12 Anniversary Preview

12th Anniversary 16 www.antiquesandfineart.com NOTEWORTH Y S A L E S Portrait of Abigail Rose North Branford, Conn., 1786 Oil on canvas, 37 ¾ x 36 ¼ inches Sold for record $1,271,000 Courtesy Skinner, Inc., Americana The portrait of Abigail Rose sold at Skinner, Inc.’s November Americana auction for $1,271,000, breaking the previous record for American folk art portraiture, set in January of 2007. The likeness is one of three folk art portraits to have passed the million dollar mark at auction. The painting, by an anonymous artist, depicts a fourteen- year-old Abigail seated in a Queen Anne chair next to a table on which rests a group of books and a Battersea patchbox. The asymmetrical composition is unique for the time period. Well- preserved, in original condition, and not seen publicly since the 1930s, the portrait descended through the family of the sitter. “Apart from the success of the portrait,” says Stephen Fletcher, director of American Furniture and Decorative Arts, “this sale showed strong results across the board and demonstrated that the market for rare and distinctive American antiques and art remains healthy.” DISCOVERIES Birth Record for Hannah Hillier Attributed to the New Jersey Artist (active 1753–1806) Watercolor and ink on paper in original frame, 1782 Descended in the Tomlinson family Courtesy Leslie and Peter Warwick A previously unknown birth record has been discovered for Hannah Hillier (1782–1830), daughter of John Hillier (1744– 1790) and Francis Haines Hillier (1746–1822) of Rancocas, Burlington County, New Jersey. The record descended in the family, and after the owner read the article “The Birth Records of Burlington County, New Jersey” in the Spring 2010 issue of Antiques & Fine Art , he notified the magazine. The Hilliers were members of the Society of Friends. Hannah had five siblings: Elizabeth Hillier (1788–1860) and Isaac Hillier (1780–1806), whose birth records were illustrated in the article; Mary Hillier (1777–1854) and John Hillier (1776–1779), whose births were recorded on one record not illustrated; and Rebecca Hillier (1790–1838), whose record is not yet located. Hannah’s birth record has motifs and borders similar to the three previously known Hillier birth records. It shows her parents courting, as in Elizabeth’s record, and a heart sprouting flowers as in Mary and John’s record. Hannah and Elizabeth Hillier married the Tomlinson brothers, Benjamin and John. Hannah and Benjamin had triplets in 1808, with one child surviving, Sarah. Elizabeth and John had quadruplets in 1810, with two surviving, Joshua and Evans. Rebecca Hillier married John Rogers and had triplets in 1810, with all surviving, Evans, Charles, and Mary.