TREEN / BURL TREEN:

Beautiful large and shallow Woodlands hewn bowl—not turned. Bowl relates to a series of bowls in chapter eight of my my book. Many Woodlands bowls from New England and the Hudson River Valley area were round. When raking the light over the exterior one can see subtle rasp marks used in the hewing of the bowl (no lathe marks).

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A very large, beautiful and peculiar piece of burl treen from Paris, Ontario. The bowl lifts off and during service would be passed around or held by the priest for drinking the communion wine. The burnish to the dowel of the stem indicates that the vessel was lifted on and off its base many times, giving evidence that it was well employed for some time.

Illustrated and discussed in North American Burl Treen: Colonial & Native American, p. 89.

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Wonky! This is probably the wonkiest, undulating, out of round ash burl bowl that I have owned. Good size, thinly turned with a nice deep proportion. Excellent burl figure with a slight chatoyancy effect. Excellent dry patina.

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Here we have a hitherto undocumented French burl snuffbox of George Washington. I know of two other examples of a different George Washington burl snuffbox, one at Winterthur and the other at Sulgrave Manor (Washington’s ancestral home), but this design is unrecorded. American subjects on French pressed burl snuffboxes are as rare as hens teeth.

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This box eluded me for 25 years. French pressed burl boxes with American subjects are extremely rare. Up until a few months ago, I had only known of this subject through an example held at Winterthur and another at Sulgrave Manor (Washington’s ancestral home). Coincidentally, before acquiring this box, I learned of a different Washington burl box (which I also acquired) that is based on the Houdon portrait. The design of this box appears to be modeled after the 1791 “Eagle Cent” designed by John Gregory Hancock of the British firm of W. and Alexander Walker.

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Recently reacquired this excellent example of a Woodlands carved belt cup (canoe cup). Early to mid 19thC of maple (some burl figuring) with a rifle, canoe, paddle and large heart/spade and a barrel toggle. Many of were made by Algonquin natives who served as hunting guides in Maine and Eastern Canada. Most are early 20thC and frankly not that interesting and look like tourist pieces. This is the best non-effigy belt cup I have had/seen.

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A "best of category" French treen pipe case carved of boxwood with an exceptional patina. A Christ figure hangs off the front and is flanked by praying figures. An amazing dog is to the left with heads looking center, left and right are above. A pewter inlaid cross with a glass front frames a print of a rose. The stem has an inlaid pewter sheath with pierced hearts (upright and upside down). Wax stars and hearts surmounted with crosses.

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An exceptional French coquilla nut snuffbox. Masterfully carved with six men and a dog on the top. The interior is signed by the maker and dated 1854. The box or subject likely had meaning to the maker, as the composition of the men and dog is casually posed, seriously light-hearted and unique. A tour-de-force of design and execution. One of the most intricate, complex and high-relief carved coquilla boxes I have seen.

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