1830s Folk Art

Swiss alp painted box

Swiss alp painted box

These stunning and unique Miniature Georgian shoes were produced in England during the early 19th century, circa 1830. They are hand carved from Mahogany wood and feature the most wo...

Early 19th century American primitive demilune console table featuring center drawer with brass knob, straight plain foot legs and original finish. ...

American portrait miniature by Thomas Story Officer, Woman in a White Gown, Signed "T.S. Officer, Pinxt", The 1830s The American portrait miniature signed by Thomas Story Officer depicts a beautiful young woman, her red hair “Coeffure a la Chinoise”, sitting in a red chair confidently looking out towards the painter and us, the viewers.  She wears a white dress with a pin in the center of her chest.  Based on her style of dress and her hair, we believe this was painted while Officer was in Philadelphia. It is signed to the lower right "T.S. Officer, Pinxt" along at edge. The reverse has a small oval glass Dimensions: 3 inches high x 2 3/16 inches wide x 1/4 inch deep Reference: Thomas S. Officer: Miniature and Portrait Painter, Gardner Library,  Author: Merri Lou Schaumann. Born in Carlisle in 1810, this gifted artist trained in Philadelphia, traveled extensively and won awards for his paintings. In 1872, James Miller McKim wrote a series of reminiscences for the Carlisle Herald newspaper about the places and people of Carlisle in an earlier day. He wrote that “David Smith, a boot and shoemaker, had two sons… one of whom early developed a taste for art and finally devoted himself to miniature painting as a profession. He was a contemporary, and for a while, a rival of Mr. Thomas Officer, though I believe he never reached the celebrity attained by that gifted young artist. Mr. Officer, by the way, was one of the last miniature painters of any eminence produced by this country, the daguerreotype and photographer having come in to sweep away the entire profession.” Thomas Story Officer was born in Carlisle on August 15, 1810, to cabinetmaker John Officer and his second wife Margaret. He trained in Philadelphia with the well-known portrait painter Thomas Sully and began his career there in the 1830s. Officer left Philadelphia occasionally to paint portraits in Mobile, Alabama in 1837, in Richmond, Virginia in 1845, and in New York City from 1846-1849 where he became a member of the National Academy of Design. In 1842, Officer intended to travel to Mexico and needed a passport. He asked Attorney Charles B. Penrose, formerly of Carlisle, to write a letter of recommendation for him. In his letter to Fletcher Webster, Esq., Penrose wrote, “This will be handed to you by Thomas S. Officer, Esq., a friend of mine, and a native artist of Pennsylvania, who is a gentleman of great talents and respectability. Intending to visit Mexico, he wishes to procure passports at the State Department…”  Officer was issued a passport in July 1842. He was described as 30 years old, 5’ 11” with a “full and round forehead, bluish-gray eyes, an ordinary nose, medium mouth, ordinary chin, sallow complexion with an oval face and brown hair.” Officer went to Mexico and later to Australia. In 1854, he opened a studio in Sandridge, Australia, and while there he “entered several oil portraits in the 1854 Melbourne Exhibition preparatory to sending them to the 1855 Paris Exhibition.” Officer left Australia, and in 1855 he settled in San Francisco where he would spend the last years of his life. He set up a portrait painting department in James Johnson’s photographic gallery in San Francisco. In 1857, Officer received a bronze medal for his oil portraits exhibited at The First Industrial Exhibition of the Mechanics’ Institute of San Francisco, as well as awards at several other exhibits in 1858. A short piece in the San Francisco newspaper, Alta, on October 30, 1859, read, “Mr. Thomas S. Officer, the talented portrait painter, lies near to death’s door and is in pecuniary distress. Out of the many to whose pleasure he has contributed by his gay, social manners, as well as by his pleasing artistic productions, may there not be found someone who will extend a helping hand?”  Officer died on December 8, 1859. Almost an entire column in the January 18, 1860 edition of the Carlisle Herald, was devoted to a very long and informative obituary of Officer taken from the Alta, California newspaper. Officer was buried in the now defunct Lone Mountain Cemetery in San Francisco. In 2014, the Cumberland County Historical Society received a bequest of a portrait painted by Thomas Officer from the estate of historian John J. Snyder, Jr. It joined a miniature portrait already a part of the Society’s museum collection in Carlisle, not far from where Officer was born. Notes: The May 28, 1834 edition of the Carlisle Weekly Herald reported that Thomas S. Officer had "...within the last few weeks, taken the portraits of several gentlemen of this borough...Mr. O. is principally self-taught, and although young, already evinced a degree of taste, judgment, and talent..." A short biography of Officer can also be found in Early American Portrait Painters in Miniature by Theodore Bolton, published by F. F. Sherman (New York, 1921). The entire book is one line  Bio. of Officer on page 117. See Officer’s portrait...

