Brown ink on slightly yellowed paper, marked "Poland, August the 1 - 1836", and sent to Deacon Nathan Freeman, Alfred, Me., describing a need for leather hides, "I thought you would sell 2 or 3 sides for a fair price, I mean large ones I should not like to purchase (sic) small sides because we have a nough (sic) small sides because we have a nough (sic) of that description... Pleas to except my kind best Love James Wakefield", (Note: torn at wax seal as opened by Deacon Freeman), 9 3/4" x 7 3/4".

Note:

Pine, black ash handle, appears to be original green painted finish, original white painted interior, finely coopered with carved "ears" and bentwood swing handle, two shaped metal bands finished with pointed ends, normal in-use wear, c. 1840, stenciled on bottom in black "I.S. 1915", and stamped on top of one bail holder "IS", 7" h (to rim - appears to be filed), 12" h (to top of handle), 10 1/4" dia.

Solid cast metal patterns, used in the making of bentwood oval boxes, heavy green paper attached to the bottom of each block, one with a label written in blue ink in Dr. McCue's hand "Withington Auction, Shaker Box patterns $247.00", 2" h, 4 1/2" l, 2 7/8" w and 2" h, 4 3/4" l, 3 1/8" w.

Pine and maple, original light brick red painted finish, four fingers secured with copper tacks, possibly Sabbathday Lake or Alfred, ME, 4 1/2" h, 10 1/4" l, 8" d.

Pine, original red painted finish, single board top with applied molding, cast iron strap hinges held with handmade screws, interior pine till with dovetailed drawer under with original small turned maple pull, (top front edge is lipped), Dr. Andrews said "it is from the Church Family, Hancock...", 21 1/2" h, 43" w, 19" d.

Note:

A very pure chest. Displaying the essence of Shaker.

Light white woolen blanket, sewn in cross stitch in blue on one corner "I Y, 44", Canterbury, NH, c. 1844, 72" x 100"; and a white woven linen sheet, Canterbury, NH, c. 1840-1850, 80" x 92"; both with the original gray Jordan Auction tags.

Canterbury Shakers

George E and Gladys C. Jordan

"The Shaker Collection" Auction, Frank D. Greene, Jr. Auctioneer, Concord, NH, September 27, 1968

Small rug whip, bentwood fastened with metal clamps, shaped and turned maple handle, original cutout Canterbury, NH star tag ".50", 24" l; and a larger rug whip, fastened into a rectangular birch and turned handle painted red, (remnants of a label), 34" l; and a cast iron and turned maple handled tool for working and trimming shoe leather, with original Canterbury, N.H. star tag ".75", 16" l.

Maple and pine, original soft yellow stained finish, five fingers, long and elegant, handmade copper tacks, two extra tacks in bottom finger as some splitting started to occur in the making, and one extra tack in the finger above it, 6 1/2" h, 10 1/2" l, 7 1/4" w.

Early natural woven linen, cross stitched in light blue in one corner "Y" or glass-shaped device, "a mark of the Ministry, Eldress Gertrude (Soule) tells me. She says the little mark alongside identified the room.", Sister Mildred Barker says the untwilled tape in the loop is home-woven (Shaker made), (the twilled loop is machine made), 23" x 43"; the smaller towel with woven red border line, appears to have silk threads, and is initialed in a corner in blue cross stitch "ERS" and "MC", 19" x 34" (includes fringe).

Pine, original red/purple painted finish, two door cupboard top with raised panel doors over seven dovetailed and lipped drawers, "Purchased from Andrews who says 'original purplish paint: A very early example of this type of chest, from the Church family in Hancock, (c. 1800, possibly earlier). Cupboard often used for storing Sister's bonnets. Cupboard came from the Sister's Shop'...just west of the Church Dwelling at Hancock.", three vertical pine back boards with tongue and groove joinery, nailed, 7' 4" h, 37" w, 19" d.

This early case resembles in form Fig. 103 (p. 106) in the Encyclopedia of Shaker Furniture with raised panel doors and seven drawers below. It was one of the major pieces in the Smithsonian Exhibit "Furniture of the Shaker Sect". Left side has been painted in a light coat of pink colored paint. Some of the bottom drawers show lip damage.

Sister's Shop - Hancock Shakers

Edward Deming and Faith Andrews

Purchased from Dr. Edward D. and Faith Andrews in 1946 for $40 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #11)

Small linen kerchief, "The Pattern is black lines, forming squares throughout a white ground. The border is two wide (1/4") black stripes on all four sides. Two sets of cross stitched initials "M V 78" (Sister Mary Vance (died 1890) and "L.S.P.", Sister Lettie S. Pender." (Journal Entry #211), 26" x 24 1/2"; and a Cotton kerchief, "white ground and a single black line border, 1/8" wide and crossing at the corners. Initialed in cross stitch "A M 58". Eldress Gertrude (Soule) says that cotton was for everyday wear, and that AM stands for Arvilla Morrison originally of East Canterbury, later of Sabbathday Lake." (Journal Entry #213), 27" x 28"; and Sister's white cotton gloves, Shaker made, both initialed in blue cross stitch at the wrist "M D", 7 1/2" l.

Purchased at Sabbathday Lake in 1952 for $5.00 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #211)

Deep maroon red dyed wool, (the Shakers called this "Harvard" red), silk lined hood and broad ribbon ties (3' 4" l x 4 1/4" w with fringe), full-length with shoulder cape and gathered at the hood, fine overall condition, 4' 6" l.

Maple, original dark red/brown varnish stained finish, small globular finials, two arched slats, one with original Shaker gray linen taped seat, one with two shades of light tan taped seat, both show the Shaker Chair Factory Trademark on the inside of the left back stiles just above the back stretchers, Mt. Lebanon, NY, c. 1870-1880, 17 1/2" seat h, 29 1/2" overall h.

Pine, traces of yellow over red wash, two small drawers in the upper gallery section that are suspended above the work surface, sloping ogee curved sides, with four full-length graduated drawers in the case, two turned walnut pulls on each drawer, sides are arched at the base, two-board back in original red wash, Alfred Shakers, c. 1820, 37" h, 26" w, 17 1/2" d.

Purchased at Sabbathday Lake in 1950 for $100 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #116)

"According to Sister Mildred Barker (1898-1990) it was used in the girls' order at Alfred. It is likely that the form was the earliest used for specialized sewing desks in the Maine communities." Tim Rieman

Palm leaf and split straw, dark and light patterns, "6" on a paper label pasted inside the crown, 8 1/4" l; together with a rare Shaker made straw splitting tool, cherry and brass with 14 tiny steel teeth in order to cut the straw or palm leaf into strips for weaving, 5" l, 1/2" w.

Pine, birch and oak, three are signed with initials "MH", "MC", "RB", and one is labeled with a printed paper (2" l) with a black line above and below the name "Sarah Bennet."; 14", 15" and 18" l.

Birch and pine, original dark sienna red painted finish, 25 1/2" h,  rectangular top with rounded corners, single-board top (37" l x 28" w, 7/8" thick), two pine bottom boards (1 1/2" x 26") are fixed to the top of either side of the skirt with handmade screws to keep the top from warping, the skirt is mortised into each leg and double wooden pinned, Alfred, ME, c. 1830.

This is a wonderful example of the Shaker style in Maine in its deep red color and its well turned "exuberant" legs with high-heeled tulip feet

Purchased from Sabbathday Lake in 1950 for $60 (Dr. McCue's Journal Entry #115)

Note added 1992: "This was sold to me out of the dairy house, or possibly the laundry house by Sr. Mildred Barker..."