Winter Decorative Arts at Treadway Gallery

Treadway Gallery will present the last of their quarterly Decorative Arts auctions Saturday, December 2nd at 11:00 AM. The 258 lot seasonal decorative arts auction put on by the Cincinnati auctionhouse shows a number of works originating from important collections and includes ceramics, fine art, furniture, metalwork, lighting and more.

Furniture:

We’re starting off with a couple of rare furniture lots; rarely seen by this French maker, a lot of four walnut nesting tables ($1,500-$2,000) out of a midwest collection signed by Emile Galle with lakeside and floral designs carved into the tops, this lot is listed as “very good condition.” Meanwhile, a Cincinnati Art-Carved Furniture cabinet ($1,500-$2,500) made of walnut, measuring 59″h x 13″d x 38.5″w, and featuring intricate carved designs  is described in “excellent condition” and “beautifully executed.” A pair of L & J.G. Stickley Morris chairs ($900-$1,200 and $1,500-$2,000 respectively) are listed in very good condition and with minimal color added by a professional.  However, the L. & J.G. Stickley mantel clock ($4,000-$5,000) with its original finish, key and pendulum included and is in working order, is sure to be a highlight of the auction.

For those looking for furniture on a budget, fans of Grand Rapids furniture may find this Lifetime Furniture co library table ($350-$450) an attractive option: the table has its original finish and measures 29.25″h x 30″d x 48″w. A Cincinnati Art-carved wooden jewelry box with floral designs ($500-$700) is listed as with its original finish and expert-level carved details. The box measures 6.5″h x 7″d x 12.5″w.

Ceramics:

As Cincinnati is an art pottery hotspot and a specialty of Treadway, this auction’s selection is no exception. Since metal overlay vases have been popular additions to auctions of late, we’ll start off with a gorgeous Rookwood vase by Ed Diers ($1,000-$1,500) and an equally gorgeous Rookwood covered vessel ($1,500-$2,500) by Artus Van Briggle: the Diers vase is beautifully decorated in an Iris theme and the added silver overlay is rarely seen with the Iris glazed series. The signed Van Briggle example with the Gorham silver overlay is listed as “rare and beautifully executed.” Like with many of the 32 results for works in this auction with silver overlay, a Rookwood vase by Sallie Coyne  ($700-$900) features its intricate silver overlay work by Gorham and the vase itself decorated with lovely fall foliage painted by Coyne. Other examples include vases by Kataro Shirayamadani ($900-$1,200), two examples by William McDonald ($1,000-$1,500), Carrie Steinle, H.R. Strafer, Josephine Zittel, and others.

The major art pottery firms are well represented: Grueby is well represented here with its number of perennial green examples – one green example with yellow buds is numbered and signed ($7,500-$10,000) while its blue Grueby ($500-$700) vase is in excellent condition, but smaller, standing at 3.5″ high.  Rookwood clearly has several examples seen here (58 lots of Rookwood Pottery) including an important vase with an underwater scene ($30,000-$40,000) designed by William McDonald. According to Treadway’s website, labels on the base indicate this vase won the gold medal first prize. It was also exhibited in the hundredth year anniversary at Jordan-Volpe Gallery in New York City. A lovely landscape vase by E.T. Hurley ($650-$850) comes with his signature and in excellent condition, another one of Sallie Coyne’s vases ($500-$750) with gorgeous detail comes from a midwest collection, and many other gorgeous glazed lovelies.

The selection of George Ohr vases is on the smaller side of just four lots, while two of them eminate directly from the James Carpenter collection. One vase with unusual decoration ($2,500-$3,500) and the other an example of Ohr’s ripples and folds in gunmetal and burgundy glazes ($4,500-$5,500).  The Newcomb College pottery is shown well with examples by Anna Frances Simpson, Sadie Irvine and even a couple of Newcomb Pottery exhibition posters while Roseville’s colorful examples show a number of “Wisteria” line vases as well as examples from their Rosecraft and Futura lines.

Metalwork

With the exception of the Tiffany Studios fare, the metalwork selections include many lots in silver, including two Tudric silver cigarette box with intricate enamel scenes by Charles Fleetwood Varley attached in front ($1,000-$1,500 and $1,200-$1,700). Both examples are unsual and in excellent condition. An impressive and very rare form of Heintz art metal comes to the auction as a large 16″ by 14″ frame of Heintz made of brass and velvet and is the largest size that Heintz makes! Out of New York, NY an early copper box by Joseph Heinrichs ($500-$700) is marked as in excellent condition. A rare signed and dated example of a Harry Dixon vase ($2,500-$3,500) will also be up for bid with its original patina and is listed in “excellent condition.”

Below we’ve listed a few lots that we’ll be keeping our eye on.

All descriptions courtesy of Treadway Gallery.