In her article "Living with antiques: A Saint Louis Couple Collects", published in The Magazine Antiques (May 2002), Patricia E. Kane vividly describes the collection of early American furniture, silver, porcelain, rugs and needlework assembled by Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Nusrala. Of this collection, she writes "these collectors apply a rigorous approach to their collecting decisions. Most purchases have been made after a detailed consideration of condition, aesthetic rank, and market value. They hold provenance in high regard, especially the inclusion of objects in landmark exhibition and publication, and they place extraordinary emphasis on study and scholarship." The story of the collection begins in 1978, after a meeting in Indiana of the Decorative Arts Trust. With the words of the esteemed scholars and dealers Joe Kindig III, Berry B. Tracy and Wendell Garrett ringing in their heads, Mr. and Mrs. Nusrala made their first purchase: a Philadelphia Federal card table. As they gradually accumulated objects, they hired an architect to restore their 1919 Colonial Revival house in Saint Louis in a manner that would be sympathetic to their budding collection. Eighteenth century architectural elements formed an ideal setting in which to showcase the masterpieces they were amassing. In 1999, they loaned several pieces in their collection to the Saint Louis Art Museum for its exhibition Useful Beauty: Early American Decorative Arts from St. Louis Collections. Those items exhibited are featured in this catalogue, lots 652, 666, 670, 672, 673, 674, 678, 680, 683, 685, and 686. While their collection represents all regions of production, it is strongest in Philadelphia craftsmanship. With a few exceptions, the Nusralas focused their energy and keen eyes on collecting works of art that reveal Philadelphia's masterful expression of the Chippendale aesthetic. A pair of side chairs (lot 666) and an easy chair (lot 674) can both be traced back to the prominent Philadelphian Samuel Morris, while a second pair of chairs (lot 678) exhibits the masterful carving attributed to John Pollard (1740-1787) and the Spike carver. When the Nusralas looked beyond Philadelphia, they gravitated toward iconic forms and well-known cabinetmakers. A block-front kneehole desk with a history of descent in the Harrison-Gray-Otis families represents one of the most expensive forms made in New England, while a slant-lid desk with bone-inlaid bird-form lopers bears the signature of John Goddard, of the renowned Goddard-Townsend cabinetmaking dynasty of Newport, Rhode Island. A pair of beautifully-inlaid shield-back side chairs with delicate pendant-bellflower inlay represents the vibrant aesthetic of Federal Baltimore, along with a serpentine chest with distinctive circular oval inlaid veneers. Mrs. Nusrala is an experienced needleworker and was deeply involved in collecting the small but choice group of English and American needlework. The highlight of the needleworks is undoubtedly the richly worked silk needlework Flower family coat-of-arms. Worked by Elizabeth Flower in 1765, it incorporates the C-scroll and rocaille-cartouche motifs of the Rococo period and also embodies the skill and handicraft that was a critical part of the upbringing and schooling of the daughters of America's wealthiest families. Pat Kane, who has been a friend and mentor/advisor to Mr. and Mrs. Nusrala for several years, pays tribute to their contributions to the field: "They have been instrumental in organizing a group in Saint Louis devoted to the study of early Americana. For this couple the formation of the collection has provided both intellectual stimulation and the pleasure of creating a warm and elegant home to share with family and friends." The strength, focus and importance of the collection of Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Nusrala convey the couple's high standards for condition and rarity of form, as well as their scholarly interest when assembling a collection of early American decorative arts. The Nusrala collection reveals what the eye of the connoisseur, backed by the determination to acquire only the best, can accomplish.

AN ENGLISH GLASS TAZZA

MID 18TH CENTURY

Details

AN ENGLISH GLASS TAZZA
MID 18TH CENTURY
The plain circular top on a tapering ribbed stem and slightly domed foot, the rim and footrim folded
5¾ in. (13.7 cm.) high; 15 in. (38.2 cm.) diameter

Provenance

Purchased from W.M. Schwind, Jr. Antiques and Fine Art, St. Louis, Missouri, 29 May 1994

Literature

Patricia E. Kane, "Living with Antiques: A Saint Louis couple collects," The Magazine Antiques (May 2002), p. 118, pl. IX.

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