Finely decorated Danish Mangle board with traditional carvings, Denmark, dated Juli, 30th...

A finely painted and carved danish Hammer-wood, carved and painted 1826.

The hammer-wood or hammer-board was used when doing laudry together woith the mangleboard, and was made in the same style also for weddings as wall-hangers in the 17th.-19th. century.

This Oak hammer-wood is exceptionally finely carved with fine chiseling of a sun-symbol and geomethic forms.

Size: 44 cm...

A rare and important Danisb Mangleboard with the Royal crowned monogram of Christian the VII, king of Denmark 1766-1808, in relief carving with gilt. The mangleboard is dated to 1802, so the later part of the reign.

Below is a fine depiction of Adam and Eve standing either side of the tree in the Garden of Eden. Beautiful floral carving of each fruit and a nice rendering of the snake as well. A massive stylized horse handle...

A large and rare, early 19th C Gathering Basket from North Carolina of rectangle shape with 2 steamed and bent handles. In great condition, it is very tightly woven with a double wrapped rim. Basket is coated with cream colored paint, probably milk paint. Wood is unknown, possibly split oak. From the private collection of an appraiser of Early Americana. Measures 28" long, 16" wide, 12" high. Note: Basket depth measures 10", with handles 12".

A finely carved and exceptional early wooden Mangle board, Friesland (coastal regions of the Netherlands and northwestern Germany), c. mid-late 17th. century.

An early mangle board, carved in an exceptional openwork and geomethric style with micro carving of tiny details. Beautiful portal shaped top.

Size: c. 62 cm. long and c. 11 cm. wide.

Condition: Good Very fine. Lovely fresh wood for the period and undamaged.

Ex...

A finely carved and exceptional early wooden Mangle board, Friesland (coastal regions of the Netherlands and northwestern Germany), dated 1674.

Mangle boards are rarely seen dated earlier than 1700s and this is a significant piece, carved in a wonderful geomethric style with micro carving of tiny details. Dated at the top and initialized further down.

Size: c. 70 cm. long and c. 14 cm. wide.

Condition: Choice Very fine for this extremely old piece in wood...

Another fine example from our personal collection of animal hooked rugs, this one featuring an elephant posed on grass with fruited tree branches descending from the top of the rug.

The rug has a felt border, easily detached if so desired. The condition is excellent, with good colors and some slight scattered wear to the border. The size is 40" by 30".

A wonderful and amusing hooked rug depicting an aardvark. I have collected many rugs featuring animals but have never seen another with an aardvark. Well, at least I think this is someone's interpretation of an aardvark, or possibly a beaver, armadillo or pangolin. Whatever the craftsman was aiming for, one has to smile at this, and at the pinkish salmon background color surrounded by a scalloped teal border. Cotton yarn and with original burlap foundation.

The size is 43" by 30 1/2"...

A collection of three nice Northern European Mangleboards.

One is very old, dated to 1710, carved on the top of the board together with the letters ALRS - the initials of the carver himself - or the one he was devoted to show his carving skills? - 58 cm.

The 2nd board - dated 1822 with the letter DYD carved on the top...

Offered is a fabulous, 19th century antique, hand-carved, wood, FLYING GARGOYLE from a South Carolina estate. Exquisitely crafted in the gothic-style, this piece undoubtedly was once an interior architectural focal point in a grand Victorian mansion.

Significant carving expertise and skill was required to create such a wonderfully executed object of art which emanates fierce expression and unrelenting strength...

Very Rare 18th century Pennsylvania Dutch straw art painting. Details are excellent as well as the condition. Purchased from a family in PA, it is also possible this came over with an early Pennsylvania Dutch immigrant. Either way, it was made by the same people. Measures framed 13.5" x 10.5". Sight size approx. 10" x 7.5"

Antique watercolor drawing of flowers in an ornate vase, circa mid 19th century, 13 1/4" by 9 1/4" (16 1/4" by 12 1/4" in later wood frame), executed in a charming style typical of folk art of the period. The drawing shows its advanced age with some fading of the roses, a toned paper, and an old inch plus edge tear at bottom. See other old American folk drawings in my shop.

A PAIR of antique watercolors circa 1880, the subject violets and other delicate, small plants of the woodland floor, in identical worn gold frames. Each watercolor painting measures 6" by 5 1/2" (shaped top) and the works as framed measure 12 3/4" by 12 1/4". The artworks are in excellent condition; backing to which they are affixed need to be replaced due to damp stain at lower portion. These survivors of the Victorian Age reflect the care with which the anonymous artist created them. See ...

