NY Americana Week Preview

NEW YORK—American culture and history are on sale next month at New York’s major auction houses during Americana Week 2011.

From Jan. 18 to 25, Sotheby’s and Christie’s will be offering a variety of important pieces, including a 1770 engraving by Paul Revere (estimated at $150,000 to $200,000), depicting the Boston Massacre and presaging the American Revolution. Also included is a rare Native American deer-hide shirt, circa 1740 (estimated at $250,000 to $300,000).

Sotheby’s Silver

Sotheby’s sales begin Jan. 21 with the Important Americana sale. On Jan. 22, the auction house will offer important Americana from a private collection, which features American furniture and clocks and Paktong and English pottery. On Jan. 23, Sotheby’s will offer property from the Hascoe Family Collection, described as important American and English furniture, fine and decorative arts.

All Americana Week sales will open for exhibition at Sotheby’s York Avenue Galleries on Jan. 15.

The first day of the sale offers silver, prints, and Chinese export porcelain. The silver sale includes The Joseph Jefferson Cup: A Massive American Silver Presentation Cup, modeled by W. Clark Noble, Cast by Gorham MFG. Co., Providence, R.I., 1895–1896 (estimated at $100,000–$200,000).

Joseph Jefferson is considered a popular American actor of the stage in the 19th century.

“His biggest success came with a dramatic interpretation of Irving’s Rip Van Winkle that he created and toured with internationally,” according to a Sotheby’s release. The silver cup depicts several of the actor’s most popular characters, including Old Rip Van Winkle.

The prints in Sotheby’s first day of the sale are led by The Bloody Massacre, by Paul Revere (estimated at $150,000–$200,000). The engraving from 1770 is a depiction of the Boston Massacre and presaged the American Revolution that would officially begin in 1775.

Sotheby’s Day Two

On Jan. 22, Sotheby’s will auction American stoneware assembled by Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Hochberg. The exhibition marks the first time in over 20 years that the 103 pieces have been on public view.

The day continues with American furniture, led by what Sotheby’s bills as “An Important Searls Family Chippendale Highly Inlaid Cherrywood and Mahogany Chest of Drawers,” attributed to Nathan Lombard, Sutton, Mass, circa 1800 (estimated at $250,000–$700,000).

“An exuberant New England interpretation of the Federal style, this serpentine cherrywood chest of drawers retains its original finish and epitomizes the height of workmanship in rural Massachusetts,” according to Sotheby’s.