Holy Moly.  Now I know why people who aren’t fans of Victorian antique furniture look at pieces from the period and condemn it’s over-the-topness.  Technically this piece is probably very late Victorian Renaissance Revival style.

This sofa is part of a set that Fontaine’s will be selling on the 18th and it is a Victorian-hater’s nightmare.  I love RJ Horner items, whose carved furniture this resembles, but even I would not be able to put this one in my home.  It is so overwrought it even has two-tier tables integrated on either side of the sofa.  No need to buy end tables - they’re included!

The set is probably incredible to see in person and it will make quite a statement in a fine home somewhere.

Expected sale range is $15,000 to $25,000.  More detail images at the listing.

So how do you like the set?

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I’m encouraged by some of the prices realized at the Fontaine sale yesterday.  Here’s a sampling of some of the healthy results:

• Meeks Hawkins sofa - $10,000
• “Pottier & Stymus” Aesthetic Sideboard - $12,000
• Meeks  Rosewood Etagere - $50,000
• Belter 3-piece Milwaukee parlor set - $21,000
• Pierce-carved Belter slipper chair - $17,000 (expected $6-8k)
• “R.J. Horner” Library Table - $15,000 (interesting side-story)
  

Some of the items had some questionable attributions and the bidders affirmed that message with their bidding:

• Pair of Herter Brothers twin bedsteads - $1,250 for the pair
• Thomas Brooks marble-top table - $1,000

Some items did disappoint and Jelliff items were in that category:

• John Jelliff triple-back sofa - $1,750 (we’ve seen it sell for $5,750)
• Jelliff three-piece parlor set - $2,000

Following on my concern about some of the attributions, the basis of the Pottier & Stymus attribution for the sideboard was:

This piece has a 5 digit number on the back (10278) indicative of the work of Pottier & Stymus

I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine that P&S were the only makers that had 5-digit inventory numbers of the tens of thousands of shops in the world at the time.

Overall, however, I think the sale showed that the good stuff is still selling well (despite Wall Street tumult) and anything below that level is scraping by.

Related items for sale - hover mouse for more information

Plenty of high-end Victorian coming up in the Fontaine sale in a few days with all the usual suspects: Belter, Roux, Meeks, Jelliff, Baudouine, Pottier & Stymus, and Horner among others.  The Meeks Hawkins pattern set above is expected to bring $35,000-$50,000 and a Belter Milwaukee 3-piece set, $20,000 to $30,000.  A surprisingly unassuming bedstead in the sale is signed A. Roux, which shows you that the best makers of the time absolutely made simplistic pieces for everyday use.