An example of American folk art drawing: watercolor of roses on the stem with leaves, created circa 1840 by an artist working in the distinctive style of the time. The piece measures 9 1/4" by 7 1/4" (12 3/4" by 10 3/4" in faux wood grain frame of the period). Since it is that old, the paper shows evidence of the great age; there is browning/foxing at lower corners/along right side as shown. Someone, perhaps the artist, interestingly made intentional pinholes in the paper in the rose at right...

A desirable circa 1830 American tin "tole" box with charming original stenciling of leaf motif on the front, 8 1/2" by 6" by 6", in a rare pink-salmon color. Most of these of course classic folk art pieces are black background with floral motifs painted thereon, in red/green (roses etc.) and some yellow. This color is just spectacular. I'm not a toleware specialist by any means but cannot recall seeing a tinware American box of this color. Obviously the piece shows evidence of 200 years of a...

A sweet tinsel (foil) painting of a large bouquet of flowers. The painting itself is in very good condition, with no chips, breaks, or image loss. The period or earlier gilded wood frame has normal expected wear. Period wood backboard. The sight size is 11 1/4" by 9 5/8", and the overall size is 12 3/4" by 11".

NOTE: Between September 12, 2012 and January 13, 2013 the American Folk Art Museum held an exhibit on this art form. The following is excerpted from the catalog of that exhibition: "T...

Very Rare Black Forest hand carved walnut dog cigar holder. May have been used in a gentlemen's club, a men's parlor in a Victorian home, or as a store display. A fantastic find for the collector or cigar aficionado. Measures 16" long, 6" high, 5" wide.

Can be purchased as a pair for $5800

Condition: Very good antique condition. Some light wax residue within the holes as it was likely previously used as a candle holder. One tail was broken and was professionally reattached someti...

A small (4" by 2 3/4" by 2 3/4") tin box of the style common in the circa 1840's period in the northeastern states, the green and red hand painted design on the front remaining, but most of the other paint worn away----some remains in a few spots. These boxes, most larger than this particular example, likely held important papers or other keepsakes. They were made of tin and evidently were part of many households of the period. This example was purchased in Concord, New Hampshire. The small ...

American circa 1885 Victorian winter landscape painting of houses with smoking chimneys along a trodden path in mid winter, several figures braving the elements on this cold day. A charming early primitive work, enhanced by the "sparkles" applied to the snow to ensure that winter effect. Condition is excellent. The typically Victorian blue velvet (worn) adds to the period authenticity. Frame has a bit of wear, some small sections chipped or missing. Measures 23 1/2" by 23 1/2" in the frame.

Circa late 19th century needlework in cream and red, 11 3/4" by 9 3/4" plus Victorian style wood frame with grape leaves in the corners, wrapped around a board. The birds remind of those seen on American salt glaze cobalt ceramic pieces. Together with the folky framing, this makes for a very decorative work of Americana, and an interesting addition to your collection.

A fine old charmingly naive watercolor drawing of a boy dressed almost as a girl, in the style of the times, titled in pencil at bottom "William John Babb March 1834". This work appears to be in its original weathered old frame, the original surface beautifully alligatored. Measuring 7 1.2" by 5 1/2" (10" by 8" including frame), the drawing is perfect for the small wall. Colors are perhaps a little faded after nearly 200 years. On the wood backing a sort of mathematical problem: the year 19...

A rare opportunity to acquire a 19th century American sampler, including not only the date (26th March 1833) but also the location (Waldoboro, Lincoln County, Maine). The piece measures 14" by 12 1/2" and 21" by 18 1/4" in the period gold frame (framed under the glass, which is broken at lower left corner as seen). Condition is excellent, with the notable exception of significant fading of the color. Most interestingly, this piece includes the name of maker, one Sarah F. Lermond, age 14 in 18...

Stranded high and dry in sunny Southern California, and wanting very much to go home to the east coast: a very large (35" by 39" extreme dimensions) clipper ship diorama/shadowbox. There is no glass---probably long since missing. This has clear folky qualities, but shows its age, (circa 1890-1920?----there are no square nails, and the use of the "squiggly" type of horizontally-driven nail in the corners, of which photos attached, seems to hint of a later date rather than earlier(?) There are ...

Antique 19th century American Victorian needlepoint picture in oval dark walnut frame, measuring 22" by 19". This was acquired recently from a local Santa Monica estate that was like "New England West"---filled with eastern Americana and furnishings. The piece appears to date to about the third quarter of the 19th century, maybe to 1890 at the latest. Note the wood peg style construction of the frame. Condition is clean overall though there do appear to be a few old small discolored areas, ...

