chippendalefurniture

Keno Auction Sees Record For Rare Chippendale Chest

The first auction from the Leigh Keno's new Keno Auctions house has brought some big results including the sale of one very expensive Chippendale chest. The auction was held last weekend in Stamford, Connecticut and had two sessions. The first part, the collection of H. Robert Leese of Pennsylvania, consisted of 178 lots, all of which sold without reserve. During the second session the James Beekman Chippendale carved mahogany chest of drawers from the shop of Thomas Brookman with carving attributed to Henry Hardcastle came up for bid. Antiques and the Arts reports that this New York chest, circa 1752 was estimated at $200/600,000 but sold for $1.428 million, setting a record for a New York piece of furniture.

The third session on Sunday brought the second highest price in the sale, when the portrait of Anna Brodhead Oliver circa 1743 was sold without reserve to David Schorsch of Woodbury, Connecticut, for $1,118,600. The estimate was just $40/80,000 and the portrait was the property of a descendant of the sitter. Leigh Keno said that the auction brought in a total of $5,818,460 including the buyer's premium but that four major postsale offers pending will boost the total to $6.014 million.

The blond twin Keno brothers are experts in American furniture and have often appeared on "Antiques Roadshow." Both Leigh and Leslie Keno have been interested in rare Americana since they were kids and have been involved in the antiques business since their teenage years and Leslie Keno was in the audience for this auction. The pair recently announced their own furniture line.

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Chippendale Authentic and Reproduced Furniture

by Karen LoBello (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Chippendale furniture takes its name from Thomas Chippendale, a London cabinetmaker in the 18th century. His furniture style embodied intricate carving, distinctive leg styles and fine woods such as mahogany.

John Swahn (pictured in the Philadelphia Inquirer's "Fresh, Affordable Home Ideas"), owner and master craftsman at Pennsylvania's Niki Francis Antique Restorations, shares his expertise on Chippendale furniture. He tells me there is some confusion stemming from Thomas Chippendale's 1754 book, "The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director". This volume was the first of its kind on furniture manufacturing ever to be published. The book was purchased and widely used by furniture makers all over the world. Complete with drawings and designs, it became a guide to furniture building. Furniture makers were now able to reproduce Chippendale's furniture. The book greatly affected the years 1750 to 1790 and created what is known as the Chippendale period for furniture styles.

Characteristics
John believes that the best way to recognize the Chippendale style is simply to look at the man's work. The Chippendale Society, founded in England in 1963, displays pictures online of various Chippendale designs and pieces from their collection. Thomas Chippendale's taste for Chinese and Gothic as well as Louis XV rock and shell work show in his drawings and in pieces he has crafted. Although the Chippendale form is more masculine, the style shares the sweeping lines found in Queen Anne furniture. This is most recognized in the cabriole legs which are curved and usually end in a distinctive foot such as the lion's paw or the ball and claw. Chippendale employed straight leg designs as well.

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