Ordeshook's Antiques
I do not operate an open shop but prefer instead to treat my interest in Americana in a more relaxed manner. Indeed, my primary preoccupation is teaching at the California Institute of Technology, which affords me the luxury of pursuing a tertiary interest in American history. This feeds my interest in Americana and gives me the flexibility to pursue offering a selection of American country and formal antiques that represent the best of what we might otherwise associate with Back East tastes and design. In fact, after 40+ years of collecting Americana, with the last two and a half decades spent scouring the estate sales and flea markets of Southern California, the time has come to begin letting go. What you’ll find here, then, are things from my personal collection with the occasional addition of some treasure I found in my ongoing compulsive hunting. Needless to say, there’s a full “L.L.Bean-type” no questions asked guarantee on anything I sell. I do make mistakes, but I try not to pass them on to anyone. Tel #s: 818-952-8106; 818-618-7984 (cell). Email address is mordess@aol.com. Want to add that I've just finished a book on experiences, lessons learned, etc, so check out my website at www.ordeshookantiques.com. I warn though that the text is constantly under revision as new lessons and experiences arise.
2-sided cookie board, signed & dated 1820
Here is an absolutely fantastic double sided cookie board signed is early German or Dutch script and dated 1820. The board, 1 1/8" thick maple (I think) is not perfectly rectangular so it measures 17 1/4" high x 9 1/4" wide at the top x 10 1/4" wide at the bottom. And hopefully, as my pictures show, the detail is magnificent.
Price: $595
hand carved 4-masted sailing ship, original paint
here's an extraordinary all hand carved from a single piece of wood carving of a 4-masted sailing ship and where the frame itself is a part of the same board from which the ship is carved. Measuring 19" x 12 1/2", the paint itself is wholly original, while the crackalure to the surface attests to its age (I'd guess late 19th or early 20th C).
Price: $650
One-of-a-kind ca 1760 Cherry Bannister back chair
Yes, it's lost some height ... I'd guess between 1 to 2" (current seat height is 15 1/2"). BUT, just look at that crest rail ... if it isn't one-of-a-kind, its only because its maker made more than one. All cherry except for the ash or chestnut turned stretchers, so odds are it was never painted. Almost surely New England in origin, but I can't pin it down more than that (although if forced to make a guess, I'd say Connecticut). Seat most likely isn't original, but it's real rush so probably 19th century. As for dimensions, she's 21 1/4" across the front, 15" deep, 44 1/4" high.
Price: $525
ca 1840 cherry miniature 4-drawer chest
Offered here and 100% original is this 4-drawer cherry chest, ca 1840, with hand dovetailed drawers (and cut nail construction otherwise). Measuring 22 1/2" high x 21 3/4 wide x 8 3/4" deep, note the slight offset of the upper two drawers so as to give it a hint of 1840s styling. The cutout for the feet, front and sides, is an additional flair. Most likely made for a child (as opposed to salesman's sample).
Price: $495
18th C Mass. serpentine tilt top candlestand
Offered here is this Massachusetts (North Shore or Boston) tilt top mahogany candlestand with a serpentine top. She stands 26 3/4" high, with a top that measures 23" diagonal corner to corner (appx 16 3/4" square) with an appx toe-to-toe spread of 16 3/4" to the feet. Beautifully formed with no repairs whatsoever, she bears an early and possibly original surface and is thus in original untouched condition.
Price: $1,350
19th C "Robbing Peter to Pay Paul" quilt
a graphic and boldly contrasting 19th century quilt in the Robbing Peter to Pay Paul pattern that measures 72" x 71" and all hand quilted at 7 SPI. She's in near perfect condition with the sole apology being a few scattered wear spots to the edges of the hand stitched binding
Price: $350
Marbelhead Mass.1801 silk on linen sampler, 21x16
Offered here is this wonderful silk on linen sampler by a Miss Sally (or Sarah) Collyer, age 9, worked, as the first line of the sampler says, in Marbelhead (Massachusetts) March 25, 1801. Admittedly, Sally's name at the bottom of the sampler is a tad difficult to read, but becomes apparent under black light. The second and third lines are the alphabet plus numbers 1 to 13. The remaining 10 lines are a verse that, frankly, I've made minimal effort at reading. This is, moreover a rather large sampler, measuring 21" x 16" and is without flaw ... no holes, missing threads, etc.
