The McCue Shaker Collection at Auction
Saturday, September 8th, 2012 at 1 p.m. at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, MA

Shaker McCue 1-20     Shaker McCue 21-40     Shaker McCue 41-60     Shaker McCue 61-80    Shaker McCue 81-100     Shaker McCue101-105

  

Click images to see details of the Lots

DESCRIPTION ADDENDUM

McCue journal entries, receipts, handwritten notes, etc.

ESTIMATES Prices with buyer's premium
   1. SPIT BOX

Maple and pine, in original yellow painted finish, four fingers, filled with shavings from Dr. McCue's workshop, copper tacks, wooden pegged bottom, "...it does resemble plate 16 of Andrews Shaker Furniture" (J.J.G. McCue), 5 1/4" h, 11 1/2" dia.

Provenance:

J. Gillies, Lenox, MA, 1952, $4.50 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #203)

More Info

$2000/3000 $4,387.50
   2. GLOVE BOX

Butternut, original varnish finish, rectangular form, brass hinged lid, finely dovetailed, symmetrically "T"-head nailed bottom board, New Lebanon or Hancock origin, c. 1840-1850, 2 1/2" h, 13 1/2" w, 5 1/2" d.

Provenance:

J. Gillies, Lenox, MA, 1950, $10 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #126)

More Info

600/800 $2,925.00
   3. WHISK BROOM AND TIN DUST PAN

Broom with finely turned maple handle, in original red stained varnish finish, with looped string cord for hanging, 16" l, 6 1/2" w; Tin Shaker dust pan with flared sides, and attached handle with ring and leather cord for hanging, 9 1/2" h, 8" w.

Note:

Dr. McCue called the broom "a hearth brush", (Journal Entry #209)

Provenance:

Sabbathday Lake, Maine, Shakers, 1952, $2.50

Exhibited:

Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA, 1965

More Info

500/700 $819.00
   4. EYEGLASSES

Two pairs of eyeglasses with cases: wooden case with hinged lid and half-frame reading glasses, 5 1/4" l; and a steel case and round frame glasses with aqua blue tinted lenses, 5" l.

Provenance:

Purchased from James Brown for $1.50 in 1951.

"The box was sold to me as a knife box." J.J.G. McCue

(Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #147)

Exhibited:

Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA, 1965

Journal Entry #147

500/700 $760.50
   5. RARE SHAKER DESK

Pine, maple and chestnut, original green painted finish, signed in white chalk in script on back of lift up lid by Alfred Merrick Collier (1823-1884), made for Elder Grove Blanchard, 1861, Harvard Shaker Community (two Shaker communities comprised Harvard, the Bishopric seat, and Shirley), a quote from Collier's journal for July 4, 1861 "...I went over to the South Family and got my desk I made for Elder Grove.", 48" h, 31" w, 25 1/4" d.

Provenance:

Edna Greenwood; Purchased by Dr. McCue at her estate auction at Time Stone Farm, September 30, 1973, Guy Sawyer - Auctioneer..

Illustrated:

The Complete Book of Shaker Furniture, Rieman, T. and Burks, J., 1993, p. 198

Shaker Furniture Makers, Grant, Jerry V. and Allen, Douglas R., 1989, p. 122.

Exhibited:

The Katonah Gallery, Katonah, New York, November 20, 1983 - January 8, 1984.

More Info

20000/30000 $37,440.00
   6. TWO RULERS

Maple, original varnish finish, hand-stamped numerals, both measuring 24", (Note: 1/8" increments are on the top of one rule and on the bottom of the other rule, both have rectangular paper labels on the back side and are marked "25 cts" and ".25", and were purchased at the Shaker Antique Shop at Canterbury Shaker Village, NH in 1948 and 1951).

Provenance:

Canterbury Shakers

Purchased at the Canterbury Antique Shop in Canterbury, NH in 1948 for $0.25 and in 1951 for $0.25

(Dr. McCue's Journal Entries #47 and  #165)

More Info

200/300 $643.50
   7. STORAGE BOX

Paper covered cardboard, thin blue paper edge around top, bright yellow papered interior, bottom covered in hand-stenciled leaf and diamond design wallpaper, Canterbury, NH, c. 1890-1910, 4 3/4" h, 7 1/2" w, 7 3/4" d.

Provenance:

Purchased at the R. Withington estate auction of Mrs. Benjamin Moore in Center Harbor, NH, October 1966 for $4.00

  300/400 $351.00
   8. OVAL CERAMIC VEGETABLE BOWL

Floral sprig decoration, red and blue flowers with yellow centers, marked in black on bottom "U.P.W." and eagles head holding an "S" in its beak, as well as a yellow stamp "Union Porcelain Works, Greenpoint, N.Y. 12-86", and a paper label "Mt. Lebanon Shaker, A004 23.50 #1", 8" l, 6" w, 2" d.

