Large estates comprise Pook & Pook auction May 23-24

DOWINGTOWN, Pa. – Pook & Pook Inc. will host a two-day Decorative Arts Sale on Wednesday, May 23, and Thursday, May 24, beginning at 10 a.m. EDT both days. The sale will showcase four large estates and collections including Russel and Eleanor Gohn and Virginia Whitely Thornton of York, Pa., Charlene Sussel of Garrett Park, Md., and Tremayne Selig of Philadelphia.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The Gohn estate, lots 1-663, will be sold on the first day of the auction. A wide array of objects from furniture and accessories to porcelain and silver, will be available to prospective buyers.

The first lot, an attractive miniature Pennsylvania walnut blanket chest is estimated at $1,000-$2,000. Several tall case clocks are included: a York County example by Peter Schutz (est. $1,500-$2,500), two Chippendale walnut examples and Federal pine clock. Pennsylvania corner cupboards, Dutch cupboards and wall cupboards are offered. A Lancaster County sulphur inlaid walnut blanket chest dated 1776 is sure to attract bidders.

A six-piece Redlich & Co. sterling silver tea service (est. $4,000-$7,000) is one of many lots of sterling silver table objects. A pair of Continental 800 silver platters with hunting scenes are unusual (est. $2,000-$4,000).

Eleanor Gohn’s large collection of gold jewelry includes many Victorian chains, charm bracelets, cameos and diamond rings. An 18K yellow gold moveable pin of a blooming flower with an emerald cluster center and diamond tipped petals is an outstanding piece.

Chinese porcelains are noteworthy, encompassing blue and white garniture vases, Canton platters, Famille Rose butterfly plates, celadon pieces, armorials, cloisonné vases, Famille Rose punch bowl and plaques to name a few.

Thursday will begin with items from the estate of Virginia Whitely Thornton. This section of the Thornton estate will focus mainly on porcelain and silver. A set of 12 Capo di Monte plates with relief putti decoration, a Minton dinner service, Herend Rothschild bird pattern plates, Coalport Cairo dinner service, royal Doulton Chatham dinner service and Limoges pieces are examples.

Chinese pottery and porcelain add to the group. The sale will continue with the collection of Charlene Sussel. The emphasis here will be on art glass including Steuben, Libbey, Erickson, Baccarat, Aristide Colotte Nancy and Orrefors. A Steuben green jade glass vase with alabaster handles is 10 inches high and carries an estimate of $500-$1,000. An acid-cut Rosaline to alabaster vase is another fine piece. Other items include a massive peachblow lily vase (23 1/2 inches high), a green ruffle glass epergne, a Tiffany Faville glass bottle with heart and vine decoration, a Tiffany vase numbered N590 and a Stevens & Williams silveria and green thread vase.

The sale will end with the estate of Tremayne Selig of Philadelphia. A fine New England Federal mahogany sideboard is the first lot. With a D-shaped top and bellflower inlays, it is a good looking piece. Ten Federal mahogany dining chairs, 19th century, have arched crest rails and carved splats with a sheaf of wheat pattern (est. $1,500-$2,500). Other notable furniture pieces include a Philadelphia Chippendale mahogany secretary desk (est. $3,000-$4,000), a New England Queen Anne tiger maple tall chest (est. $2,000-$3,000), a Massachusetts Hepplewhite mahogany card table with extensive inlay (est. $2,000-$3,000) and a New England Queen Anne bonnet top maple highboy ($4,000-$5,000).

A P.J. Mene bronze of a highlander with a fox and hound is an interesting piece (est. $3,000-$4,000) as well as an Antoine Barye bronze of a tiger attacking an antelope (est. $1,000-$2,000). The Fairfield Porter oil on canvas titled White Lilacs will appeal to many. Two pair of floral still lifes by Jane Peterson are tempting as well as an oil on canvas courtyard scene attributed to Violet Oakley labeled Violet Oakley Garden of Cogslea Small Figure of Mrs. Oakley. Cogslea was the artist’s home in Philadelphia.

A significant sterling silver flatware service by Statesbury, retailed by Cartier, is offered. Each piece has an 18K gold monogram (est. $12,000-$18,000). Other appealing items include a set of four Marc Chagal engravings, a Milton Avery drypoint, an early canvaswork pastoral landscape, a large giltwood convex mirror and a New York portrait of five children in an interior.

For additional information on this sale, go to www.pookandpook.com or call 610-269-4040.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.