AMERICAN, 19TH CENTURY

Details

A CARVED WHALEBONE AND MAHOGANY FOUR-TIER SPOOL RACK
American, 19th century
The octagonal lid with eight carved finials above three lower octagonal tiers each with carved whalebone brackets and inset with whalebone diamonds hearts, and circles, with holes for feeding the thread, lacking pin cushion
8¾in. high

Provenance

Smithsonian Institution
Museum of American Folk Art, 1967
Sotheby's, New York, The Barbara Johnson Whaling Collection, April 29, 1983, lot 230

Literature

E. Norman FLayderman, Scrimshaw and Scrimshanders (New Milford, Connecticut, 1972), p. 232.

Special notice

Notice Regarding the Sale of Material from Endangered Species. Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country

Lot Essay

This sewing stand appears to be the example sold in the Barbara Johnson Collection. If so, it was pictured with a pin-cushion top that is now missing. The catalog note indicates that, in addition to this stand, there is a matching stand in the Melville Collection at the Pittsfield Library, as well as a matching stand in the Nantucket Historical Association that is lacking its top section. This stand could be a different, nearly identical example.

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