  200/300 $848.25
   9. FIVE HANGERS

Birch, original red stained varnish finish, three with original green braided string loops, all with small rectangular yellow paper labels with black printed initials "AR", "EJ" and "Amy Reed", graceful graduated curving form, all hangers are stamped with the initials "AR" and "EJ", 12 1/2" l, 1/2" thick.

Exhibited:

Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA, 1965

More Info

400/600 $3,159.00
  10.   WORK TABLE

Birch and pine, original red painted finish, single board top with rounded edges, deep apron skirt with ogee-shaped corners on all sides, three drawers (two smaller drawers on one end, one larger on the other end), all with thumbnail molded lips on three sides, and the bottom molding flush with the drawer bottom, all with original small turned pulls, symmetrically measured nailed drawer construction, chamfered and squared tapering leg, Canterbury, NH, c. 1830-1840, 26" h, 32" l, 22" w.

Note:

"birch not walnut, and definitely made by Shakers at Canterbury, NH in 1830-1840", Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #191.

Provenance:

Purchased from Alta McKerley (Concord, NH) in 1951 for $75.

Literature:

A letter from Scott Swank, former Director of Canterbury Shaker Village, to Dr. McCue, draws attention to the similarities of a signed James Daniels Canterbury table in the Canterbury Shaker Village collection.

Illustrated:

The Encyclopedia of Shaker Furniture, Rieman, T. and Burks, J., p. 406, Fig. 617; as well as p. 408, Figs. 620 and 621, in the same volume.

More Info

15000/20000 $14,040.00
  11. POPLARWARE

Pincushion, blue velvet top, white kid leather edges, light mauve silk ribbon tie, brown stripe wallpaper bottom, 2" dia; Rectangular poplar box, kid leather edging, light green silk hinged lid, green silk interior, floral wallpaper bottom, mother-of-pearl button on front for closure, includes an inserted tag "Poplar Boxes" from a Shaker exhibit, 1 3/4" h, 4 1/2" w; Fancy Work poplar box, trimmed in kid leather, beige silk ribbon ties, hinges and interior lining, mother-of-pearl button on front for closure, floral wallpaper bottom, "Genuine Shaker Box" on small sheet of paper inside, 5 1/2" sq.

Exhibited:

Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA, 1965

  300/400 $497.25
  12. OVAL BOX

Pine and maple, original dark yellow painted finish, five fingers, "fitted flatter and maybe thinner than many Maine boxes, but they are short, as was the Maine custom" (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #210), 4 1/2" h, 10 15/16" l (top), 7 7/8" w (top).

Provenance:

Purchased at Sabbathday Lake in 1952 for $3.00

More Info

2000/3000 $3,978.00
  13. OVAL CARRIER

Maple, pine bottom, hickory handle, original yellow painted finish, finely shaped fixed handle with five symmetrically placed copper tacks on front and back, four elegantly shaped fingers, each secured with four small symmetrically placed copper tacks, lightly penciled "M" on the bottom in script, 4" h to top of rim, 9" h to top of handle, 11" l, 8" d.

Provenance:

Canterbury Shakers

George and Gladys Jordan

Purchased at the George and Gladys Jordan "The Shaker Collection" Auction, Concord, NH, September 27, 1968. Frank D. Greene, Jr. Auctioneer. Lot 183 "Oval Sewing Basket with Fingers, handled and in yellow stain, (C)." [Canterbury].

More Info

20000/30000 $63,180.00
  14. STORAGE BOXES

Paper covered cardboard, light green exterior with a purple covered edging, silk ribbon attached to interior so that the lid is supported, blue patterned interior, reddish pink bottom paper, interior note in black ink "Made by Sister R. Mildred Barker - Sabbathday Lake Maine. Presented to M. McCue December 1958.", 1 3/4" h, 4 1/4" l, 3" d; together with a glass top paper covered box, in a black pebbled surface over a bright green edging, and a fitted lid with rectangular glass top, interior lined in bright pink paper, bottom covered in a light blue paper with a rectangular yellow label "Sarah S. Woods, Canterbury, N.H.", interior with a card attached "Sarah S. Woods, Born May 9, 1821, Admitted Mar. 31, 1849, Died Oct. 9, 1904" in the handwriting of Sister Bertha Lindsay, 3" h, 7 1/4" l, 4 1/2" d.

