In preparation for the American Art and Furniture sales coming this fall, The Curator’s Eye (www.CuratorsEye.com) turns its spotlight to the exceptional American Folk Art currently on offer through the online exhibition. The Curator’s Eye presents a worthwhile selection of rare, distinguished paintings, carvings, furniture, and presidential mementos for at-home perusal by collectors and enthusiasts.

Portraits of Americans

A portrait of a lady, attributed to Ruth Shute (1803-1882), leads the offering of paintings of Americans. An oil on canvas created circa 1830s, this work depicts a half-length portrait of a woman wearing a white dress with lace accents and dark belt, gold brooch, and lace choker with gold pin. Ruth Shute is one of the most recognized and famous of women portrait painters and worked both independently and in collaboration with her husband, Samuel Addison Shute (1803-1836). Her attention and sensitivity to detail, and use of a warm palette as shown in this work, demonstrates her skill and ability to capture and depict both physical characteristics and the internal character of her sitters.

This New England masterpiece portrait pair, painted circa 1820-1830 by Zedekiah Belknap (1781-1858), is also available. This recently discovered pair of paintings illustrates Belknap’s artistry at the height of his itinerant career across New England. Zedekiah Belknap was born in Auburn, MA and graduated from Dartmouth College, where he studied divinity. Belknap, whose crisp style, love of delicate ornament, and attentively posed sitters positioned at a slight angle to the picture surface are characteristics well represented in this pair of portraits.

Carved and Sculpted Animals: Bird Tree, Swan Planter, Horse Weathervane, Flamingo

Continuing in the fine American folk art tradition is a carved bird tree by Pennsylvania German artist Schtockschnitzler Simmons. Made circa 1900 out of sassafras and dogwood, Simmons was a self taught artist whose most noted masterpieces are his bird trees. The artist was a late German immigrant whose given name remains unknown, but he had two nicknames: der alt (the old one) and der Schtockschnitzler (the cane carver). He sometimes gave his folk art carvings to farmers or tavern keepers, who offered him either drinks or hospitality as he roamed the rural areas surrounding Kutztown, Moselem Springs, and Hamburg in Berks County.

A carved pine life size swan planter by an unknown American artist, circa 1880, has magnificent form, showing the swan with its wings open and held close to its side. The swan looks to be swimming, the tail is elaborate and delicate, and the body exhibits the original tin planter. Interestingly, there are traces of original gold finish under the tops of the wings and other protected areas indicating that the swan was once gilded and was created as an outdoor garden ornament.

The animal offering is rounded out by a Hambletonian standing horse weathervane made of molded copper, circa 1875-1895, possibly by J.W. Fiske Ironworks, and a fine John James Audubon, Bien edition hand-colored lithograph of a Flamingo.

American Furniture: Federal, Pennsylvania German, William and Mary

Furniture across the years in a variety of styles is also available, including a Federal painted and inlaid stand with twist-turned legs that was created circa 1820. In a fine state of preservation, this New Hampshire stand is an individualistic expression of the Federal style created by an inspired rural artisan.

Joining the stand is a lift-top chest from Berks County, Pennsylvania. Inscribed (in Germanic) "Frederick Kleh in the year 1795 the 20 March,” this chest displays distinctive form with wide short feet, drop pendant, and original painted decoration. Patricia J. Keller has attributed its authorship to cabinetmaker “H” and decorator “4,” according to her 1991 Magazine Antiques article.

A rare William and Mary square gate-leg table with Spanish feet adds another style to the roster. Made circa 1740 in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire area, this table is constructed from a combination of maple, walnut, and white pine. The construction of the Spanish feet on this table is a well known characteristic for gate-leg tables made in Boston, northeastern Massachusetts and coastal New Hampshire circa 1730-1760. Indeed, American gate-leg tables with Spanish feet are exceedingly rare, with only few examples having been published. This example retains many original features including iron hinges, handmade screws, and its maple top.

Presidential Signatures and Manuscripts: Lincoln, Monroe, J.Q. Adams, T. Roosevelt

In addition to the American paintings, folk art, and furniture, The Curator’s Eye also presents a number of presidential memorabilia, signatures, and historic documents such as an autograph album containing 256 signatures of mid-19th Century American politicians, including Abraham Lincoln. A highlight of this octavo album is a very unusual autograph note signed by Lincoln in 1863 authorizing the bearer, a “Quakeress,” to tend to Confederate prisoners of war, whom he here describes as “secession prisoners.” The wife of John Wethered (1809-88) had the album signed by members of Congress during her husband’s term as a Whig from Maryland in 1843-1845, resulting in an impressive and exceptional album which would be a most desirable addition to any Civil War collection.

Abraham Lincoln also signed an autograph note in 1864 in response to Judge James Hughes (1823 -1873). Judge James Hughes was appointed to the U. S. Court of Claims in January 1860, served to December 1864, then became a member of the Indiana House of Representatives until 1866. He asked Lincoln to provide armed escorts to recover a dead soldier from the battlefield.

A bronze plaque featuring a quotation from Theodore Roosevelt joins the above pieces. The bas relief sculpture features the Doctrine of the Strenuous Life, Roosevelt’s personal philosophy of life cast in bronze under his profile portrait. His “Strenuous Life” speech was first given in Chicago on April 10, 1899 and emphasized “the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife...that highest form of success … [comes] … to him who does not shrink from danger, hardship, or bitter toil.” This attitude was a prime motivator for the President, and the speech was reprinted in a collection of Roosevelt’s works titled Strenuous Life a year later.

Finally, this ship’s passport from 1818 bears the signatures of both President James Monroe and John Quincy Adams as Secretary of State. This visually appealing document sports engraved maritime vignettes and a Presidential seal in exceptional condition. It was used for US ships sailing in the Mediterranean after America agreed to pay tribute to the Barbary pirates for safe passage. This is an historic document from a different age that has great visual appeal.  

The Curator’s Eye is the distinctive online platform for the finest art and antiques from distinguished dealers around the world. To view more exceptional American furniture and folk art, visit www.CuratorsEye.com.