Spice cabinet dating to the late 19th century. This was found in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Made of clear white pine, it measures 33” square and 8” deep. The piece is offered in original red wash and remains in excellent as found condition right down to the porcelain knobs. Each of its 45 drawers are stenciled with the herb found within. This is a great country piece that looks wonderful hanging or setting atop a low cupboard or bench.
SOLD: September 20th, 2020

Homemade rooster weathervane from Illinois. 22” tall and 19” wide as shown. Dating to the early 20th century, this guy was no doubt boss of the barn yard given the strutting nature of his pose. This strut gives a folky appeal to the piece. Adding to its charm is the surface achieved by being repainted over the years with old barn red paint. Exaggerated tail feathers adds a somewhat caricature characteristic. There’s little doubt this was the ruler of the roost.
SOLD: October 3rd, 2020

This small, but graphic game board was cleverly designed for playing multiple games. Made of two 7” square framed boards hinged together, one side presents checkers the other offers the game of ‘Nine Mens Morris’. Opened the game of backgammon is revealed. This piece was made in 19th century Germany for the American market by the same cottage industry that made arks and other wooden toys. Aside from an old age crack, this game is in excellent original condition with an untouched surface.

Large 19th century trencher found in the midwest.  This early piece of woodenware may well be native American.  It measures 22 1/2" in length and is 12 1/2" across.  A depth of near 6" sets it apart from the typical trencher.  The 'V' shaped loss likely occurred when the bowl was made as it shows the same patina as the rest of the piece.  The trencher's surface is 2nd to none with a soft to the touch feel and a near polished appearance.  Color comes from the trencher's original natural red dye.

Classic coach painted game board found in western New York. Coach decorated game boards such as this were often done in shops by artists. Decorations including striping, cartouches, and use of gold gilding were characteristics found in other painted objects from boxes to trade signs. Dating to the 4th quarter of the 19th century, this example has the hallmarks of such a piece. This is a heavy board measuring 18 1/2" square. Although there is surface wear to this piece, its color is vibrant.

Unusual piece of Illinois folk art. This hand carved gavel was found in north central Illinois. It is 8 1/2" in length. '1805' is stamped into the head while '1860' is indelibly written on the handle. There's little doubt this is 19th century, but there's no way to know if either number is accurate. What can't be missed is the wonderful heart carved into the handle. Perhaps this was a reminder to the one in whose hand this gavel was placed.
SOLD: October 27th, 2020

The circus has come to MPF! This great old homemade stuffed elephant dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. This pachyderm is quite sturdy and substantial even after having been played with all its life. The old toy measures a full 13” tail to trunk and is 6” across the back. Height is 10” overall. With button eyes and felt for tusks, this playful piece of folk art is wonderfully conceived and constructed. There is expected wear throughout including old mends.

Wooden sheep weathervane from the late 19th century. This handmade sheep measures 18” by 12” and 3/4” thick. Placed on a contemporary iron stand made specifically for its display, the piece is 18” tall overall. Weathering suggests this sheep spent most of its life outside, which sheep generally do. LOL. A testament to its meticulous construction is that all four legs are individually carved and attached with wood pegs. This piece is offered in original as found condition.

Terrific double-sided sign from Illinois. Mid century.
This sign advertising feeder pigs was obviously done by a professional sign painter. Colors of red, white, and blue combined with a wonderful black piglet are painted on a 3/4" thick piece of heavy plywood measuring approximately 15" by 16". Subject, size, and condition combine to make this a delightful piece of farm art.

Old homemade pintail hen working decoy. Early 20th century. This unusual if not one of a kind wooden decoy was found in north central Illinois. It is made of 2 parts. The duck itself is a painted silhouette made of wood laminate. This silhouette slides into a solid wood base complete with attached weight. Assembled the piece measures 14" from bill to tail and 5" wide at the base. This is a great old piece of functional folk art.

Whimsical hooked rug with ducks.  Dating to the early 20th century, this piece measures 32" by 20" overall.  The center depicts 6 ducklings seemingly 'floating' by on a background of blue.  The ducks are framed with a free form geometric border in soft salmon and off white. The border serves to frame the ducks without conflicting in any way.  This delightfully folky rug is offered in as found condition and has been mounted on a wooden frame making it ready for display.

This 19th century box was purchased from a Portsmouth, NH estate. The piece appears to be made of pine or poplar. Its maker was no doubt skilled as it is constructed with exacting dimensions of 32" by 12" by 12". The maker's ability is also apparent by the use of 'blind' dovetails, which is seen in the corner image. This keeps joints from showing, which give the front of the box its clean lines. It remains in excellent as found condition with original hinges and lock. There is no key.

