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PROPERTY FROM THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF ROBERT KAPLAN, MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEYDispelling the Myth of Brown FurnitureAs American arts-and-crafts furniture is lived with over time, colors fade from sunlight, works get refinished and heavy wear obscures the original surfaces of the works. What is compelling, is the discovery of “time capsule” works by Gustav Stickley that convey the original vision of the designer. To the uninitiated eye, Craftsman furniture can be imagined as uniformly brown; however the collection of works presented here illustrate clearly the painterly palette and range of natural tones of Stickley and his workshop produced. Ebonized surfaces, rich honey tones and foliate greens complement clear stained white oak that are miraculously preserved. The rarity and connoisseurship associated with works in original condition is justified, as these works are rare to the point of being unique.The following four works display honest construction methods: a flush tenon on the Magazine cabinet, through tenons as a decorative element on the Smoker’s cabinet and a series of butterfly joints on both sides of the folding screen. Decoration, achieved through construction and the designs, is ultimately Minimalist in their envisioned concept. The works are differentiated by color, proportion and grain structure in the wood. A simultaneity of complexity and simplicity are achieved and preserved through time.

GUSTAV STICKLEY (1858-1942)

Magazine Stand, model no. 548, circa 1902

Details

GUSTAV STICKLEY (1858-1942)
Magazine Stand, model no. 548, circa 1902
executed by Gustav Stickley's Craftsman Workshop, Eastwood, New York
oak
43 3/8 in. (110 cm) high; 15 ½ in. (39.5 cm) wide; 15 ¼ (38.5 cm) deep
stamped with the workshop's Als ik kan mark and with retailer paper label

Provenance

Richard Austin, Brookline, Massachusetts, circa 1902
Thence by descent
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Literature

S. Gray, The Early Work of Gustav Stickley, New York, 1987, p. 99

Special notice

Please note this lot will be moved to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn) at 5pm on the last day of the sale. Lots may not be collected during the day of their move to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services. Please consult the Lot Collection Notice for collection information. This sheet is available from the Bidder Registration staff, Purchaser Payments or the Packing Desk and will be sent with your invoice.

Brought to you by

Daphné Riou

driou@christies.com +1 212 636 2240

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