Nineteenth century classic folk art, an American weathervane of a galloping horse, dimensions 28" by 15" by 3", with contemporary birch wood block mount for display. The piece was acquired in Connecticut. Weather vanes are not my specialty. I know that there are recognized makers (Harris?) but cannot attribute this to any particular source. The piece had bullet holes that have been fixed and smoothed over, so, work has been done to this. The gilt and mustard paint surface, it has been sugge...

An absolutely charming group of small schoolgirl paintings of animals, soldiers, plants, etc., mounted together and presented in three period gilt frames. The back of each framed group indicates that these were all done around 1840 by Miss E. Green of Pennsylvania.

The condition is generally very good, with some rippling to the paper. The frames have expected wear but display well. Framed sizes are 13 3/4" by 6 3/4", 9 1/2" by 6 1/4", and 7" by 7".

These would be wonderful for a child's room...

This ancient bellows, 9 pounds in weight and 50 inches long, 15 inches across at the widest point, appears to be of Pennsylvania origin, (judging from the colorful "hex" symbol associated with furniture from the area). I am hardly a specialist in Pennsylvania folk art, but thought the hex symbol would permit this to be safely placed in that category. The bellows is really an unusual and picturesque piece, an old survivor, with original old thumb screws, ancient old thick hide leather, old tack...

Watercolor still life of wildflowers and some cultivated ones, in a vase of the period, large size at 24" by 18" inside the mat, 35" by 28 3/4" as framed, unsigned, in the nineteenth century tradition that traces its roots back to stencil type paintings. This would likely date to the period 1850 to 1880. Detail is painstaking and extreme; this artist was no amateur. There are bluebells, forget-me-nots, roses, fuchsia, some kind of lily, some kind of daisy and others. Whoever created this fin...

Pencil on paper with added color in crayon, 13" by 19 1/2", (unframed, but a damaged frame in which it was found is available with it). The scene, of a circa 1870 house with barn, outbuildings and neat haystacks, and a man on a horse drawn carriage, is titled at bottom "RES. OF HON. CHRISTIAN PARKER. SKETCHED BY. ED. A. SCHRANTZ." I thought this perhaps a New England or Mid Atlantic scene, or perhaps even Ohio, Illinois or Wisconsin, but thanks to the internet, this old survivor, which otherw...

A fine and early Frisian Mangle Board, late 17th. century.

A board carved in solid Oak with fine renaissance style decoration; it was carved to demonstrate a man's carving ability, and often produced during the dark hours of a northern European winter. With open-work carving of balls at the top. Below 5 aquare shaped panels with a round geomethric and floral decorations in very high quality. The panels from top to bottom, separated by texts that together should make up a Christian me...

A fine set of 4 watercolor schoolgirl paintings executed with a very high degree of artistry, probably originally done as bookplates. They have been mounted in pairs in attractive figured maple frames. The first frame has the paintings shown in the 2nd and 3rd photos and the 2nd frame has the paintings shown in the 4th and 5th photos.

The paintings and frames are in excellent condition, with the first frame, shown in the top left of the first photo, measuring 12 5/8" by 10 3/4". The second fr...

Formerly owned by Ingrid Bergman and Alan Freed, this is a large and exceptional fine American tinsel or foil painting featuring a full wreath encircling an urn of flowers on a green base. Although the use of a wreath in a tinsel painting is not at all uncommon, this particular format is extremely rare, if not unique. The flowers are so densely packed as to make the execution of the painting quite difficult. Further, there are 6 birds amidst the flowers, and the lower area motif has switched fr...

DESCRIPTION: A whimsical lint clothes brush, the wood handle carved in the form of a gentleman in a formal jacket wearing a red top hat. Most of the original paint remains; the long brush bristles are horsehair. DIMENSIONS: 8” long x 1.5” diameter.

A charming watercolor on paper painting depicting a young woman holding a note or book in her lap while her pet dog begs for attention. The dress, feathered hat, and hairdo, as well as the construction style of the house show this to be a woman of means, as well as placing this work in the 1800-1803 time period. This is likely a schoolgirl painting, done in freestyle rather than the more common stenciling. Presented in a period giltwood frame.

There are no folds or creases in this example. The...

Antique, American Folk Art, early 20th century, fine quality hardwood ladle, finely hand carved in relief with stylized crane and woman holding basket and a loaf of bread, with book carved into handle/arm - arm extends downward and on the reverse a carved hand holds the bowl - bowl with scalloped edge - all carved out of one piece of wood.

