall-
ing buyer’s premium). It sup- ing Water River that serves as
ported information that I have a boundary between Putnam My nephew Jason holding one of the few face vessels known
previously been told, also and White counties in the area thought to have been made in West Tennessee, which we
attributing these types of where pottery making was acquired from dealer Greg Kramer.
objects to West Tennessee, concentrated in both counties.
probably dating to 1900-1930. The story passed down with
There are only a small group the diving bell is that it was
of related face vessels like this made at the Eli Lafever kiln
known that were made with a around 1930 for Willie B. War-
sculptural head, a prominent ren, who used it in concert
nose, an open mouth and an with a companion who sat on
open base, whereas those the riverbank operating a
objects include a good painted bicycle pump attached to a
example that I acquired with long hose that connected to an
my nephew Jason in the sum- opening in the knob at the top
mer of 2019, from Robesonia, of the diving bell. The wearer
Penn., antiques dealer Greg would move on his hands and This is a third example that These types of face vessels were made with a prominent
Kramer. knees along the river bottom is known, which was found nose and an open mouth with an open base, possibly to put
It has also been suggested collecting mussels, probably years ago by Kentucky col- over a fence post. Some have suggested they may have been
that these face vessels may distinguishing them largely lector and independent intended to be used as a birdhouse, while other types of
have been made at Eli Lafe- by touch.” scholar Gary Dean Gardner Nineteenth Century Southern face jugs have been discov-
ver’s (1880-1963) pottery busi- “The diving bell is made of in the western part of Mid- ered for various reasons on fence posts in places like South
ness in Putnam County, Tenn., thick gray stoneware and salt dle Tennessee. Photo cour- Carolina and Kentucky, now kept as part of the William
based on the form, which is glazed on the exterior. The tesy Gary Dean Gardner. and Susan Mariner and George Meyer Collections.
comparable in shape and size main body was hand thrown
to a salt-glazed stoneware div- with applied shoulder pieces
ing bell made by the company and a reinforced collar at the
circa 1930. back and ‘ears.’ The ears have
Lafever was one of at least holes in them used for attach-
five sons of Asher (b 1850) and ing ropes, apparently to help
Canzada Lafever, who contin- lift the bell out of the water. The
ued their family’s tradition of object’s overall height is 17
pottery making. Eli grew up in inches, whereas the bottom
the midst of several southwest diameter is 13 inches, the top
Putnam County potteries. He knobs diameter is 1½ inches
probably received most of his and the hole through the top
early training at the pottery knob is a ½-inch in diameter.
his father started about 1893, While production of such a spe-
and he was still living with his cialty item must have been
parents in 1900 when he is rare, the Lafevers may have
called a “farm laborer” in the made more than one, for it Pair of face vessels thought to have been
Federal Census. However, by appears there is one illustrated made in West Tennessee in the 1900s that
1910, Eli had recently taken in a photograph of Eli Lefever’s sold at Case Antiques for $375. Photo cour-
over the Putnam County pot- kiln and wares associated with tesy Case Antiques, Inc.
tery that formerly belonged to it taken in 1936-1937.”
his grandmother Rachel Lafe- This is not an anomaly Group of Twentieth Century painted stone-
ver, and he and his family either where the history of a ware face jugs thought to have been made in
would remain there for the rest specific type of production has North Carolina. The jug shown to the top left is
of their lives. been misplaced or temporari- one of “a small number of these face jugs [that]
According to a two-volume ly forgotten through the years have surfaced, all of which were reportedly
book written by Samuel D. — in fact, it happens some- made by a Mr Nelson in North Wilkesboro,
Smith and Stephen T. Rogers what frequently with Ameri- N.C., in the 1920s and discovered in the 1990s.”
and published by the Tennes- can ceramic production from Photo courtesy Crocker Farm.
see Department of Environ- the Seventeenth through the
ment and Conservation 2011, Twentieth Century. Addition- done so for the moment — these nessee face vessels align with a head with a wide spout and a
titled, Tennessee Potteries, ally, a third face vessel like potters were doing their best to small group of painted stone- bail handle made of wire and
Pots and Potters – 1790s-1950, those discussed was found make a living, much like most ware face jugs that have sold black-painted wood. The sur-
“In Tennessee, from approxi- years ago by Kentucky collec- people do today. In most cases, through various auction houses face of the jug is painted black
mately the 1850s to the 1950s, tor and independent scholar these potters did not regard over the past few decades. with pink and white details to
the collecting of mussels in Gary Dean Gardner in west- their production as something Crocker Farm in Sparks, Md., the eyes and cheeks, including
search of freshwater pearls ern Middle Tennessee. There that would be celebrated years described one of these face jugs eyelashes and red highlights to
and for sale to shell button have also been face jugs dis- later. But in the case of these in 2017, as, “A rare painted the lips. A small number of
factories was a part-time or covered in neighboring Arkan- Tennessee face vessels, they are woman face jug, possibly of these face jugs have surfaced,
seasonal occupation for many sas from a different unknown now a means of Southern folk North Carolina origin from the all of which were reportedly
individuals who otherwise manufacturer. art and tradition. Twentieth Century. The mold- made by a Mr Nelson in North
engaged in farming and other When these types of objects While there is most likely no ed face jug is in the form of an Wilkesboro, N.C., in the 1920s
professions. This activity was were originally created, it was direct relationship, these Ten- African American woman’s and discovered in the 1990s.”