Provenance:

Sabbathday Lake, ME, Sister Mildred Barker

Miriam McCue

More Info

400/600 $1,111.50
  15. INFIRMARY CUPBOARD

Pine, original salmon red painted finish, original yellow stained finish interior, cupboard with inset panel door top over cupboard with inset panel door bottom, original turned hardwood pulls, mitered and canted foot, 86 3/4" h, 34" w, 15" d.

Note:

This elegant cupboard in original finish was one of the first pieces of Shaker purchased by Dr. McCue from the Andrews Barn in 1946 when he travelled to Richmond, Mass. with Edna Greenwood).

"It came from the Nurse Shop, Church Family, New Lebanon, N.Y." (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #1)

Provenance:

Purchased in 1946 from Dr. Edward D. and Faith Andrews for $125.

Illustrated:

"Gather Up the Fragments"; The Andrews Shaker Collection, DePillis, Mario S. and Goodwillie, Christian, p. 155

Exhibited:

"The Furnishings of Shaker Dwellings and Shops", The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA, October 10-30, 1932, (small blue label on the back of the piece)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, 1964

More Info

20000/30000 $111,150.00
  16. TRIPLE HANGER

Pine, original natural finish, c. 1850, Shaker reinforced hole for peg at top with Shaker inserted arched steel and wire, three cross bars shaped as clothes hangers, 24" h, 14" w.

Note:

Dr. McCue referred to the hanger "as a shoulder board", Journal Entry #171.

Provenance:

Purchased in 1951 from A. Hamilton for $2.50

More Info

700/900 $5,031.00
  17. SOCK DRYING FORMS

Poplar and maple, two small pairs of tall sock dryers are naturally finished, both with red and white paper labels, "size 10 1/2, price .25", and "price .50, size 10 1/2", 18" h; Smaller pair, maple, dark stain, each with five drilled holes, stamped "10 1/2", (one dryer missing a piece of top corner), 10" h, with a tied manila tag attached and written in pen by Dr. McCue "...made in quantity at Canterbury Shakers for sale to World (.50 pair in 1950)".

More Info

200/300 $702.00
  18. CLASSIC MIRROR HOLDER AND ORIGINAL SHAKER MIRROR

Maple and cherry, original red stained finish, tapered flat maple holder with two peg holes at the top, 18" l, with a cupped and molded cherry board at base attached with three screws in the back, 11 1/2" w, supporting the original cherry mirror with finely shaped half round molding secured to holder with string at top, (re-tacked at mirror base), hand planed and slightly chamfered backboard, symmetrically tacked to frame.

Provenance:

Purchased in 1950 from Mrs. Brothers for $20 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #122)

More Info

2000/3000 $2,457.00
  19. TIN PAIL AND SCOOP

Flared sides with rolled top rim, steel bail handle, 5 1/4" h to rim, 7 3/4" dia at top, 5 1/2" dia at base, made and sold at Canterbury, NH, with Canterbury "star" tag, "1.50" attached with string to handle, and another rectangular tag written by Eldress Bertha Lindsey "Pail Shaker made by James S. Kaime...By Trade a Tinsmith, Shaker Trustee"; together with a Canterbury Shaker tin scoop with rolled edges and hollow formed handle, 12 1/2" l.

Provenance:

The scoop was given to James Brown by Mary Dahm. Given to Miriam McCue by James Brown in 1951

(Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #144)

More Info

300/400 $1,023.75
  20. WOOD BOX

Pine, original yellow painted finish, breadboarded lid, open box, interior with fully extended corner blocks through the base and becoming the turned legs (9" h), dovetailed case, 30 3/4" h, 25 3/4" w (case), 17 3/4" d.

Notes:

Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #240: "...Sister Mildred (Barker) first saw this box in the Second Family at Alfred,... It was taken along and moved to Sabbathday Lake in 1931, and was in the care of Eldress Harriett Coolbroth who had been Eldress at Alfred (1864-1953)."

This exceptional yellow wood box was used between the beds in the large master bedroom. Dr. McCue built a hidden compartment (not built in of course) in the bottom of the case with a lift lid for hiding valuable papers, etc. It was covered over with extra pillows and coverlets. It has since been removed but is available to the successful bidder.

Provenance:

Purchased at Sabbathday Lake in 1954 for $30.

More Info

15000/20000 $78,390.00


The McCue Shaker Collection at Auction
Saturday, September 8th, 2012 at 1 p.m. at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, MA

Shaker McCue 1-20     Shaker McCue 21-40     Shaker McCue 41-60     Shaker McCue 61-80    Shaker McCue 81-100     Shaker McCue101-105