WHAT: A George II mahogany armchair that recently sold at Christieβs New York for $437,000 was probably Irish circa 1745-1750. This piece features eagle heads and talons, carved masks and paw feet. The use of eagle images is typical of Irish cabinetmakers of the period.
MORE: The piece was in a sale of property from New Yorkβs Metropolitan Museum of Art. When an institution sells off goods, itβs called deaccession. Museums sell items in order to allot results elsewhere. In this case, proceeds from several sales will go to new galleries highlighting the museumβs British collection.
SMART COLLECTORS KNOW: On these shores, adaptations of classic design by early cabinetmakers trained in Britain or Ireland are most sought by collectors. Early colonial cabinetmakers developed distinct style variants on classic English design.
HOT TIP: Combined with a late 2014 sale, this brings the total for Met sales geared to the new galleries to $5.2 million.
BOTTOM LINE: Deaccessioning is vital in managing collections, and most museums sell at some point to reach new goals. Keep that in mind if/when you consider donating a valued treasure.
BOOK IT! βThe Southern Rustic Cabinβ by Emily Followill (Gibbs Smith, $40) in no way refers to a Clampett-type rustic. Photography and text show luxury homes in the woods of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. Each is high-end, and though rustic, hardly bare-bones. A great book for holiday giving.
