Lot 107
  • 107

Gustav Stickley

Estimate
18,000 - 24,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Gustav Stickley
  • A Rare "Chalet" Table, Model No. 403
  • ebonized oak
executed by the Craftsman Workshops of Gustav Stickley, Eastwood, NY

Provenance

Acquired from a descendant of the original owner by the present owner, 1999

Exhibited

Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Crafts Movement, Newark Museum of Art, September 15, 2010-January 2, 2011; Dallas Museum of Art, February 13-May 8, 2011; San Diego Museum of Art, June 18-September 11, 2011

Literature

Stephen Gray, The Early Work of Gustav Stickley, New York, 1987, p. 15
Linda H. Roth and Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser, eds., At Home with Gustav Stickley:  American Arts & Crafts from the Stephen Gray Collection, London, 2008, pp. 36 and 51
David M. Cathers, Gustav Stickley, London, 2003, p. 30

Condition

Overall in very good original condition. The oak surfaces throughout appear to retain their original deeply saturated ebonized finish. The oak surfaces with old surface scratches, abrasions and edge wear with associated small edge losses consistent with age and use. The feet (bottom of each leg post) with considerable edge wear. The top with a few small and minor areas of finish losses, and with a few isolated areas where the finish appears slightly thinner. One leg with a shallow abrasion mark to the side profile (approximately 1 ½ inches in length below the top), and another leg with an abrasion mark (approximately 2 x ½ inches) on the outer contour above two small bruises to the oak surface. With a minor seam separation to the central mitred stretcher joint. With a few old white paint marks to the top, side edges of the top, and legs, and with a few minor traces of surface residue (drip marks) to the top. The underside of the top retains its original glue blocks stabilizing each leg. A beautiful example of this early and defining Stickley form displaying a deep and rich ebonized finish.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

The "Chalet" table is an iconic example of Gustav Stickley's early aesthetic sense—an embodiment of what he called "honest furniture" with unadorned wood surfaces and unmasked construction elements. Stickley began manufacturing this model during the first years of the American Arts and Crafts movement in the early part of the 1900s.  This style of furniture was partially a response against the cluttered Victorian-era interior and machine-made commodities, which resulted in a desire to emulate the medieval guild system of craft.  This union of the fine and decorative arts in an all-encompassing space greatly influenced Stickley given his desire to propagate his craft design vision through quality craft production as well as through didactic, discursive treatises published in The Craftsman.  The rare "Chalet" table draws inspiration from the integrity of medieval precedents in furniture production, yet ultimately achieves a uniquely modern aesthetic through its essential form and geometric congruency.