Price: $1,250
Miss Dyer's ca 1800 schoolgirl map of Europe
It's not clear whether Miss Dyer's 1st name is Elisa or Eliza: if Eliza, she was born in Massachusetts in 1789, dating the map to 1802. But if Eliza, the map's from Maine and dates to 1800. Both possibilities make sense since the map was found in a New Hampshire estate. In its frame (not terribly old) this watercolor and ink example of American folk art measures 23 5/8" x 18 1/4" (sight 22 1/4" x 17 3/4"). A date of 1800 or 1802 follows logically from the fact that Finland had not yet separated from Sweden (1809) as well as Poland's configuration, which matches its form in 1795 or so (and we can assume there's a lag in the maps children used to construct their own). The detail here is wonderful ... rivers, major cities, etc all finely written in. The map does have two apologies: a tear from the left side (see my 2nd pic.) as well as one from the right with a small dime sized piece of missing paper (see my 3rd pic.)
Price: $795
Unique 19th C animated schoolboy / girl watercolor
Not sure, of course, whether this is schoolboy or schoolgirl folk art, but it is unique. A 19th C watercolor that's animated by the pulling of strings. Pull one string in back and the two men will move together or back to their respective houses. Pull another string and the shade to the upper right window rises or falls. And pull a third string and the chimney sweep rises from or drops into the chimney. All obviously hand crafted, drawn and colored. Framed in a ca 1840 mahogany veneered frame it measures 13 1/2" x 12 1/2" with sight dimensions beneath the new matting of 6 1/2" x 5".
Price: $250.00
18th early 19th C adjustable tin dual candlestand
Offered here is this late 18th or early 19th century two-candle "table model" adjustable tin table model candle stand. Overall height is 29 1/2", diameter of the weighted cone base is 6 1/2" and spread on the arms of the candle holder is appx 10". Both candle sockets are pushups. The candle holder arms are actually made in 3 pieces ... two arms and a center leather ring that connects to the two arms. It was that leather ring that originally provided the friction that held the arms in place together at whatever height was chosen. Over time, though, that ability, due to wear, was lost, so I inserted an additional felt washer that is invisible but provides the necessary friction so that the candle holder operates as intended. There appears to be some spot soldering repairs, but nothing obtrusive and the candle holder is otherwise wholly original.
Price: $675.00
hand made folk art wood & tin locomotive
here is this absolutely impressive and monumental (32 1/2" long x 10 1/4" wide x 12" high) hand made locomotive made entirely of wood and tin and retaining its original paint throughout. The detail is incredible and I have no doubt conforms to the real thing. Its "signed" on the front with the date 1991 which is when I assume it was made. I have no idea, though, what the Kumquat Lumber Co. is. Insofar as I can tell, there are no apologies whatsoever ... this incredible piece of folk art is 100% right.
Price: $475.00
Five signed ca 1928 Folk Art carvings, original paint
Herbert Mills (b. 1878, d. 1948) is buried in the military cemetery in San Antonio Texas and served as a 1st Lt in WWI. These five folk art carvings are all, with the exception of the WWI doughboy, signed "Herbert Mills San Antonio Texas ca 1928". One can presume that the doughboy (9 1/4" h) is Mills himself whereas the largest carving (10 7/8") is Punch from Punch & Judy. The man (10" h) reminds me of those cartoon-like drawings hanging on the walls of various restaurants corresponding to the celebrities who frequented that establishment from time to time. In any event, offered as a set ...
Price: $795.00
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