A nice simple cutwork heart that is 3" by 2 3/4". It is set on the black paper but is not attached to it. The color is a very soft pink to mauve and white . There is a slight bit of foxing that shows up more in the pictures than it does by sight. It is unframed and they way I bought. Circa 1850-70.

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...

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...

Antique toy dog with a squeaker, glass eyes, hand sewn and was mohair of sorts but now is worn down to the brown fabric. He is firmly stuffed with straw. He has an old fabric collar tied around his neck. He is 7 1/2" long and is 5" tall and is circa 1880-90. He has a very nice face.

A wonderful cutlery tray, probably of Vermont origin, made around 1840. What makes it so exceptional is the decoration, closely akin to "vinegar painting." Red paint was put on a yellow base, and a solvent added. This made the combination of colors run together, producing a somewhat mottled effect.

Another notable point is that the tray is in excellent condition, with no cracks or breaks. The paint is all original and untouched, with a nice dry surface...

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...

This striking and well executed miniature watercolor painting, on natural organic material, depicts a blue-eyed handsome young gentleman. He is wearing a black coat and tie, white shirt with a stickpin, and is sporting a fashionable hairstyle for the times.

The sight size of the painting is 2 1/2" by 2". It is housed in its original cast brass locket which is 2 5/8" by 2 1/8", and, in the engine turned back, has a glazed aperture containing a woven plait of hair...

This wallpaper box in the shape of a man's stove pipe hat has a wonderful blue and mustard wallpaper with yellow brim trim. The hat box is all about looks! And the looks are from eye level up meaning that the top and the bottom of the hat box are long missing. I have used it with a print works cat sitting in it...see picture. (Sorry you have to find your own cat!) But if set on a shelf or on top of a cupboard you don't know anything is missing. As I said it has a great look...

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...

A nicely decorated document box featuring red and black grain painting, the edges with yellow and green striping.

The box is 13 1/4 inches in length, 7 1/4 inches in depth, and 6 1/2 inches tall. Overall condition is excellent, with no cracks or breaks, and virtually all of the original, unrestored paint is present. The lock and hinges are original and in fine shape. There is the normal amount of wear along some of the box edges.

Very nice 16: by 16" calico doll quilt all hand sewn. Some of the calico fabrics are great. The back is a stripe that kind of looks like ticking but is a little hint of floral. There is a batting in between the front and the back and stitched together with diagonal lines. Condition is very good, I don't see anything other than some minor age related discoloring here and there. I had it on the top of an old red blanket chest and it looked wonderful. I also hang them on doors and between windows...

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 wonderful double sided smalt trade sign for D.M. Woodward, Doctor of Chiropractic. The gilded letters and the black smalt background are virtually intact and vibrant. The frame is original, and measures 28 3/4 inches by 14 inches by 2 inches deep. There is a small sliver out of the frame at one upper edge, and a small gap in the frame at the corner. Aside from these very minor flaws, the piece is in excellent condition.

A superb oil on canvas American folk art painting depicting a man orating about temperance...

Showing the whimsy that exemplifies good American folk art, this watercolor double portrait depicts a young man and woman who are clearly siblings. The artist achieved a starkness by having them in black clothing and not accentuating the details of their garb. In fact, the basic touches of color are only the blue in the girl's eyes and in the sky against which they are posed. Note that neither sitter is gazing directly at the viewer, nor are they looking in the same direction. The combination of...

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...

Folk Art Duck Decoy hand carved from wood with yellow eye created from a thumb tack, 19th century. The bird is painted black with white highlights and a grey beak. It has a leather strap on the base for pulling the decoy in the water.
CONDITION: signs of wear on leather and on the base. The yellow thumb tack is probably a later replacement.
MEASUREMENTS: Total length: 16 inches.
All our artifacts are accompanied by a Certification of Authenticity
For further d...

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.

