PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Walker Ten Eyck Weed II was one of New England’s most esteemed craftsmen of the 20th century. Introduced informally to woodworking at a young age, Weed went on to study at Dartmouth College where he was heavily involved with the Outing and Canoe Clubs. He settled in Gilford, New Hampshire, following graduation and service in World War II, and began professional woodworking in 1948. Weed was a lauded member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, serving on the board through the 1950s and as a Trustee of the American Craft Council in 1956-57. In 1962, following a trip to Scandinavia to study furniture design, Weed returned to his alma matter to direct the woodworking program, eventually becoming Director of Craft, overseeing all student workshops until his retirement in 1981. He was named a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 1992, received the Award of Distinction from the Furniture Society in 2008, and the Award for Lifetime Achievement from the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen in 2010. Retrospectives of Weed’s work were held at Dartmouth College in 1981 and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen in 2011. His chair designs can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire.

On June 4, Freeman’s will offer two chairs by Weed in the auction of Design: Including the Collection of Perry & June Ottenberg, including a walnut and leather chair (Lot 34, estimate $3,000-5,000), and a walnut V-back rocking chair (Lot 35, $1,000-1,500). Each was created in Gilford, circa 1957 and 1959, respectively.

Over the course of their sixty-five year marriage, Dr. Bernard Perry Ottenberg and his wife June Fuller (Chamberlain) Ottenberg built an exceptional collection of art and design. Both university professors in Philadelphia, the Ottenbergs were ardent supporters of the city most important art institutions. In addition to acquiring works made in their beloved town, the Ottenbergs also acquired works on their travels that spoke to their passion for craft and were sympathetic to a contemporary, modernist aesthetic. In addition to chairs acquired from Walker Weed, they turned to the renowned woodworker, George Nakashima, to furnish their family home. That furniture was the backdrop against which they amassed artworks by notable artists, including Jane Piper, Elizabeth Osborne, Warren Rohrer and noted American modernist Arthur B Carles. The Ottenbergs were also among the most important collectors of Rudolf Staffel’s porcelain.