Media Alert

For Immediate Release January 20, 2012 Contact: Sara Fox sfox@christies.com +1 212 636 2680

A NEWPORT MASTERPIECE: THE MAGNIFICENT JOHN TOWNSEND CHIPPENDALE DOCUMENT CABINET REALIZES $3,442,500 Christies Americana Week Sales Continue January 23-24

A Rare and Important Chippendale Carved Mahogany Diminutive Block-and-Shell Document Cabinet with Drawers Signed by John Townsend (1733-1809), Newport, 1755-1765

New York The John Townsend Chippendale Block-and-Shell Document Cabinet realized $3,442,500 at Christies sale of Important American Furniture and Folk Art. A rare survival of colonial Newports merchant elite, this cabinet is signed by John Townsend, Newport, Rhode Island, 1755-1765, and was sold with the approval of the directors of the Chipstone Foundation to benefit the acquisitions funds. John Hays, Deputy Chairman, Christies Americas, comments: Christies was honored to have been entrusted by the directors of the Chipstone Foundation with the sale of the block-and-shell document cabinet signed by John Townsend, which achieved $3.4 million a record price of for an American document cabinet. This remarkable object was signed twice by the renowned Colonial cabinet maker, John Townsend, and established the second highest price for the maker.

Diminutive in scale (27 inches high) but monumental in importance, this extraordinary document cabinet with drawers is a unique form signed by famed cabinetmaker John Townsend (1733-1809) and stands as his earliest known work with a tripartite block-and-shell faade, a design that would become a Newport classic. This document cabinet was long thought to have been dated 1756 and was accordingly revered as the earliest dated piece of block-and-shell furniture with both the convex and concave shaping. While its inscriptions do not include a date, the cabinet may still be the earliest example of a fully developed block-and-shell faade, and as such would represent one of the most significant innovations in early American furniture design. The cabinet is one of only six examples of tripartite block-and-shell furniture signed or labeled by Townsend, four of which are in public collections. With exquisite dovetailing, meticulously planned mahogany drawer linings and carving of the highest caliber, this cabinet exhibits Townsends remarkable skills, which he had mastered at a relatively young age. Townsend's distinctive calligraphic script is seen not only in the two signatures, but also on the backs of the drawers in the lettering running from A through H, which are exceptionally well preserved in graphite. The cabinet is diminutive in scale and may have stood upon a table where in a raised position it would have resembled the upper section of a desk-and-bookcase. A portable form, the cabinet was discovered in a London private collection in the 1950s, sold at Christies London in 1955, and subsequently part of the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Stone, the founders of the Chipstone Foundation.

About Christies Christies, the world's leading art business had global auction and private sales in the first half of 2011 that totaled 2.0 billion/$3.2 billion. In 2010 it achieved global auction and private sales of 3.3 billion/$5.0 billion. Christies is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's conducted the greatest auctions of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, and today remains a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christies offers over 450 sales annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christies has 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai and Hong Kong. More recently, Christies has led the market with expanded initiatives in emerging and new markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai. *Estimates do not include buyers premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyers premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyers or sellers credits.

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Images available on request Visit Christies Website at www.christies.com Complete catalogue available online at www.christies.com or via the Christies iPhone app

New York Friday, January 20, 2012 Sale numbers: 2533 and 2635 Top Ten [All sold prices include buyers premium] Sale 2533 Sold: $8,720,500 5,581,120 Lots Sold: 134 Lots Offered: 164 Sold by Lot: 95% Sale 2635 Sold: $3,748,750 2,399,200 Lots Sold: 27 Lots Offered: 51 Sold by Lot: 53% Exchange Rate: 0.64 = $1 / 0.77 = $1

Important American Furniture and Folk Art & The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph K. Ott

6,714,785 Sold by $: 82% 2,886,537 Sold by $: 51%

Lot

Description
A Rare And Important Chippendale Carved Mahogany Diminutive Block-and-Shell Document Cabinet with Drawers, signed by John Townsend, Newport, 1755-1765 A RECORD FOR AN AMERICAN DOCUMENT CABINET The Captain Anthony Low Queen Anne Mahogany Marble Slab Table A RECORD FOR A MARBLE TOP TABLE A Chippendale Elaborately Carved Mahogany Side Chair, carving attributed to Nicholas Bernard (D. 1789), Philadelphia, Circa 1750 The Smith Family Chippendale Carved Mahogany Open-Talon Dining Table A William And Mary Turned Maple Easy Chair Boston, 1710-1730 A RECORD FOR A WILLIAM AND MARY EASY CHAIR A Chippendale Carved Cherrywood Bonnet-Top High Chest-of-Drawers A Rare and Important Queen Anne Mahogany Hooped-Arm Open Armchair A Federal Grain-Painted "Matteson" Pine Blanket Chest, South Shaftsbury, Vermont, 1820-1825 A Chippendale Carved Mahogany Block-and-Shell Tall-Case Clock A Classical Ormolu-Mounted Parcel-Gilt And PartEbonized Mahogany Griffin-Base Pier Table New York, 1810-1830

Estimate ($)

Purchase Price
$3,442,500 2,203,200 2,650,725 $2,098,500 1,343,040 1,615,845 $902,500 577,600 694,925 $542,500 347,200 417,725 $542,500 347,200 417,725 $422,500 270,400 325,325 $362,500 232,000 279,125 $266,500 170,560 205,205 $242,500 155,200 186,725 $242,500 155,200 186,725

Buyer

113

Estimate On Request

Anonymous

139

2,000,000 - 3,000,000

Anonymous

111 147

600,000 - 800,000 250,000 - 350,000

C. L. Prickett Antiques

C. L. Prickett Antiques C. L. Prickett Antiques

103

80,000 - 120,000

107 138 188 142 304

100,000 - 150,000 250,000 - 350,000 60,000 - 90,000 250,000 - 350,000 50,000 - 80,000

Anonymous Anonymous U.S. Trade Anonymous U.S. Private

John Hays, Deputy Chairman, Christies Americas, comments: Christies was honored to have been entrusted by the directors of the Chipstone Foundation with the sale of the block-and-shell document cabinet signed by John Townsend, which achieved $3.4 million a record price of for a Townsend document cabinet. This remarkable object was signed twice by the renowned Colonial cabinet maker, John Townsend, and established the second highest price for the maker. While the market was selective, we are very honored to have represented the Ott family, and are pleased by the result of the marble top table by John Goddard, which set a record for the form at $2 million. Andrew Holter, Head of Department, said: We are equally honored to have represented the Philadelphia Museum of Art with the sale of the Chippendale carved mahogany armchair attributed to Nicholas Bernard. This magnificent chair was highly sought after with competitive bidding from museums, private collectors and foundations, and produced a stellar result of $902,500. Margot Rosenberg, Head of Folk Art, adds: Competitive bidding for the Federal grain-painted Matteson Vermont pine blanket chest resulted in the strong price of $255,500, which soared above the high estimate of $90,000. This chest was one of the treasures from a private New York collection, which had not been on the market for thirty years. Press Contact Sara Fox, 212 636 2680 sfox@christies.com Date and Location of Next Sale New York- January 23, 2012