CONDITION: In good condition and shape, considering its age, with signs of age and usage, with old dark glossy patina, the top corner of the handle with...

A charming hooked rug depicting a woman holding a flower and sitting in a chair beside a large kettle over an open fire. The wall behind her shows a painting and a window through which can be seen a church. Rugs of this size and this period showing an interior scene are quite uncommon.

The 21" by 17" rug is mounted in a museum approved manner on acid free board. The condition is excellent, with no issues.

English Georgian Mahogany Cutlery Tray or Box with Brass handle, Ca. 1820's, 13 1/4" x 9" wide, 5 1/4" high with brass handle, dovetail joint on four(4) corners, joints and brass handle is very tight in good condition except some dark stains.

DESCRIPTION: An antique circular form egg gathering basket of woven splint oak with bent splint oak handle. Good condition with only minor wear. DIMENSIONS: 9-1/4" high x 9-1/4" diameter

A charming metal artist's trade sign mounted under glass in a fine period wood frame. Obviously done to showcase his skill, it shows a palette with brushes resting in the thumb hole along with flowers, additional flowers and a bird outside of the palette.

The sign and the frame with its original backboard are in excellent condition. Sight size 13 1/2" by 9 1/2", and a framed size of 17" by 12 1/2".

DESCRIPTION: Beautiful melon-shaped split oak basket with a sturdy bentwood handle and oak-wrapped wide rim. This early 1900’s folk art basket is in great condition with no major losses noted. DIMENSIONS: 18" long x 14.5" wide; height with handle is 13.75", without is 8.75".

DESCRIPTION: A very good woven oak-splint basket in lobed buttocks form, used as a field gathering basket or a market basket for goods. This large, late 1800’s to early 1900’s Pennsylvania basket has a sturdy bentwood handle with bentwood-wrapped rims. CONDITION: Very good with minor age-appropriate usage wear and losses. DIMENSIONS: 20” wide x 14" high x 16.5” deep.

A wonderful idyllic scene of a girl gathering flowers in a hat. Near her is a lake with cows watering, while in the immediate background is another group of cows and a young girl. The far background has trees and a house. The charming naïve style, and the inclusion so many items of interest combine to make this work an exceptional piece.

Often even simple watercolors of this age have substantial condition issues, ranging from tears, stain, folds, di89scolrations, etc. The example offered here...

DESCRIPTION: An antique American woven oak splint basket with twisted vine handle in elongated form for flower or herb gathering. You can never have too many great, old baskets! CONDITION: Good with minor age-appropriate wear, stains or losses. DIMENSIONS: 12" high x 21" wide.

DESCRIPTION: This child’s word learning game has spool type wood letters that slide around the two outer tracks in order to form words on the center track. An all wood board with beveled edges, this bright and cheery game has 1912 to 1916 patents. A great early educational piece for game collectors, this one is remarkable as there are neither missing letters nor breaks to the letters. Very good condition with normal usage wear. DIMENSIONS: 13.5” wide x 9.25” high.

A striking and nicely painted oil on canvas pair of American portraits. The sitters (by family repute) are Hendrick Henry Lasher (1788 - 1843) and Hannah Sharp (1793 - 1851) of New York.

Painted in a straightforward, stark style, the artist has deftly used dark tones for the clothing the background, focusing the light and the viewer's attention on the faces.

Condition is very good, with no holes or large amounts of restoration. The paintings having been relined and the period frames touched ...

A wonderful example of a pastel painting on sandpaper. The scene shows a man in 18th century garb, holding a fawn that his daughter is feeding. They stand on a dirt path lined with a wooden fence. Other deer are in the foreground and near the lake that occupies the mid-ground of this work. In the immediate background is a fantasy type building on a hill, with mountains in the background. Above all this is is the sky at dusk, rendered in a beautiful array of colors.

As with other types of 19th...

A beautifully limned tinsel, or foil, painting, reverse painted on glass. The subject matter is a white urn, filled with a an array of various flowers, including a large rose and a lily. The period and probably original frame is of high quality.

This good-sized painting is in overall excellent condition, as is the frame. The sight size is 14 5/8" by 12 3/8", and the framed size is 19 5/8" by 17 1/4".

NOTE: Foil paintings were done primarily in the second half of the 19th century, and ...

A striking and extremely rare hooked rug featuring a peacock displaying its beautiful plumage. This is a very graphically strong depiction, striking in its design.

One of the factors that contributes greatly to the rarity is the use of silver metallic threads circling the "eyes" of the peacock's feathers. The color range in the rug is beautiful, with no jarring clashes. All dyes are natural, with no use of artificial coloring.