Very nice dovetailed wooden writing box or work box, the hinged lid decorated with a handpainted grapevine motif against a mustard painted background. The interior of the box has four fitted compartments along the back side. The bottom and top are attached to the dovetailed sides with old square nails. The inside of the lid is inscribed illegibly in pencil "Hannah ??".

Origin: New England, ca. 1870. Condition: very good paint, the original lock is now missing, an age split to the bottom and...

1880 blue checked bonnet all hand sewn with really nice details. I have taken some pictures I hope you can see the hand stitching on the brim with six rows with cord inside so it gives the brim some stiffness. The bonnet is a lovely blue. There are a few spots around the bottom of the neck fringe. It is 14" top to bottom and 8" front to back of the bonnet. It is a very nice early work of art. C.1880

A pine lap desk, in original turkey red with yellow sponged decoration; probably PA; 13" by 11" by 6". Excellent condition.

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.

Vibrant yellow with black freehand decoration. All original with very, very minor touchups to black. Signed Charles(?) H. Blanders, Putnam, NY?. 10 7/8" by 5" by 4 1/2". Excellent condition.

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 fine painted gameboard painted with red numbers on black squares on a brown background. This type of gameboard was supposedly used for playing checkers games by mail, using the numbers to describe the piece positions; also possibly used for teaching checkers; size is 29 1/2" by 21" by 1 1/2". Excellent condition.

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".

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.

The gargoyle is crafted from a hardwood, and it sports an unfinished surface ...

A charming folk art, watercolor on paper, portrait of a very pretty young woman. She is wearing a mourning band on each arm, and is sitting quietly on a chair, with the sheet music of "The Julia Polka" on her lap. Since the painting is titled, in pencil along the lower margin, "Julia ???", the most likely explanation is that this is Julia, mourning for the loved one who probably wrote the song for her. Rather than sadness, however, the painting conveys a feeling of pensiveness and serenity.

Th...

A black cloth doll with lots of assets. This doll has a very nice embroidered face, the clothes are fabulous, (including pantaloons, petticoat, skirt blouse,apron, lace shawl), her hair is deerskin hide, her socks are hand made with a different color yarn on the sole to make it look like a shoes and she is 20" tall. She is firmly stuffed with cotton. She sits but resists a little so she would sit on an upholstered chair but would tend to slip on a wooden surface. I have had her sitting on a woo...

Early all hand sewn with tiny stitches black doll. The embroidered face is outstanding with the raised eyes, the pupils on a bed of white layered thread and her mouth is also done that same technique. For hair she has cotton floss thread sewn to her head and it is most effective. She has attached arms and legs so she sits easily. Her body is stuffed firmly with cotton. Over all she is in very good condition with only slight discoloration from age and use. She has on an age appropriate brown plai...

This tall lollipop head pencil face doll has lots to tell. One look at her body tells you many hands have fixed her up. She has one replaced arm, patches and holes on her legs and feet. She has the tiniest of a waist and the biggest of the hips that I have seen. She is nice and early and is all hand sewn. Her pantaloons have been on her so long they look like her body. Her dress is all hand sewn and in tatters here and there. She has a face on either side of her head and she has feet that turn i...

A most wonderful twisted raw wool doll with fur hair, bead eyes, defined stitched fingers, little leather shoes, lace dress with all the underpinnings, a necklace, and she is holding a purse. She has the dearest little face with a pinched nose and a tiny stitched mouth. She is a gauze bonnet that is starting to shred. She is 5" long and is circa 1870 and very special.

This doll was bought in the mid west and had to have been made by an older child or a mother doing the best she could with what she had. She is firmly straw stuffed. Her face is stitched with heavy thread. Her mouth is stitched with the use of many "xxx"s and it looks great. Her nose is pinched raised with overcasting thread. Her eyes are framed with red stitches and her eyes and eyebrows are brown thread. Her red bonnet is sewn on as are her clothes. She has a lace collar, green shawl that is a...

