There are two types of collectors. Many come to the hobby later in life, often by happenstance: meeting another collector and acquiring the contagion or seeing an object that speaks to them somehow. Others are born, perhaps with some sort…
The Verdure Tapestry of Daniel Garber: The Mary Maxwell House Daniel Garber’s painting is an idyllic moment of country life, a milk wagon on a rustic lane. The view across the road from his house, in fact. Peaceful, but this…
A recent crossing of the the auction block in our March 25th Firearms, Militaria, and Sporting auction was a fine, untouched example of a Nathan Starr model 1816 musket. This particular example was made for the Delaware militia, with a…
The Pook & Pook coffers are filled with an array of offerings for every collector in the upcoming Decorative Arts auction on February 24th, 2021. For starters, you can outfit your entire kitchen with the click of a button. Peruse…
As objects of Chinese culture, horses carry us beyond the borders of any one area or aspect. Closely related to dragons, horses flew, sometimes with wings and scales, through myth and fable in ancient China, carrying deities across the heavens.…
Lot 87 in our January 28th sale is by Samuel Colman (1832-1920), a painter of the second generation Hudson River School. A student of Asher Brown Durand and member of the National Academy of Design, Colman sought to paint the…
One of my favorite lots in our upcoming January 28th and 29th, 2021 Americana & International Auction is this group of sterling serving pieces by Gorham. The Versailles pattern was created in 1888 by the Gorham’s chief designer, Antoine Heller.…
Where do 17th century art and science collide with a Doomsday cult? On the pages of “Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium,” a lavish folio of plant and insect engravings published in 1705 Amsterdam by the world’s first entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian, and…
On to the next auction! Pook and Pook Auction in Downingtown, Pennsylvania has been extremely busy with blockbuster sale after blockbuster sale. The estate sale of Linda and Dennis Moyer has come to an astounding conclusion, but there is not…
I hope everyone gets the opportunity to come and visit the sales room for the preview of the collection of Linda and Dennis Moyer. The room looks fantastic! Call 610-269-4040 to set up a time to look. It has been…
I thought that I had better not miss the “pick of the week” this week. I have the dilemma of choosing items from the collection of Linda and Dennis Miller which is chock full of all the things that I…
Sitting here staring at this wonderful catalog and having my usual problem, there is too many items for pick of the week. Ship paintings have always been a favorite of mine and there are several to choose from, the Peter…
Looking through the different photographs we have sold over the years, this daguerreotype really stood out to me. This full plate daguerreotype (lot 1410, 4/28/18 auction) was made by Jacob Byerly of Frederick, Maryland. Born in 1807, Byerly became one…
You’ve come a long way baby………….well maybe not. What was your first doll – perhaps a Raggedy Andy, Rainbow Brite, Cabbage Patch or Baby Alive? The marketing of dolls has come full gamut in my memory starting with the fragile,…
My pick of the week this week looks back to March of 2018, when we sold this rare Columbian Exposition still bank for $3,416. The back reads “Complements of Smith Gray and Co Clothiers – New York and Brooklyn”. Tailer…
Did your mother read you stories when you were young? Mine did, every single night on our big soft squishy couch. My brother and I would curl up on each side of her with rapt attention because no matter what…