19th century shoefoot quilt stand found in New Hampshire. This sweet homemade piece measures 29" wide and 39" high overall. 4 carved cross members are pegged into 2 carved upright posts, which are pegged into chamfered feet. Each shoefoot measures 9" by 3" wide giving this piece a solid stance. It has an old crazed eggshell paint over what appears to be original soft blue. The result is a creamy white country quilt stand ready to do its intended job for many years to come!

Early homemade pine cupboard. This small primitive hanging cupboard is offered in original dry bittersweet paint. It measures just 28" tall and 17" wide. Sides are slightly less than 8" deep. A single slab door complete with original snipe hinges opens to an unpainted interior featuring 3 shelves. A classic triangular pediment gives this humble 19th century cupboard a touch of style. Discovered in Illinois, this piece is offered in original as found condition.
SOLD: October 25th, 2020

Small painted berry basket from a New Hampshire estate. 8 3/4" diameter by 7 1/2" tall. It easily dates to the early 20th century if not slightly before. This utilitarian piece remains in excellent original condition. However, it is the original deep blue paint that makes this small basket the gem it is! This is a great size for displaying fall flowers on a country table.

Magnificent mended basket from Illinois. This is undoubtedly one of the best examples of mended Americana we've ever seen. This large field basket rom the 19th century measures 20" by 15" by 15" tall. It was saved by carefully hand stitching an early blue and white coverlet to the rim. The coverlet was then pleated and seamed to fit the shape of the basket. This piece has been in an old Illinois collection for years and is being offered here for the very first time.

Small sheet iron rooster silhouette. Vibrant paint makes this rooster 'crow' with its red body and yellow accents. Measuring approximately 12" by 16" overall, it is likely this was was made to sit atop the hen house to stand guard. Fading to one side suggest this was not a weathervane, but simply a stationary ornament. It was found in New England and most likely dates to the 1920's or 30's.

Figural trade sign. New Jersey c.1900. This great old wooden sign from an early locksmith measures 54” long overall from the bow to the end of the shaft. It is fully dimensional measuring an inch thick. It is well made with an iron band surrounding the bow. The ‘bit’ is mortised through the shaft. Notice there is a small loss to one of the ‘key wards’. Original hardware for hanging is intact. Some original gold gilt can still be found.
SOLD: September 17th, 2020

Large painted carrier from the 19th century. This well constructed utilitarian piece measures 27 1/2" by 12 1/2" at the base. The shaped heart handle stands a full 9" high. Offered in original dove grey paint, this piece is both dovetailed and square nailed. A fully developed molding surrounds the bottom. With details such as dovetails and applied moldings there's no doubt the maker was a craftsman!
SOLD: October 22nd, 2020

It’s hard to imagine why folks made whirligigs? But we’re glad they did! They are whimsical by nature bringing entertainment to the viewer with their clever designs and conjure motion even when sitting still. This carved man with his top hat and cutaway coat stands at attention paddle arms at the ready. Found in northern Illinois, he appears to have been made of found material and is in great original condition. Likely dating to the early 20th century, the figure stands 13” by 17” as shown.

Black beauty! This early carved farm horse was found in Wisconsin complete with harnesses for plowing. Not sure how it would translate into ‘hands’, but this wonderful equine measures 14” head to tail and 12” to the top of the head from where its leather ears have long disappeared. But not to worry, the genuine horsehair tail remains intact. Who knows but what this example of farm folk art was a tribute to a special animal who helped plant crops year in and year out.

Pintsized diorama from Maine. A 12 1/2" by 7 3/4" shadow box measuring 2 1/2" deep houses a small white half hull tugboat. The wheelhouse and cabin are detailed with windows and an open door while the mast stands tall closer to the stern. A chip carved ocean gives the impression of choppy seas. This delightful piece of nautical folk art likely dates to the early 20th century. It is offered in original as found condition including the original glass.

Hand carved and jointed dancing figure. This wonderful dancing toy likely dates to the early 20th century. Skillfully carved, the man stands just over 15" head to toe. Delicately carved arms and legs are hinged to a substantial torso. Originally suspended to a board, the man would dance on the board as you raised your knee up and down.
SOLD: August 28th, 2020

Nineteenth century checkerboard from Vermont. Painted on a single wide board, this piece measures 18" by 25" overall. The simple country nature of this game board is enhanced by the original bittersweet paint. There is wear to the surface and it appears one piece of molding may be an old replacement. Neither of these take away from the colorful appeal of this great old country checkerboard.

Delightful homemade sewing basket. The wicker basket with decorative rope trim measures 9" in diameter. The folky carved gentleman bearing thread stands 11" tall. The piece remains in excellent condition including the figure's original paint. This piece was found in Maine and likely dates to the first quarter of the 20th century.