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| Lot 215 - Embroidered Casket, Photo Courtesy of Sotheby's |
Well it was a fast few days in NYC for the Sotheby's conference and continuing exhibition of Anita and Ervin's wonderful things. They took up two full floors of Sotheby's New York building. I think they did a lovely job of exhibiting the objects in room settings, often with backdrop pictures of the house.
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| Lot 215 - Embroidered Casket |
Many old friends were there - Casketeers, collectors, needlework dealers, other historians and curators! So it was quite fun to be running around and looking at objects together as well as reminiscing about the wonderful couple who put together such a fine collection. The auction starts this morning and quite a few people have their wish list and paddles ready.
I want to show more of their collection - in case you haven't bought the catalog or viewed it online. There is still time for a telephone bid here and there.
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| Lot 215 - Embroidered Casket |
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| Lot 215 - Embroidered Casket |
This casket is a conundrum and many of us were talking about it over and over. The form isn't and yet is 17th century English. The embroidery on the sides looks like caskets and yet the split stitch and directional shifts harkens to a slightly later feel. The interior definitely look at once familiar and yet not. It looks a bit continental with the green velvet and addition of bobbin lace edgings - reminding me of several Dutch sewing pillows, but who knows when that was added. The blue interior contrasts with hints of pink interior that you see here and there when opening drawers. It is a decent match to another that has been moving around the auction houses over the last decade. For both, the sheer size and proportions of each is such that it can't be made up of panels that were for a 17th century casket left unfinished. They just aren't the right size and are too large. So they were purpose embroidered.
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| Lot 215 - Embroidered Casket |
While lovely - still a conundrum! Maybe a new teacher/fabricator. Maybe a later version. The existence of two might bring more to light and we will have our answer!
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lot 698 sale 10699 The English Collector, Christie's
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lot 698 sale 10699 The English Collector, Christie's
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lot 698 sale 10699 The English Collector, Christie's
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lot 698 sale 10699 The English Collector, Christie's
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As in buying a lottery ticket, it's fun to dream of bidding on this. I don't really care if it's genuine English 17th century-it's gorgeous all in it's own right. Someone will be very lucky to get it!
ReplyDeleteThis exhibition was amazing, i hope you have more to share with us. I love the Christie's shots of the comparison casket, especially that patterned mound under the king. Is the exterior stitching also using that smooth angled light catching stitch seen on the Schorsch casket? The inner doors on the Christies casket remind me of the designs used on the CoC II mirror doors...is there any way of getting a close up of the queen as well?
ReplyDeleteA friend has a black lacquer casket with similar shape at the top. GP
ReplyDeletethis is same shape as this Flemish cabinet passed on live auctioneers several years ago now~ go check it out~ they have used mirrors instead of embroidery
ReplyDeletehttps://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/3444147_a-flemish-baroque-walnut-table-cabinet
Is that Justice under the lid? May we get a closer picture of her too, please?
ReplyDelete