Oct 10, 2025 11:00 EST
Americana in Boston
1096
American Sterling Silver Coffee and Tea Service with Tray
Property from Descendants of Nina Fletcher and Bertram K. Little
George Christian Gebelein, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1925
Comprising a teapot and stand, coffee pot, kettle-on-stand, cream jug, sugar bowl, waste bowl, and tray, each fluted neoclassical form engraved with a crest and the initials "NJF" (Nina Jarvie Fletcher) within a shield, the pots with a pineapple finials; Together with Two Associated Pairs of American Sterling Silver Sugar Tongs. Length of tray over handles 31 1/4 inches, height of coffeepot 8 1/4 inches, total approximately 365 ounces, all in.
This tea service was referred in the Little family as the "Paul Revere" tea service, and was reportedly handmade by George Gebelein himself. It was given to Nina Jarvie Fletcher as a wedding gift from her Aunt Amelia "Millie" Francis Goodrich Jarvie of 150 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey.
Please note: This lot will be on view in Boston.
Sold for $14,080
Estimated at $3,000 - $5,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Property from Descendants of Nina Fletcher and Bertram K. Little
George Christian Gebelein, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1925
Comprising a teapot and stand, coffee pot, kettle-on-stand, cream jug, sugar bowl, waste bowl, and tray, each fluted neoclassical form engraved with a crest and the initials "NJF" (Nina Jarvie Fletcher) within a shield, the pots with a pineapple finials; Together with Two Associated Pairs of American Sterling Silver Sugar Tongs. Length of tray over handles 31 1/4 inches, height of coffeepot 8 1/4 inches, total approximately 365 ounces, all in.
This tea service was referred in the Little family as the "Paul Revere" tea service, and was reportedly handmade by George Gebelein himself. It was given to Nina Jarvie Fletcher as a wedding gift from her Aunt Amelia "Millie" Francis Goodrich Jarvie of 150 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey.
Please note: This lot will be on view in Boston.
Auction: Americana in Boston, Oct 10, 2025
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Inaugural Americana in Boston Auction on October 10, 2025 Far Surpassed Expectations
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Held in Our Newly Expanded Location at 290 Darmouth Street in The Vendome
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's inaugural Americana in Boston auction on October 10, 2025 far surpassed expectations! Held at our newly expanded location at 290 Dartmouth Street at The Vendome in Boston’s Back Bay, the sale attracted competitive bidding for folk paintings and portrait miniatures, furniture and decorative arts, silver, porcelain, toys and more.
Highlighting the sale was an important 1793 folk portrait by the Duxbury, Massachusetts artist Rufus Hathaway of 2-year-old Church Sampson, which soared past its $10,000-15,000 estimate to achieve $95,750. The painting had changed hands only twice in its long history—first from descendants of the Duxbury family of the sitter to legendary folk art collectors and scholars Nina Fletcher and Bertram K. Little, in whose family it has remained until the present.
Two folky and charming American portrait miniatures, also of children, brought prices far exceeding their estimates, selling for $20,480 and $16,640. Those who viewed the little gems were beguiled by the confidence of the children and the skill of the artists in capturing it.
Among the furniture offerings, a diminutive and quirky red-painted corner cupboard generated excitement among bidders for its utility, unusual proportions, and immaculate condition, selling for $9,600, far above its $1,000-1,500 estimate.
A couple of collections offered in the sale are also worth noting, as they demonstrate that when a strong group of property in one category appears in a single sale, collectors worldwide tend to take notice. Sixteen lots of 18th and 19th century English creamware from a Boston estate brought over $24,000 against a $7,000-10,000 estimate, and a collection of 27 horse-drawn cast iron toys realized $45,000, exceeding an aggregate pre-sale estimate of $18,000-28,000.
American Paintings & Prints
The sale of American Paintings & Prints on Oct 9 in New York presented a wide range of works spanning the late 18th through 20th centuries. Read More
American Silver
The sale of American Silver on Oct 9 showcased fine examples by prominent makers from the colonial era to the modern period. Read More
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