True to the name this doll is rag stuffed simple and straight forward. Her body is two gingerbread shaped pieces of cloth, sewn together and firmly stuffed with rags. Her eyes are two old snaps sewn in place and they do the trick. Her legs have been bent so many times that she sits nicely. She has on the dress she came in. It is a soft worn red dress with with a ruffles down the front and around the neck and sleeves. She is 19" tall and is circa 1900. Something tells me that a child helped with ...

A very nice antique Punch as is Punch and Judy a famous puppet show in England. He has a leather face with painted features.(It could be oil cloth or painted fabric but it looks like leather to me.) His outfit is original and is weak and shredding in places. His face is all good other than the tip of his nose has a small break. He has attached arms and legs and is quite floppy in a nice way. He has an injured hand that someone dealt with by putting a sock over it and it seems to be working well....

This black cloth doll is from a private collection in New Hampshire. She is 16" tall and has embroidered face with a pinched raised nose. She has floss hair coming out from around the sewn on gathered bonnet. She is rag stuffed and is very firm. She sits but it is a bit forced maybe because she has been stored flat in a box for many years. She is hand sewn as is her great early dress with a pocket on one side.The dress is without arms but with her black cloth arms it is hard to notice. She is a ...

This nice early cloth doll has one of the best ink and water color painted face that I have had. She has a nice round head, real hair and sweet little applied ears. She feels like she is stuffed with cotton and rags. Her brown socks continue up to her waist and they are sewn on but her legs and arms feel attached rather than continuous. She has on a wonderful age appropriate wool print dress. There are several big hole in it but it is a lined top so it isn't very obvious. She is 22" tall and cir...

These little handmade Civil War era dolls are some of my favorite. This one has on a heavy satin dress with a brown egg wash chintz cotton petticoat. she has a net bonnet adorned with a white ribbon over real hair. She is wearing the tiniest metal eye glasses I have ever seen. She has little rolled arms and a stump body that never had legs. Her dress is melting a bit above her waist and there is a crack in the nut shell but an old one and it is hard to see because she is so small. She is 8" tal...

19th C. crepe paper doll dress is the best blue color. It has a lighter blue crepe paper belt with a gold paper buckle. It opens and slips over the paper dolls head. It is in very nice condition. 3 1/2" top to bottom and is circa 1880

Dressed in a blue calico dress this sweet little stump rag doll has a lot going for her. She has an ink drawn face, a lollipop head, and a body that flares out but stops at the hips and never had legs. If I was a mother back in the 19th C. I would have been mighty pleased with myself that I thought up the stump doll concept. It really works, and makes for a very nice doll. She is rag stuffed, has dainty little arms, and a nice blue calico striped dress. The dress has a hole in the back and it co...

A nice early antique cloth doll with an amazing brown calico dress. She has a sweet ink drawn face with big round eyes. She has applied black fabric on the back of her head representing hair. She has an hour glass body with a tiny waist. Under her calico dress is a early petticoat and pantaloons. She has sewn on brown polished cotton fabric shoes or boots. Her dress is sewn on and the dress is fragile. The hem either never was done or it has more than likely been cut off to accommodate this doll...

A wonderful character cloth doll that just might be one of the earliest selfies. I can imagine a grandmother making a doll in her likeness to give to a child that is not living close by but loves her Grammy. This doll has a face created by using same color thread and string to sew on the face for knotted string eyes, applied nose and a golden floss for her mouth. She is made with a heavy cotton homespun and is stuffed with a grain. She is very heavy. She has a stick from the top of her head that...

A very nice 19th C. doll with embroidered face, calico button eyes, a tiny cute upside down u shaped nose, yarn hair, a bit sparse and looks like a trim job by little hands and scissors. She has a body firmly stuffed with cotton. She has an hour glass figure and nicely jointed so she sits easily. Her dress is not original but fits her really nicely and she has a gathered top purse to go along with her dress and hat. She is 25" tall and is circa 1880-90. She is a bright and happy doll.

A very nice and unusual pencil face doll with sewn on brown ticking skirt that was made as a stump doll. She never had legs, see picture. She is 10" to the bottom of her skirt and 8" to the bottom of her body. She is firmly stuffed with cotton and is truly a prairie type country primitive doll. Circa 1880-90.

