Winter 2016

2016 Antiques & Fine Art 171 Fig. 5: Samuel Anderson Robb (1851–1928), Baseball player, New York City, 1888–1903. Paint on wood. H. 76, W. 21¾, D. 24 (with base) in. Inscribed on base: “Robb. Manu’fr. 114 Center St NY.” American Folk Art Museum; Gift of Millie and Bill Gladstone (2008.26.1). Photography by Gavin Ashworth. the National Academy of Design. In 1876, Robb opened his first shop, at 195 Canal Street. By 1891, it had become the largest figure carving shop in New York City, with ten employees, producing a large quantity of high-quality advertising sculptures in a wide assortment of models, ranging from cigar store Indians to baseball players (Fig. 5). Between 1888 and 1903, the Robb workshop was at 114 Center Street. Over the next fifteen years Robb operated on a smaller scale at several different locations, finally setting up a small workroom in his apartment in northern Manhattan. On October 12, 1881, Robb married Agnes Loudon, the daughter of William Loudon, a wealthy New York builder and real estate investor (Figs. 4a, b). Robb listed his occupation as “Artist in Wood” on the wedding license. After the marriage, Robb and his twenty- year-old bride moved into the home of her parents, where they lived for seven years. Forced by William Loudon to shuffle in and out of a succession of his investment properties on Madison, Quincy, and Halsey Streets in Brooklyn, the Robbs were unable to establish their own family home. Finally Robb gave his wife an ultimatum—choose between him or her father. Pregnant with their fourth child and accustomed to an indulged lifestyle, she chose to stay with her parents. Robb did not see his wife, nor the child she was carrying (Elizabeth Wilson Robb), for seventeen years, until, in 1905, the couple met by accident on a New York street, when, as recounted by Fried, “Without a word, they fell into each other’s arms.” 4 Elizabeth Robb, who regarded her father as a deserter, had planned to never speak to him, but before the day was over a complete reunion had taken place and old grievances forgiven. Reconciled, Robb moved in with his wife and teenage daughter at 329 West 21st Street, in the Chelsea section of Manhattan (Fig. 6). 5 In 1910, the entire Robb family moved to West 156st Street in northern Manhattan, where Robb kept a workshop and specialized in smaller carvings. Leading up to Christmas of 1923, Samuel Robb was secretly working on a small figure that he kept locked in a closet in his workshop. On Christmas morning, Elizabeth Robb found next to the tree a carved and painted Santa Claus (Fig. 7) holding a feather tree decorated with ornaments. 6 The hollow pack on his back, filled with candles and small wrapped gifts also contained a card, “To Elizabeth, Merry Christmas, from Dad.” This was the last figure carved by Samuel Robb. He died four years later after an extended illness. Aged 72 and retired as a professional carver for over a decade, Samuel Robb was still very much on top of his game when he made the Santa Claus figure for his daughter. A master’s touch is evidenced in the facial characterization and imaginative paintwork, with applied mica chips imparting a reflective quality to the white-painted