American Empire Folk Art

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...

American Naval two masted clipper ship brig model mounted on stand under a glass case. The US Perry was a brig commissioned by the United States Navy October 1843 prior to the American Civil War...

American solid brass five spoke ringed yacht wheel with original brass hub, Late 19th century.

American nautical brass housing and wood collar floating distress beacon with a glass lens, mid-19th century.

American nautical mahogany yacht binnacle with a hinged locking oval glass viewing port, original removable brass side light burner with font, brass carrying handle, and fitted with ...

American Fancy floral painted cane seat settee with flanking scrolled arms, central turned spindles, and resting on turned bulbous ringed legs with or...

American mahogany ship binnacle with a brass-mounted dome helmet, internal dry compass by Ritchie of Boston, flanking removable burners with the original fonts and resting on an octa...

American cast iron Mayflower arched doorstop with sailing vessel on rough seas. Signed on lower base, mayflower, 1620. Late 19th Century.

American polished steel sky light binnacle with rope carved base, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Norfolk VA. Late 19th century. Binnacle has been electrified fo...

American oval hand carved timber trade sign with a centered two masted ship, rope border, upper painted banner "The London and New York Trading Company"...

Pair of English large cast iron Punch & Judy matching doorstops . Late 19th century.

American oil on canvas of landscape depicting mountains, meadows, and a stream in the original mounted foliage gilt frame. Late 19th Century.

Original oil painting mounted on linen & place in antique Empire period shadowbox mahogany frame. Unknown naive painting with a charming rendition of a female bust. The painting is d...

American mahogany and brass skylight ship binnacle. T.S. and J.D. Negus company was established in 1848 in New York City. They were makers of fine scientific instruments, circa 1848-1900. This highly desirable and maritime instrument is made of carved mahogany with a brass and glass skylight...

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.

American sampler under glass with the original gilt Birdseye maple molded edge frame, Early 19th Century. Signed by maker Mary Ann Browning, Age 12.

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

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...

Pair of American brass nautical taffrail log spinners, Late 19th century. Stamped by brothers Thomas Shufeldt Negus, Jr. (1828-1894) & John Davidson Negus (1833-1890) manufacturers and merchants of chronometers and other fine marine instruments...

American brass Nautical Swivel spot light on telescopic barber pole tripod stand, Troy, NY. Late 19th century. Original candle and has been electrified.

Pair of American nautical gimbaled nickel silver over brass mounted wall sconces with bulbous flared amber glass shades. Gimbals kept candles straight in rough seas. Pair are candle ...