A very nice stockinette face doll with button eyes and embroidered eyebrows, nose and mouth. She has raveled yarn hair, she has attached arms and legs and sewn on stockinette shoes. She has wear on hands and on her black stockings. She is firmly stuffed with cotton. She is looking for Vera Wang but until then is wearing a camisole and pantaloons. She is 20" tall and is circa 1890

Five early paper dolls dressed in crepe paper dresses. When I bought them I was told they were made to hang on the Christmas tree and it is true some of the have thread hangers on the back. They are very nice and unusual. They range in size from 7 1/2" to about 10" and date to the 1880's.

A very fine twig basket, dating from the late 19th or early 20th century. It was found in Pennsylvania, and is painted black, with the border and edge decoration painted in green, yellow, and orange over the black. The interior central portion of the basket is painted in green.

The basket is 8 5/8" in diameter and 4" tall. Condition is terrific, with no breaks. There is the normal amount of scattered paint flaking which is not really apparent and does not affect the impact of this little ...

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 small sweet excellent condition antique egg basket. It has nice patina and is circa 1870-80. It would hold about 5 or 6 eggs and a lot of strawberry emeries.

This is one of the most vibrant and spectacular splint baskets you are likely to encounter. The chrome yellow paint is complemented by the deep red wrapping at the top and on the wood handle. Found in Pennsylvania, it has a 9 1/4" diameter, is 6 3/4" tall not including the handle, and 11" tall including the handle.

The paint is all original with no loss, and the structural integrity is pristine, with no breaks.

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 ...

Finely decorated Danish Mangle board with traditional carvings, Denmark, dated Juli, 30th. 1801!

The board with a particularly fancy horse handle and some beautiful original paint,

Size: 56,5 cm.

Condition: Good Very fine, light shattering of insect bites as always, but really nice for the type with much remaining original decoration!

Provenance: Private Collection of Bjørn Roepstorff, an important Danish castle / mansion collection of Early European ...

A beautifully done Pennsylvania Quaker sampler, featuring three sets of the alphabet, two bushes, an urn of flowers, birds and dogs, and the verse:

Let the most blessed be my guide
If it be his blessed will
Unto his vale into his fold
Up to his holy hill.

The sampler is signed Martha Graham Work Done in her 11th Year 182X. The last digit of the year was removed, as was often the case to hide the exact age of the maker.

Martha Graham was born in 1815, the daughter of Reverend Rober...

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...

This is an extremely unusual American 12 tube candle mold, made of tin and painted black. I have seen many candle molds in my time, but don't recall ever seeing one with the type decoration that this one has. The front and side have charming and whimsical squiggles of gold paint.

Overall condition is excellent, with the usual spots of paint loss and wear, and some nicks to the base. All the tubes are present, all the paint is original, and there have been no repairs. The base is stable ...

This is a superbly rendered watercolor on paper attributed to Henry Walton. The name of the sitter, John Andrew Jenny, is written in pencil at the top of the painting, in penmanship not unlike Walton's.

Mr. Jenny is a nice-looking young man wearing a black coat, with highlights in gum arabic. The style of the coat and the cravat place this portrait in the 1841-1844 time period. This is consistent with Walton's development as an artist, when he began to paint the faces of his subjects with mod...

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...

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.

A charming rural scene, embroidered and painted on silk. Excellent condition with period frame. 15" by 12 1/2"

A wonderful American folk art portrait of a Methodist minister painted by Ammi Phillips (1788–1865). The distinguished gentleman is sitting at a table, with his hand holding a pair of spectacles and resting on a Methodist hymnal. The finely rendered depiction of the large dominating figure with dark clothing emphasizes the gravitas of the sitter.

The painting is 32 5/8 inches by 27 1/4 inches sight size, and 37 7/8 inches by 32 3/4 inches framed size. The painting is in overall excellent co...