Charles Rohlfs

Private Collection, Buffalo, New York, circa 1940
Thence by descent to the present owner

Will M. Clemens, "A New Art and a New Artist," The Puritan, August 1900, p. 586
Joseph Cunningham, The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs, New Haven, CT, 2008, p. 89 (for a period photograph in the collection of The Winterthur Library showing a related model, photograph gift of Lisa Ortman) and p. 90 (for a variant model in the collection of Los Angeles County Museum, gift of Max Palevsky and Jodie Evans)

Overall in very good condition. The oak surfaces throughout appear to have retained their original finish, which has been sensitively waxed. The oak surfaces throughout with minor surface scratches, abrasions and edge wear with some small associated losses, consistent with age and gentle use. One of the horizontal rail with an old fracture that was stabilized and reglued, only visible upon close inspection. The coal hod with minor surface dirt to the recessed portions of the design. The wrought iron on the top of the coal hod retains its orignal patina, with light rubbing and minor discolorations. The knob with a minor abrasion at the proper left side. The interior of the burled storage element is turned with delicate concentric circles. The interior with scattered surface soiling, minor abrasions and dings and an area of minor surface cracks at the center. The piece is very impressive in person, displaying great visual interest, exuberant form and great carving. A great example of a rare model.
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.

Charles Rohlfs' ability to impart utilitarian objects with exquisite, refined, and intellectual decoration was unparalleled by his contemporaries, and firmly placed him within an artistic category all his own.  His coal hod, or coal box, design exemplifies this talent, combining function and form through his own distinctive artistic vocabulary characterized by a highly architectural structure and conventionalized organic decorative motifs. Rohlfs produced a limited variety of this model with carved details of varying complexity.  An early example executed in 1900, the comparatively subdued carving decorations on the present coal hod are a precursor to the more elaborate carvings that Rohlfs would incorporate into his later examples of the design.  The original owner of this lot hailed from Buffalo, New York, where Rohlfs had his workshop, and it has remained in the same family since the second quarter of the twentieth century.