(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – The David Marshall Collection – a massive compilation of fine, museum-quality, 19th century American antiques gathered over the course of more than 30 years – will headline a cataloged antique auction slated for Saturday, Oct. 19, by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, at 1485 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield. Over 400 lots will be sold, without reserve.

As the owner of the Antique Room in Brooklyn, N.Y., Marshall presided over one of the greatest collections of antiques in New York. Over 30-plus years, he bought and sold furniture pieces by some of America’s top cabinetmakers, such as Thomas Brooks, George Hunzinger, John Jeliff, John H. Belter, Daniel Pabst, Alexander Roux, Herter Bros. and Pottier & Stymus.

Furniture by R.J. Horner was always available. Some of the pieces in the Antique Room found their way into museums. Most recently, a Gothic Revival desk and bookcase, stenciled by J. & J.W. Meeks, is now in the American galleries at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Items from the Antique Room, plus select pieces from Mr. Marshall’s personal collection, will be sold.

Born in Atlantic City, N.J., David Marshall came to Brooklyn, at first to study advertising at the Pratt Institute, then design at Cooper Union. At age 40 he left a highly successful career in advertising on Madison Avenue to enter the antiques business. His collection of Gothic Revival and Egyptian Revival antiques has been featured in the pages of many interior design magazines.

Items in Mr. Marshall’s collection set to come under the gavel at Fontaine’s will include Victorian marble statuary, Parian (fine biscuit white porcelain) figures, oil paintings, lighting, cameo glass, art glass, porcelains, sterling silver, garden urns, leaded windows and hundreds of decorative accessories. All of it will be sold to the highest bidder, beginning at 11 a.m. (EST).

An expected top lot of the sale is a Tiffany Studios Red Tulip table lamp with 16-inch domicalshade having vibrant deep red tulip flowers with mottled green stems and hints of blue in the background, signed Tiffany Studios (N.Y., 1906). The lamp, on a bronze Tiffany base with four lobed feet on the sunken platform, is 21 ½ inches tall. It should gavel for $50,000-$75,000.

Also from Tiffany is an 18-inch Dogwood table lamp with a shade containing confetti glass and an all-over four-petal white mottled glass dogwood pattern with pink striations (est. $30,000-$50,000). The shade sits on a 4 ¼ inch wheel with reticulated heat cap, and the base and shade are both signed Tiffany Studios. It has a bronze library base with a lemon-shaped design.

Another Tiffany lamp expected to do well is a leaded Swirling Lemon Leaf table lamp, 25 nches tall, with a brick bordered geometric background pattern in four rows from the top, and six rows from the lower rim with a wide five-inch center containing a swirling lemon leaf pattern (est. $15,000-$25,000). The lamp rests on a lovely bronze base with artichoke designed platform.

Turning to furniture, parlor sets by J. & J. W. Meeks are certain to get paddles wagging. One is a three-piece laminated rosewood set in the Henry Ford pattern, with oversize sofa and two large armchairs (est. $15,000-$25,000). Another is a six-piece laminated rosewood set in the Stanton Hall pattern, with a sofa, two armchairs and three side chairs (est. $10,000-$15,000).

Also from Meeks is a pair of laminated rosewood armchairs in the Henry Ford pattern, each one 50 inches tall and in excellent condition, with the original finish (est. $8,000-$12,000). One other parlor set worth mentioning is by Pottier & Stymus, with a sofa, armchair and two side chairs (est. $7,000-$9,000). The striking walnut set is heavily carved and has the original finish.

Have a hall that needs decorating? You might consider the Mitchell & Rammelsberg carved walnut marble-top hall tree, featuring a large pediment crest with a figural goat’s head in the center, 101 inches tall (est. $15,000-$25,000); or a magnificent oak griffin two-piece carved hall bench with heavily carved framework and gargoyle’s face at the crest (est. $8,000-$12,000).

Two very different decorative accessories share identical estimates of $7,000-$9,000. One is a large beautiful marble and bronze Egyptian Revival three-piece clock set, signed Picault (Emile Louis Picault, Fr., 1833-1915). The other is a French dore bronze cigar lighter with an Aladdin oil lamp-style top and a finial scene of an Indian seated on a stone, with a wicker basket.

Returning to lamps and lighting, one other lot that needs to be singled out is a Duffner & Kimberly Henry II No. 520 table lamp, 24 inches tall, with a 20-inch in diameter leaded domical shade (est. $10,000-$15,000). The shade, boasting great, high quality glass with lively reflections and excellent, strong color, shows facing dolphin figures holding golden banners between them.

For those unable to attend the auction in person, Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com, iCollector.com and Artfact.com. Previews will be held on Friday, Oct. 18, from 10-5, and Saturday, the date of sale, from 8 a.m. until the first hammer falls at 11 a.m.

With over 40 years in the auction business, Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is a name that hasearned the trust of collectors, investors and gallery owners around the world. Cataloged lots get nationwide exposure to the firm’s expansive database of over 15,000 qualified buyers. Seven times Fontaine’s Auction Gallery has been voted “Best Antique Auction Gallery” by the public.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is actively seeking quality consignments for future sales. The firm also buys antiques and entire estates outright. To consign an item, estate or collection, call (413) 448-8922 and ask for John Fontaine. Or, e-mail him at info@fontainesauction.com. For more information about the upcoming Oct. 19th auction, log on to www.FontainesAuction.com.

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