Allan_Katz_Americana_II

THE GEO. M. GOFF GROCERY AND MEAT MARKET SIGN American. Signed “D. D. Coombs.” All original polychrome paint and gilt decorated wood with smalt background. Circa 1875. Measures: 19½" H; 19' L (displayed in three sections as “Geo. M. Goff Sign”); 12' L (displayed in two sections as “Goff Sign”). This beautiful trade sign has all the elements one could wish for in a great sign: excellent condition, wonderful graphics, aged original surface, and skillful design. It was constructed in three separate sections; one could speculate that this was done to permit easy transportation of the sign from the sign maker’s shop to Mr. Goff’s Grocery and Meat Market. The construction would also enable the merchant, at some future date, to change the establishment’s name to a shorter brand name. COMICAL BUST IN PATRIOTIC ATTIRE American. William Demuth and Co., New York City. Cast zinc retaining its original polychrome paint decorated surface. Circa 1890. Measures: 24" H x 21" W x 13½"D William Demuth and Co. was the largest producer of metal show figures in the country. Their primary sales location was 501 Broadway, New York City. See Artists In Wood by Frederick Fried, page 53, figure #68, for a reprint of Demuth’s catalog that highlights the “Comical Bust”: “A metal figure for the show window, sometimes with pipe in hand, the figure could be placed on the counter and was an unusual attraction when fitted with bellows and clockwork, which opened from the back. A lighted cigarette was placed between the lips and the figure would puff out smoke to the action of the hidden bellows.” It was priced at $25.00 in 1890. It is known that Samuel Robb, who owned and operated a wood carving shop in New York City, carved the molds that were used to cast Demuth’s pieces. Samuel Robb’s Shop also produced a similar figure from wood. Sporting a “liberty cap” and decorated in red, white, and blue, this bust was made to have a very patriotic feel. There are several of the wood “Comical Busts” by Samuel Robb that are known. This Demuth bust is considerably more rare. THE ACROBATS STONEWARE JUG A unique cobalt blue decorated four-gallon stoneware jug with applied handle. The front decoration includes a mustached gentleman holding a stove pipe hat and a lady performing a handstand. Signed in stamp “Fulper Bros. Flemington N.J.” Circa 1890. Measures: Height 16½" Condition: Excellent A well known Fulper Brothers three gallon jug depicting a “Bathing Beauty” is in the collection of the New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown, New York. The origins of Fulper Pottery date to 1814 when Samuel Hill produced utilitarian pottery in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Upon Hill’s death in 1858 Abram Fulper, one of Hill’s employees, began purchasing the Hill Pottery Works from the Hill estate. By the 1860s, the company was owned by Abram Fulper and was called Fulper Pottery. After Abram’s passing his sons continued in the business; during the 1880s the company became known as Fulper Brothers. In 1899, the company was incorporated and became known as the Fulper Pottery Company. It continued production of various lines of Art Pottery until the 1930s. Provenance: “The American Folk Art Collection of Don and Faye Walters,” Sotheby’s, October 25, 1986. Collection of Betty and Joel Schatzberg. Private Collection. TRAPEZE TOY American. Earl Eyman. Drumright, Oklahoma. Carved and polychrome decorated wood and metal. Powered by a Victrola mechanism. Circa 1930. Measures: 36" H x 24" W x 9" D Pictured: American Vernacular by Ricco/Maresca, page 136. The Oklahoma oil rigs on which Eyman worked may have suggested the construction of the trapeze. Eyman never sold his works but instead gave them as gifts. His carving style is very distinctive making his pieces easy to recognize. When wound and set in motion the figures come alive with a coordinated graceful flow. This wonderful folk sculpture brings to mind Alexander Calder’s Circus, which was also created in the 1920s and is now housed in the Whitney Museum in New York City. BLACKSMITH TRADE SIGN American. Unidentified maker. Original polychrome paint and gilt decorated wood. Circa 1840. Measures: 24" H x 51" L This artful sign is constructed of a single hand planed board with surround moulding.