COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Rare Double-Sided Face Pitcher Will Be Sold At Crocker Farm
AAN Current News
Ron Rhoads Is Proud To Present Multi-Estate Auction On March 18 In Spring City, Pa.
FRIDAY MARCH 17, 2017 • VOL. 48, NO. 11
Carl Snavely: Folk Carver Of Lititz
on page 6
By Karl Pass Carl D. Snavely (1915-1983) was a talented woodcarver from Lititz, Pa., and went by the nickname “Stump.” By profession, Snavely was a shipping clerk at the Badorf Shoe Company. Founded in 1928, today the company is no longer in Lititz, and operates in Manheim. Snavely and his wife, Florence, were also active in the antiques business and set up at local shows. The couple lived on Willow Street near the Linden Hall school and had two children: a son, Jack, and daughter, Caroll. The talented carver was active with the Lancaster County Wood Carvers, a group which remains active today. Much of Snavely’s work was done with fine gouges and knives, exhibiting highly intricate detail. According to the Snavelys’ son, Jack, among his father’s first carvings was a gazelle, done circa 1945. The spread-wing eagle was his signature work and typically done with extremely fine detail. The eagle ranked among his favorite subjects to carve, also according to his son. Snavely carved a variety of subjects, such as roosters, owls, “goony” birds, and squirrels. He also did relief-carved motifs inside large wooden bowls, such as distelfinks, tulips and hearts. Another type of work he did were small pinback wooden carved brooches and
Carl D. Snavely (1915-83) was from Lititz, Pa.
By Karl Pass
The carver’s masterwork is this enormous spread-wing eagle with separately carved arrows. It is dated 1974. Courtesy of a private collection.
Here is a rare mated hen and rooster by Snavely. Courtesy of a private collection. carved soapstone jewelry. Among the only published references to include Snavely’s work is Richard and Rosemarie Machmer’s book “Just for Nice,” published 26 years ago. An accompanying exhibit for the book was done at the then Historical Society of Berks County. In an interview on March 10, 1995, Carl’s wife, Florence Snavely (1912-2001), told Clarence Spohn that Carl did not paint his work; instead, he had fellow antiques dealer David Ellinger paint his carvings. Painter and dealer Ellinger (1913-2003) is largely remembered for his Pennsylvania-German stylizied artwork and painted on a very profilic scale. Early in his career, he was involved with the WPA. In the 1940s, he got to know Dr. Albert Barnes, who bought his work for his country house, Ker-Feal in Chester County, Pa. “I helped the Snavely family on two occasions prepare for a sale, and it was during the first sale, she (Florence) told me that Carl never painted his carvings and that he had David Ellinger paint them,” said Spohn. Continued on page 2
Here is a grouping of Snavely carvings. Courtesy of a private collection.
An important, large-sized, double-sided stoneware face pitcher attributed to Elisha Hyssong, Cassville, Huntingdon County, Pa., circa 1850, will be sold at Crocker Farm. The auction will take place on Saturday, March 25, at their facility in Sparks, Md. The large four-and-a-half gallon size is the only face vessel known to the Zipp family of Crocker Farm with two faces and two spouts. “I’ve never seen another doublesided one,” commented Tony Zipp. Although restored, the two large applied handles at the sides are also unusual. The pitcher’s faces are done in the style of Remmey family
face vessels. Hyssong’s distinctive floral decoration on the pitcher was likely inspired by Huntingdon, Pa., potter Henry Glazier. Hyssong began his potting career as an apprentice in Waynesboro, Pa., later marrying a Huntingdon County native and running a pottery operation in Cassville in 1847. The facial features exhibit a high level of refinement in their modeling. Along with its overall size, and the fact it is doublesided, rank the piece as an important work. “It came from an older collection, purchased over 30 years ago,” said Zipp. To learn more, readers may call 410-472-2016 or visit www.crockerfarm.com.
Largest Collection Of Mucha Sells At Swann Galleries on page 10
Haddon Heights Goes Green on page 10
White Ironstone China Association Convention Set For May 4 To 7 The White Ironstone China Association will hold its 23rd annual convention Thursday through Sunday, May 4 to 7, at the Embassy Suites in East Syracuse, N.Y. Guest speakers will be Jacqueline Beaudry and Jean-Pierre Dion from Canada. Beaudry has been the director of an art gallery for 20 years, and Dion is a professor at the Universite’du Quebec in Montreal for 30 years. Both have an interest in A teapot in the “Canada Shape” potted by the Clementson Bros., regCanadian ceram- istered “March 20, 1877,” is an example of ironstone designed to sell ics. They will to the Canadian market. speak on the white-ware of the 19th century in produced for the Canadian market. Canada. To learn about becoming a In addition, Mary Eikenhorst is planning a display of Canadian member of this association, visit and English-made white ironstone www.whiteironstonechina.com.
York Show Provides Relief From Winter Blues on page 12
Picasso Two-Handled Vase From 1952 Sells For $37,200 At Philip Weiss on page 14
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . starting on page 3 SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 5 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 7 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . starting on page 7
FEATURED AUCTION: Ron Rhoads - March 18 in Spring City, Pennsylvania - Page 6
AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . . on page 8 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 19