The condition is excellent, with virtually no worn spots, tear...

A bold and beautiful tinsel, or foil, painting, reverse painted on glass. The subject matter is a yellow and white urn, filled with a bountiful array of various flowers, done in a rainbow of colors. The period and probably original frame is of high quality mahogany, which is very rarely found on this type of work.

The painting is in overall excellent condition, and the frame itself has some scuffing and wear, which could easily be touched up. The sight size is 12" by 10 3/4", and the framed si...

The puppets costume and "figure" are that of a of a medieval matron. Her head is paper mache and is manipulated from inside. Her head has a wide range of motion side to side, extending high with long fabric neck and can be cocked in different directions for added expression. The arms are long reaching and are supported and manipulated by metal rods, one is original and the other has been replaced.

She stands 21 to 22+ inches depending on length of neck extension. She is in good conditio...

A charming small watercolor on paper painting of a young boy wearing a naval uniform and holding a flute, which is used to pipe the hours. Period bird's eye maple frame with period backboard.,

The painting has even light toning and is in excellent condition, with no folds, tears, or restoration. Sight size is 8 1/8" by 6 1/2", and the framed size is 11 3/8" by 9 3/8".

A fine American tinsel or foil painting depicting a wreath of flowers, with a bird, around a grouping of fruit and foliage. The wreath is on a variation of the relatively rare "snowflake" type of background. This technique appears to have been done primarily in the 1870's period. The frame and wooden backboard are original.

There is a crack in the glass at the top left, and a small piece of glass is missing. The frame is in good condition with a number of very small scattered flecks of paint ...

A charming tinsel (foil) painting depicting a variety of flowers in an urn placed on a stone slab. Dating from the last half of the 19th century, the painted frame, worth a bit of money on its own, is likely earlier, with a wood backboard The painting is in fine condition, with only some very small minor speckles in the black background. The frame could use a little spiffing up. Sight size is 9 1/2" by 13 1/2", and the framed size is 13 1/4" by 17 1/8".

A spectacular calligraphic work by E. Bambeck, signed and dated as part of the painting. Using pastels, watercolors, and pen and ink, he has limned a pair of very lifelike parakeets on white branches against a stark black background. The details and artistry that has gone into this work is truly of the highest order.

The condition is excellent, with no smudges, tears, toning or other problems. The bright white blobs in the center of some of the photos are reflections of lamps. Sight size is 23...

A commemorative plaque carved with oak from the barque (three masted sailing ship) the Mary Moore which operated as a tea clipper until the end of the 19th Century. The Mary Moore was built by Stephen & Sons (Glasgow) in 1868 and was registered in Maryport, Cumberland, North West England. In 1887 she was re-fitted and her hull was clad with metal. It was presumably at this time that the plaque was crafted. Condition: it has split in two, possibly in the 19th century and is held togethe...

An unusual foil, or tinsel, painting depicting two birds hovering over a large flowering plant. The painting is done basically in tones of taupe and green. The frame is period and is most likely original. The back is sealed with paper that appears to have been a student's calligraphy practice.

Condition is very good, with some very minor paint separation at some points on the edges. The grayish areas in the painting are shadows from when the photograph was taken. The sight size is 15 1/2" ...

A fine tinsel, or foil, painting. The relatively uncommon subject matter is a basket of fruit, nicely reverse painted on glass with tinsel backing. What unfortunately doesn't show well in the photo, because of the lighting, is the bunch of grapes directly under the basket.

The painting is in very good condition, with what is probably its original gilded frame and wood backing. The overall size is 16" by 14".

An uncommon tinsel, or foil, painting on glass. Extremely vibrant, with deep colors, the painting shows a bluebird surrounded by a variety of fruit, with a compote of fruit behind it. It is rare to have a foil scene without a lot of open space between subjects.

The painting is in excellent condition, as is the later frame, which measures 16 1/4" by 13 1/4".

From the Southeastern US, a Salesman's Sample of Louvers to ventilate Tobacco Barns. A Great Folk Art Display, measures about 15 3/4" by 23" by 3". Brass knob is patented January 24, 1860. One louver is slightly detached and knob does not adjust louvers as it did originally. You probably will not see another.

A circular lidded box with compartments used for jewelry and other valuables included in the dowry of a Vietnamese bride, c 1900 or earlier. Rosewood with mother-of-pearl inlays of flowers, butterflies and birds. Note: Diameter "8 3/4/ 22 cm, height "4/ 10 cm. Condition: loss of inlays to the lid, still beautiful.