Federal Furniture

Presented is a vintage pair of cast iron bookends depicting the now iconic scene of George Washington crossing the Delaware River. The raised relie...

Presented is a rare and magnificent early printing of the Declaration of Independence on silk. The silk broadside was made by H. Brunet, in Lyon, France specifically for the American market. The design was based on the 1819 engraving on paper by William Woodruff. Printed in 1820, this silk broadside was one of the earliest printings of the Declaration, in any form, sold to the American public. Following the War of 1812, Americans began to look back, for the first time with historical perspective, on the era of the founding of the country. With nostalgia and curiosity, many Americans began to examine the details of the nation’s founding. Documents like the debates of the Constitutional Convention, first laws of the United States, and the Declaration were printed for public consumption for the first time. Entrepreneurial publishers hoped to fill this demand and rushed to produce the first engraved printing of the Declaration of Independence. The first to do so was Benjamin Owen Tyler in 1818, who produced an elegantly staid engraving with impressively faithful facsimile signatures. Tyler’s business rival John Binns started his own design more than a year before Tyler, yet his more decorative engraving was not published until 1819, two months on the heels of an eerily similar Declaration design by Philadelphia printer William Woodruff. In this very competitive market, Binns went so far as to sue Woodruff for stealing his design, but was unsuccessful in his lawsuit. These three Declaration designs were followed in 1820 by an ornamental broadside by Eleazar Huntington and the silk broadside offered here. In this 1820 design by Frenchman H. Brunet, the text of the Declaration of Independence is printed in black ink at the center of the silk. The important text is framed by a decorative leaf and acorn wreath border. The border contains distinctive portraits of the first three Presidents, George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferon, two of whom were still living at the time, as well as the official seals of the original thirteen states. The seals and portraits are surmounted by a patriotic display of trumpets, flags, two overflowing cornucopias, and a spread-wing Federal eagle. Although almost identical to the Woodruff broadside, this silk by Brunet differs in several ways. The most noticeable is the addition of a strong black outer border, punctuated with repeating, white six-pointed stars. The arrangement of the body of the text and the calligraphic signatures are slightly different. The title is almost exactly the same, with the additional reference to Woodruff as inspiration in this Brunet printing. It reads "To the People of the United States this Engraving of Declaration of Independence is most respectfully inscribed: Woodruff.” Brunet’s signature can be found in script, wrapping around the bottom center medallion: "Lith di H. Brunet Cie. a Lyon." Although this broadside is not pictured in Herbert Collins' definitive "Threads of History: Americana Recorded on Cloth," Collins refers to its existence in his description of a very similar design lithographed by "Decomberause" of Lyons, France. Lyons was a hub of French silk production during the 1820s and 30s. Interestingly, Collins calls this example a "bandana," but the distinctly rectangular shape is more consistent with a broadside on silk, a documented practice of the time. The other similar examples listed by Collins are more square and might better be considered bandanas. Between 1820 and 1840, it was a common practice to print a very limited number of presentation copies of important broadsides on silk. To give an example, the original ledger book...

Scarce antique flag with the Commodore Perry motto from the War of 1812. A fine woolen bunting flag with machine stitched border (dating it to after 1841) and with hand cut and cross-stitched letters (in comparison stars were usually done this way until the 1880s, and rarely after the 1890s). The header has brass grommets which became standard by 1890 (until restricted during World War II). Despite having apparently only enjoyed light use, the fabric has warped a bit from age. Overall this flag clearly dates from before WW II, and all physical evidence strongly indicates an origin from circa the 1890s. "Dont Give Up The Ship" was the battle cry from the Battle of Lake Erie, echoing the dying words of Captain James Lawrence when the USS CHESAPEAKE was lost to HMS SHANNON off Boston on 1 June 1813. His friend Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry...

Presented is a pair of vintage plaster cast American Eagle bookends. Designed in a Federal style, with black base and five gold stars by Borghese of Italy. This beautiful bookend pai...

2 S. Bent & Bros Hitchcock style colonial windsor thumb back side chairs. Made from maple with a black finish, stenciled back and gold trim. S. Bent & Brot...

Rare miniature chest, from New England, likely the state of Maine with red and black painted decoration. 12.5" wide, 7.5" deep, 15.5" high. Bought with a small dressing mirror...

American Federal period brass and arched wire fender. This 43 inch long fender has an intricate pattern of wire weaving ending in pointed arches but making...

American Federal period wire and brass fender with cast brass paw feet, brass top rail and wire work body embellished with wire swags. This fender retains its original iron hearth protector which was an optional feature that one would order; this protects a marble hearth...

American Federal brass and wire fender with three belted brass balls to the brass top rail. This fender is somewhat unusual in that it has a brass base and...

A beautiful federal-style cast metal green eagle lamp. This tall lamp will be a great accent to any nightstand, occasional table, or entryway. Cast in metal in a beautiful olive gree...

Antique black cast iron fireplace andirons with cannon ball tops and broad square column bases. Casting mark of 1962 on underside. An exceptional and heavy...

Antique oil on board portrait painting depicting a 19th century naval officer. The gentleman is in front of the sea with boats in the background to the left. Measures: 29.25” x 1....