Perhaps the dropped hand is the most obvious of the Bears 'tells'. But just about every aspect of our painting is Bears, from the landscape background to the positioning of the subje...

Swiss alp painted box

Glorious is the best way to describe this lone star quilt with chintz border and applique (broderie perse). The colors are as vibrant as the day it was ...

Very early American wooden games board; probably the oldest I have handled, this dates to about circa 1835 and exhibits the markings of a typical cottage industry type manufacture (not unlike very early Noah's Arks). Obviously entirely hand crafted; measurements are not exactly square (left to right; top to bottom), probably made of a local soft wood, and hand painted with squares not perfectly delineated. Black light and "loop" inspection reveals age crazing and original paint that, in conjunction with original wear and no attempt to touch up, dates it to the early 19th century. Most definitely American, as the last thing an English immigrant would have brought to America at that time would have been a game. When closed, or in the folding position, the board game simulates and is made to look like two books resting side by side (see images), and thusly, was made to sit on a book shelf, either horizontally or vertically; and to be pulled out to play games when desired, which would have been either the game of checkers (draughts), chess, or backgammon. The board opens up to a two sided game option. On one side is the proverbial 64 square (English/ American version) of chess or checkers; and on the other side is a backgammon board. Both sides are hand painted in gold and black, with a rust colored border around the checkerboard. The interior backgammon play area is also black and gold with the same color rust area to the central part. Nail hinges in the center frame, pivot the two sides to open, while a leather covering borders the edge trim, which is 50% lacking on the hinge side. I state the condition to be good, considering it's age, it's use, and the fact that it is still very "usable" and, if taken care of, will probably continue to be so for nearly another 200 years! The checkers, (12) black pieces and (12) yellow (the correct numbers) are hand carved in wood and hand painted. The backgammon pieces (stored in period wooden box) contain 14 yellow hand painted and carved pieces and (13) black ones. (15) of each color are used to play backgammon (simply use the checkers, which are just about the same size (see images) to make up the difference. Most antique game boards...

Swiss alp painted box

Swiss alp painted box

Swiss alp painted box

Absolutely beautiful, circa 1830's, grain painted, graduated chest of drawers. Likely from Maine or possibly Vermont , the workmanship is absolutely beautiful . From the fully turned...

Early 19th century hand-carved decorated coconut cup with continental silver mounts. The coconut is artfully hand-carved with wonderful geometric patterns all over the piece. The r...

Pair of Italian neoclassical style painted demilune consoles with a centered floral medallion surrounded by a faux marbleized top, floral painted border and swag skirt, and terminat...

American Sheraton pine hand painted floral washstand with a single drawer, original wooden knob, and resting on turned bulbous ringed legs, Early 19th century.

Oil on canvas, inscribed on the stretcher bar reverse. The painting is presented in a flat black frame that complements it well. Horace Bundy was an it...

19th century reverse painted on glass portrait of George and Martha Washington by William Matthew Prior (1806 - 1873), one of New England'...

Scottish brass and nickel silver horse hobble with an eagle heads horse shoe handle and resting on the faithful servant creature Bide a Blink. Signature...

Unsigned. Attributed to the American Itinerate Painter Sheldon Peck on stylistic grounds. The sharp delineation of facial shadows and the familiar 'fluer ...

