ASHEVILLE, NC.- On Thursday, April, 9, Brunk Auctions will sell nearly 225 lots of early American and Continental furniture, samplers, works on paper, flags, early Revolutionary and Civil War military buttons and more deaccessioned from the Brooklyn Museum. The selection includes works acquired by the museum from such notable early collectors or dealers as Luke Vincent Lockwood, Colonel and Mrs. Edgar Garbisch, Mabel Brady Garvan, Mrs J. Haskell Amory and Israel Sack, among others. The sale follows 150 lots previously deaccessioned by the museum in March 2024, and nearly two dozen tapestries and carpets sold for the museum at Brunk Auctions in March 2025.


Extremely rare early New York walnut sawn-leg dressing table, circa 1690 ($80,000-120,000)

Early American furniture is a strength of the April 9 offering, with several rare pieces capping the category. The sale is led by the only known New York sawn-leg table, circa 1690, that relates to a small group of high chests with similarly shaped legs and has extensive publication and exhibition history ($80,000-$120,000).

Of similar age is an American Pilgrim Century Court Cupboard – one of just five known – that has provenance to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts but is attributed to Guilford, Connecticut. Like the sawn-leg table, it has been extensively documented and exhibited and relates closely to one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art ($60,000 $90,000). Dating to the early 18th Century as well is a William and Mary gum and mahogany kast attributed to Kings County, New York, that was acquired by the museum in 1914 and is related to other published examples ($6,000-9,000).


Extremely rare North Carolina Chippendale walnut tea table, Hillsborough area, possibly by Martin Palmer, circa 1770, ex Mabel Brady Garvan ($50,000-70,000).

Another rarity – a North Carolina Chippendale walnut tea table with scalloped apron and drawer – was given to the museum in 1941 by Mabel Brady Garvan.The only other closely related table is a dressing table with ball and claw feet and scalloped apron on three sides, now in the collection of MESDA. The Brooklyn Museum’s table is the only known table finished on all four sides, indicating its use as a tea table. Like MESDA’s table, it is attributed to Hillsborough, North Carolina, cabinetmaker Martin Palmer ($50,000-$70,000).


Fine Pennsylvania Paint Decorated Blanket Chest, late 18th/early 19th Century, ex Colonel and Mrs. Garbisch ($7,000-10,000).

Two painted blanket chests are ex Colonel and Mrs. Edgar W. Garbisch ($7,000 $10,000 each). Both retain their original paint: one with striking blue paint in a crescent motif is attributed to Connecticut while the other features dynamic red, green and ochre paint, and was probably made in Pennsylvania.


Fine American Folk Art Painted Blanket Chest, probably Connecticut, early 19th century, ex Colonel and Mrs. Garbisch ($7,000-10,000).

According to tradition, a Philadelphia Federal inlaid mahogany artist's cabinet, 1820-1830, belonged to artist Thomas Sully and retains traces of pigment within the interiors, as well as a box of wax seals ($5,000-8,000).

Numerous lots of fine Continental furniture span centuries and areas of origin: a French Gothic tracery carved and iron mounted coffer has a 15th Century facade ($2,000-3,000); an exceptional pair of 16th Century Italian carved gilt and polychromed monumental torchieres ($5,000-7,000); a 17th or 18th Century Italian Baroque figural carved valuables cabinet ($3,000-5,000); a late 18th Century Dutch inlaid and carved burlwood musical tall case clock ($2,000-3,000); and an Irish George II carved and figured mahogany wake table, Michael Butler of Dublin ($800 $1,200) are highlights of the section.

A rare and fine Art Nouveau carved rosewood bookcase, made in 1904 in Nancy, France, by Jacques Gruber, features amethyst acid etched glass and is a statuesque example ($8,000-$12,000). Also on offer is an Art Deco room screen, by Gaston Priou, that dates to circa 1930 and was handled by The Sybarites Gallery, London, and published in L'Illustration, Noel, 1933 ($2,000-3,000).


Important Scituate, Massachusetts, signed and dated needlework sampler, signed and dated "Polly Otis' sampler wrought in the 15th year of her age 1798" ($1,000-2,000).

Another large category in the sale is a group of about 50 lots of samplers. An important signed and dated (1798) needlework sampler, was worked by 15-year-old Polly Otis of Scituate, Massachusetts ($1,000-2,000). Ten-year-old Frances Lee made her sampler in Philadelphia in 1794 ($800-1,200); both samplers were given to the museum by Margaret S. Bedell of Catskill, New York.


Abraham Walkowitz (Russian/America, 1878-1965), Four Images of Isadora Duncan, all signed "A. Walkowitz", one dated 1915, all watercolor, ink and pencil on paper ($3/5,000).

Fine art from the Brooklyn Museum is diverse in terms of media, styles and genres. A series of watercolors of Isadora Duncan by Abraham Walkowitz are offered alongside a circa 1905 oil on canvas of the Sierras by Arthur B. Davies, a watercolor scene of Bermuda by Owen Merton, four James Butler images of animals represented in watercolor on Washi paper, Murray Hoffman’s circa 1930 View of Charleston, a pen and ink on paper view of Pitch Pine Grove by Ralph Albert Blakelock, and James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s The Farriers lithograph are just a few of the artworks featured.

Brunk Auctions is at 117 Tunnel Road. For information, 828-254-6846, info@brunkauctions.com or www.brunkauctions.com.


Rare and Fine Jacques Gruber French Art Nouveau Carved Rosewood Bookcase, Nancy, France, 1904 ($8,000-$12,000).


Art Deco room screen, by Gaston Priou (French, 1913-1982) Spanish tropical mountain landscape on a three panel screen, circa 1930, polychrome lacquer, crushed egg shells (coquille d'oeuf), gold leaf/powder, gesso on plywood support, brass hinges, each panel 80-1/4 x 39-1/2 x 1-3/4 in. ($2/3,000)


Arthur B. Davies, (American, 1862-1928), In the Sierras, circa 1905, signed "A.B. Davies" lower left, oil on canvas, 18 x 40 in., unframed ($2/3,000)