In the last years of his life, Peter Glass made nine “mosaic work stands” – one for each of his children. The intricate marquetry pictures commemorated his life in Beechwood, Wisconsin, where this skilled artisan also ran a farm. A Wisconsin newspaper called him the “Badger-Mosaicist” and noted that one of his tables had “5102 pieces of natural and colored woods.” For Glass’ descendents, the sentimental value of these tables far outweighed any monetary value.
1961
The twentieth century witnessed an increased interest in America’s material past. Objects like this high chest rose in value as artistic masterpieces and as historic links to the era of America’s founding. Collectors Polly and Stanley Stone of Milwaukee especially loved furniture from colonial Newport. In 1961 they bought the high chest from a leading antiques dealer for $9500, which was more than the average household income at the time and equivalent to nearly $60,000 today.
2004
Since this piece was purchased by the Stones, the market for antique Newport furniture has sky-rocketed. In recent years, collectors have paid more than a million dollars for Newport high chests like this one. But there is one more part of this story….
Today
…recent re-evaluation of the piece has revealed that its legs and shaped skirt with carved shell are not original. In other words, this high chest is what a curator would call a “partial fake.” The new parts were added around 1961 to make it more attractive to American furniture collectors. The faker colored the new parts with dark stains, and then added dents and scuffs. Because of these alterations, the current market value of the high chest is a tiny fraction of what it could have been. In a museum setting, however, its sordid story tells an important lesson to would-be collectors.
For similar stories see the virtual exhibit “The Truth Lies Within: Furniture Fakes from the Chipstone Collection” on www.chipstone.org.