Featured Duncan Phyfe

An important chair is going on the sale block tomorrow at Brunk in Asheville NC. A bullet poof provenance that this chair was built in the Phyfe shop in NYC makes this a very important chair.
A signed bill of lading (BOL) by Duncan himself identifies this chair among 47 boxes of furniture delivered to Millford Plantation SC in 1841.
Considering that almost all D Phyfe furniture is attributed because being the hard headed Scot he was, he absolutely refused to label or brand his work on the grounds that A. no one could match his skills as a woodworker (which were flawless) and B. no one would dare copy his designs.
Naturally, Phyfe was dead wrong on BOTH counts!
Estimate is 7-9K I have a feeling it will go higher

https://brunkauctions.com/lot/historic-millford-d-phyfe-son-carved-armchair-4015295

 

Classical American Homes Preservation Trust
Original BOL by signed by Phyfe & typed out in 2nd photo
Additional Photographs of furniture & BOL docs delivered to Millford at link below

https://classicalamericanhomes.org/original-duncan-phyfe-furniture-at-millford/



The items highlighted in green remain at Millford today. Items highlighted in gray have been identified in other collections. (Note: do, below, is synonymous for “ditto.”)

 

UH OH!!!! @James Conrad's AT IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

 

No, not me, this kind of furniture, "Classical" doesn't trip my trigger at all.
Posting it because Phyfe had a HUGE influence on American furniture so his status as an icon is secure that way however, "real" pieces of his work are VERY rare because he did not label/brand his work.
And THAT is what makes this an important chair.

 

Yeah, real Phyfe provenance is as rare as hen's teeth.

D.P. may not have been perfect, but he (and his shop) still built an amazing chair. Even in pictures, it's apparent that the quality is here as opposed to the thousands of pieces from the mid 20th Century that most know as Duncan Phyfe.

 

I love how it flows so gracefully from one element to another. Detailed without being overly ornate. Thanks for sharing this.

 

Check out this rosewood night stand/chamber thingy on "Trust" website above, looks more like 1940 MCM than 1841 pre civil war.
Hey! Phyfe was there FIRST!
Gotta love the notation as well, only the very best at Millford house will do!

No. 30, 47 “night stand”
"This rosewood nightstand served the practical purpose of storing the chamber pot."

 

'Wardrobe carcase' sounds like what I have in my closet.

 

Yeah, Box # 32. wardrobe carcase, no photo of what that looks like, color code says it's in a private collection.

 

There's so much ersatz Duncan Phyfe out there it's easy to forget that at one time there was an actual Duncan Phyfe.

 

Oh Boy! ain't THAT the truth. And much of it ugly as sin!
I also wonder if the Trust is bidding on this chair, according to box list and photos this was
Box # 9. 4 mahogany arm chairs
So i am guessing at least one, the chair for sale tomorrow is MIA from Millford

 

The chair sold for $13,500. a good buy I'd say considering it's history.

 

Have you heard a date to have your Bieber chest shipped yet?

 

Pook emailed, said they THINK April 6 they can reopen for pick ups so we'll see. They are not really in control so i dunno, hopefully week after next.

 

Well that's not too terrible. We are still locked out until April 19th

 

I guess, not thrilled about this whole lock down thing. My shipper makes weekly east coast runs so no worries there.
I tried to be slick! and pull a fast one but it didn't work, did a bank wire transfer for speed in payment & got the shipper there the following day but, all my scheming for naught, i missed the shut down dealio in PA by 24 hrs.

 

I saw it happened really quickly since I get emails from Pook & Pook. Your plan to snatch it quick was good, but like here, the curtain can descend quickly with no notice. A place will be open and at 3pm be told that they have to shut down for the foreseeable future.