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Jonathan Levi built this, his collection, with unbridled enthusiasm, passion, energy and dedication. Over a period of ten years, together with his wife Mary, Jonathan trawled every market, auction, antiques fair and shop where they might find interesting wooden objects, at every and any opportunity. They visited national and regional museums, where they were invariably invited to study reserve collections and pieces not on public display. They sought out and shared ideas with other collectors, and read everything they could find that related to wood turners and treen. They took notes and made records of everything they saw. Jonathan was primarily a family man, a competent and widely respected gastroenterologist, a convivial Epicurean and a connoisseur of fine wine. He described Treen collecting as his hobby, which had its roots and inspiration in his interest in Trees and Woodland. He selected and planted many trees, with his family, at their country home in Buckinghamshire after the hurricane damage in 1987. The reading and learning he did at this time led to his fascination with timber and ultimately to his discovery of, and passion for these antique wooden objects collectively known as Treen. Building this collection gave him great joy, particularly as it was a pleasure he shared with his wife Mary. They used to regularly drop into our shop together on Saturday mornings, bearing a large woven wicker basket full of pieces they had found since their previous visit. It was a wonderful ritual where Jonathan would unwrap each piece, one at a time, always saving the best for last. As he lifted a 'Creme de la creme' piece from the basket he would hum triumphant fanfare, grin and unwrap it with ceremony. We discussed every piece however humble or magnificent. Everything was numbered, labelled and caringly polished and all comment, idea and comparisons were noted and kept for future reference. They were such happy hours. In the beginning, he bought a wide range of pieces and spent hours researching their origins, timbers and functions. He made many contacts and friends in this way and his network of suppliers was further strengthened when his equally enthusiastic son David became a full-time antique dealer specialising in Treen, in 1993. Over a few years they amassed the most fascinating and wide ranging examples of castors, nutcrackers, muffineers, grinders, mortars, spoons and love spoons, squeezers, platters, salts, cups, bowls, drinking vessels and other multifarious unrelated turned wooden objects that charmed him for their unknown function, their shape, colour or surface. As the years went by the Levi's became increasingly discerning and discriminating about the pieces they selected for their collection, and Jonathan developed an eye for unusual and interesting styles, rare forms and early examples. In particular, he grew a love for original surface, patination and colour. His academic mind was challenged to collate all the information he gathered into an organised study which he ultimately planned to use as the basis of a new reference work, he had hoped to write after his retirement from medical practice. Jonathan was keen to publish a large book, groaning with wonderful colour photographs to illustrate the wide ranging use of carved and mainly turned wood as a historic material for household utensils and implements, and more particularly, their variety, character and charm. He intended to show the developments of shapes, styles, and identifying characteristics throughout the centuries and to comprehensively illustrate and explain his findings. Sadly, untimely ill health robbed him of this plan but with characteristic zeal and courage he set about writing and seeing published a smaller specialised book fittingly dedicated to 'Wooden Objects related to Eating and Drinking' (Treen for the Table, Antique Collector's Club, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1998.). This was memorably and emotionally launched, in these rooms, in the early summer of 1998, almost exactly 10 years after he began his 'hobby'. He wanted to share the joys of collecting these pieces and hoped to "inspire other collections". Jonathan would be so pleased and a little proud to know that his book is now accepted and frequently quoted as a standard reference work, along with the classic publications of Owen Evan-Thomas ( Domestic Utensils in Wood, Published 1932) and Edward Pinto ( Treen and Other Wooden Bygones, Published 1969) which had so inspired and interested him. The Levi collection, loved, pruned, and documented as it is, forms the backbone of 'Treen for the Table'. It includes some pieces that were previously owned and handled by such legendary collectors and authorities as John Fardon, W.J. Shepherd, Edward Pinto and Owen Evan-Thomas, together with more recent discoveries and treasures unearthed, brought to life and given prominence by Jonathan and Mary Levi. It stands out as one of the most important single owner collections of Treen, ever to be offered for auction. Robert Young.

A Welsh fruitwood love spoon token

LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A Welsh fruitwood love spoon token
Late 18th century
The wide curved handle pierced with stylised foliate and geometric motifs
9in. (23cm.) long

Provenance

Robert Young Antiques, September 1998. Levi Collection number 1098.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. This lot is subject to storage and collection charges. **For Furniture and Decorative Objects, storage charges commence 7 days from sale. Please contact department for further details.**

Sale room notice

Please note: This lot is Levi Collection number 1098, not 1060 as in the printed catalogue.

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