European Furniture & Decorative Arts

Sale 865

Live

| Chicago

Apr 22 | 11:00 AM EDT

Live

| Chicago

Lot 34

A George III Style Pine Collapsible Library Ladder

Lot 34

A George III Style Pine Collapsible Library Ladder

Status:

Closed

Estimate: $500 - $700

Estimate$500 – $700

Status

Closed

A George III Style Pine Collapsible Library Ladder

Circa 1880

Height 73 x width 12 1/2 inches (open).

Property from the Estate of Patricia Ann Black Smyth, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sold to Benefit Berea College, Berea, Kentucky, offered without reserve

Patricia Ann Black Smyth (1925-2018) was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Ernest Bateman Black and Faye Bunyan Black. She attended Miss Crosby's School in Illinois and graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she was a lifetime member of the Wellesley Friends of the Library Organization. Mrs. Smyth also served as a member of the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, and was a long-time docent at the Art Institute of Chicago. Hindman is thrilled to present Mrs. Smyth’s refined and diverse collection, which will be sold without reserve to benefit Berea College in Berea, Kentucky.

Berea College was founded in 1855 with the express mission of educating both women and men of all racial backgrounds. It is the South’s first racially integrated and co-educational college and is guided by the motto from Acts 17:26: “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.”

Only students with high academic promise and limited financial means are accepted, and every student receives a Tuition Promise Scholarship—no student pays tuition. As a Work College, every student works at least 10 hours per week to help pay for housing, meals and personal expenses. Berea students have the lowest amount of student debt in the country, and half graduate debt free.

Today, Berea serves over 1,600 students, the majority of which are from Kentucky and Appalachia, although its student body hails from over 40 states and 70 countries. Berea depends heavily on alumni and friends to continue to fulfill the no-tuition promise made to every student.

In fair condition overall with old dents, marks, scratches and areas of roughness or loss to the wood scattered throughout, consistent with age and use. When collapsed, there is a gap between the two vertical rails, but the latch keeps the two sides held sturdily together. Opens and closes with ease, though there is slight instability in the rails requiring care when opening. When open, the ladder is unstable and has a wobble to it, likely would not support enough weight for use. See attached images for further reference to condition.

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 for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

To request further details about this lot, please email [email protected]

Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Corbin Horn

Vice President, Head of Department, European Furniture & Decorative Arts

[email protected]312.334.4214

Mr. Horn joined the firm in 2009 and has directed numerous sales of important collections, including those of Lilly Pulitzer, Lord Anthony and Lady Jacobs, Lars Bolander, Casa de Sueños in Miami Beach, and Villa Massei in Lucca, Italy. He has also achieved record results for consignments from prominent institutions, including the Toledo Museum of Art, the High Museum of Art, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Minnesota Historical Society. Mr. Horn is a member of the Antiquarian Society of the Art Institute of Chicago and is an alumnus of the Attingham Trust.

Ben Fisher

Managing Director, Furniture and Decorative Arts

[email protected]312.447.3270

Mr. Fisher rejoined the firm in 2019 after working as a specialist in the American Furniture and Folk Art department at Sotheby’s New York. His areas of expertise include 18th, 19th, and 20th century American, Continental, and English furniture, decorative and folk art. Before coming to Hindman in 2013, Mr. Fisher worked in European Furniture and Decorative Arts in Philadelphia. He began his career working for a prints dealer focusing on works from the 16th through the 20th centuries.

Mike Intihar

Senior Director, Appraisals & Valuations, Midwest

[email protected]312 280 1212

Mike Intihar is the Senior Director of Appraisals & Valuations, Midwest at Hindman Appraisals.

Mr. Intihar joined the firm in 1997, and he has expertise in 18th, 19th and early 20th-century Continental, English and American decorative arts and furniture. Mr. Intihar appraises and catalogues approximately 6,000 objects annually for auction and appraisal purposes, and he performs onsite appraisals at various appraisal fairs and events throughout the year. He attends international antique trade shows to assess the global demand for objects handled at auction and retail. Prior to working at Hindman, Mr. Intihar was a senior administrator for Sotheby’s, Chicago, and he began his career at Wolf’s Fine Art Auctioneers in Cleveland, Ohio.

We are open for pick-up Monday-Friday: 9am-4:30pm.

For questions about shipping or packing, please contact [email protected] or see our Shipping/Packing page.

Mike Intihar is the Senior Director of Appraisals & Valuations, Midwest at Hindman Appraisals.

European Furniture & Decorative Arts

A George III Style Pine Collapsible Library Ladder

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