Americana Week in January

Maine Antique Digest has a very good article by Lita Solis-Cohen about Americana Week in New York during mid to late January. Lita previews the shows, auctions and gallery exhibits that will be starting around the middle of January. According to the article, Bonhams will also be holding its first Americana Week auction in New York as well. The events, exhibits, shows, and sales all seem to be growing. It has always been a destination event for lovers of Americana and the decorative arts, and with all that is planned, it certainly has the appearance and possibility of being a specular event.

Solis-Cohen states For the first time, Bonhams will sell American furniture in New York City in January. On Thursday, January 22 at 1 p.m., 200 lots of 18th- and 19th-century furniture will cross the block at the Bonhams Madison Avenue salesroom. A New York Federal sofa, attributed to Duncan Phyfe or one of his contemporaries, is estimated at $100,000/200,000. A cherry tall-case clock inscribed by its maker, Squire Millerd of Warwick, Rhode Island, who served as a captain in the Revolutionary War, is estimated at $40,000/60,000. A Pennsylvania walnut schrank is estimated at $40,000/60,000. A painted Berks County, Pennsylvania, dower chest, dated 1804, carries a $50,000/70,000 estimate. The sale includes a Boston wing chair (est. $30,000/50,000), a Philadelphia walnut dressing table with scalloped skirt and trifid feet (est. $20,000/40,000), and a Philadelphia flat-top high chest (est. $25,000/55,000).

Of course Sotheby's and Christies will be holding numerous sales, numerous shows and presentations including the 55th New York Winter Antiques Show.

American week in NY is often considered a barometer of the market, and a precursor to the health of the antique and decorative arts field. Given the slowness of many fine art markets, documented depreciation in the middle market, and some uneasiness at the upper end, it will certainly be an interesting Americana week to observe.

To read the Maine Antiques Digest article, click HERE. The AW Blog will have more information about the sales, property and values as we get closer to the events.