American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

Provenance:

Lemuel Cobb Porter (1839-1919) and Esther Jane Austin (1839-1922);

to their daughter, Lillian (Lillias) Catherine Porter (1860-1931), and her husband, Michael Freeman (1860-1939);

to their daughter, Bessie Jane Freeman (1882-1959), and her husband, Percy Robert Borman (1884-1953);

to their son, Robert Freeman Borman (1918-2002), and his wife, Mary Gitto (1925-1999);

to their daughter, Catherine Bess Borman (b. 1952), and her husband, Jeff Kara (b. 1953).

George Thomas Seal (1842-1921) was a Philadelphia-based salesman, representing the F.B. Rogers Silver Company of Taunton, Massachusetts in the western states, when he commissioned Andrew Clemens to create this sand art bottle for Lemuel Cobb Porter (1839-1919) a Brittania ware worker, and his wife Esther Jane Austin (1839 -1922) of Taunton, Massachusetts and Racine, Wisconsin. According to The Jewelers Circular & Horological Review, 1886, Volume 17, Seal represented the Derby Silver Company of Shelby Connecticut from1876 to 1886, and joined the F. B. Roger's Company in 1886. Porter's brother, Edmund W. Porter (1831-1917), acquired the F.B. Roger's Silver Company in 1886, with partner L.B. West, and considerably expanded the concern's silver-plating operations.

In addition to Lemuel Porter's career in the silver and silver-plating industry, at the age of 24 he enlisted in the 4th regiment of the Massachusetts Infantry during the American Civil War, and after the war, he became a member of The Grand Army of the Republic. He spent much of his life living between Taunton, Massachusetts; Racine, Wisconsin; and Aurora, Illinois.

George T. Seal commissioned another sand art bottle from Clemens as a Christmas gift for Mr. and Mrs. Rev. John Thompson in 1886. This sand bottle sold at Eldred's, East Dennis, MA. April 5, 2015. Andrew Clemens in turn presented a bottle to George T. Seal in 1888. Decorated with an array of pansies and sidewheeler, the bottle was sold at Skinner, Inc. Both bottles are illustrated in Roy Sucholeiki, The Sand Art Bottles of Andrew Clemens (2015), Figs. 4.40 and 4.39, pgs. 58-59.

In overall good and ready to place condition. Light surface residue and wear to the glass. No signs of any disturbances to the decoration. The label having minor losses to the edges, wear and discoloration commensurate with age and use.

The physical condition of lots in our auctions can vary due to age, normal wear and tear, previous damage, and restoration/repair. All lots are sold "AS IS," in the condition they are in at the time of the auction, and we and the seller make no representation or warranty and assume no liability of any kind as to a lot's condition. Any reference to condition in a catalogue description or a condition report shall not amount to a full accounting of condition. Condition reports prepared by Freeman's staff are provided as a convenience and may be requested from the Department prior to bidding.

The absence of a posted condition report on the Freeman's website or in our catalogues should not be interpreted as commentary on an item's condition. Prospective buyers are responsible for inspecting a lot or sending their agent or conservator to inspect the lot on their behalf, and for ensuring that they have requested, received and understood any condition report provided by Freeman's.

Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.