Quality French antique oil painting showing a delicate portrait scene Piece is signed in the bottom right corner and also features the artists name on the frame Léon Marie Constant...

A 19th century Swedish folk art painting on canvas, known as a bonad, depicting a woman, perhaps an angel, in very fine clothes in a paint decorated room with a small window, with a ...

American walnut carved spread wing eagle perched to Flee on rectangular rocky pine plinth, Early 19th century. Eagle is 27 wide and 17 deep at base.

Charming early (circa 1830's) folk art painting, with very desirable subject matter, this oil on canvas depicts a pretty young girl; seated, wearing a fancy dress with her beloved d...

A rare late Georgian or early Regency Tunbridgeware sewing basket dating from 1820-1930. The inner basket has a rounded base with a stacked block design in various colored woods with...

Explore a piece of literary history with this antique edition of "Œuvres complètes de J. de la Fontaine," Tome II, published by Ed. Lefèvre around 1838. This rare volume, featuring the complete works of the celebrated French fabulist Jean de la Fontaine, is a collector's gem. The book has aged gracefully but shows signs of its journey through time. The pages have absorbed some moisture, leading to slight warping, while the cover has begun to detach in certain areas. This gives the book a distinctive character that speaks to its long past. Era: Circa 1838 Condition: Fair (Shows signs of wear and moisture damage; cover partially detached) Dimensions: Height: 20 cm (7.87 inches) Length: 13 cm (5.12 inches) Thickness: 4 cm (1.57 inches) Weight: 654 grams (1.44 lbs) Despite its age-related imperfections, this book remains a valuable and intriguing addition to any antique book collection...

She is depicted holding a tray aloft with her eyes, which she gouged out in order to keep from being married off to a Pagan. Polychromed gesso with gilding. Some small bits of polyc...

Full of character and rich in history, this antique French Provincial fruitwood grain scoop was once simply utilitarian, used to shovel oats into sacks. This fruitwood scoop has a lo...

Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper. A young prince is seated in a palace courtyard under a canopy receiving a party of noblemen. His ministers stand behind him, wearing peaked turbans with floral patterns, their gestures conveying their welcoming demeanor towards the noblemen. The guests are wearing red and blue turbans...

Beautiful and comfortable pair of firehouse or captains style Windsor chairs. Retains original iron braces, painted surface and rich warm patina of wear. New England, the chairs bu...

American hand held cast brass engraved Yachtsman's speaking trumpet with bell shaped soldered mouthpiece, coned-shaped column with original interior red paint, and terminating on a r...

Very fine English early 19th Century solid burl yewwood tabletop with molded edge and scalloped sides with mahogany and sycamore compass star inlay, the who...

This highly amusing and unusual little wall cabinet for keys is decorated with a charming embroidery picture of a little girl wearing a red dress wi...

American sampler under glass with the original gilt Birdseye maple frame, Early 19th Century. Alphabet and Numerals. Signed by maker Maria Nuttall Age 7.

This diverse set of early 19th-century English painted snuff boxes, of various shapes and sizes, are finely decorated with a variety of subjects, inc...

A charming woven rush bag, with applied leather sections, initials and the date 1832, the reversed also has appliqué leather sections of organic flowing forms The piece is in goo...

Each standing figure wearing a jacket and a hat. One holding a pipe and a pitcher and another holding a tankard. Maybe once resided in a pub. Very well carved with tiny holes in wood...

Rare original chart of Long Island Sound by E + G Blunt of New York, 179 Water St. "Surveyed in the years 1828, 29 & 30" Exceedingly rare and early chart, titled Long Island Sound fr...

Snipping a profile from paper with scissors, and mounting the result to a contrasting sheet of paper, became a popular diversion among the European and American upper classes in the ...

These stunning and unique Miniature Georgian shoes were produced in England during the early 19th century, circa 1830. They are hand carved from Mahogany wood and feature the most wo...

COPY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ON CLOTH, PRINTED IN BOSTON IN 1832 TO MEMORIALIZE THE PASSING OF THE LAST SURVIVING SIGNER, CHARLES CARROLL OF MARYLAND, IN THE YEAR THAT COI...