Harvey Ellis

Jovin Lombardo, New York
Cathers & Dembrosky, New York
Stephen Gray, Philmont, NY, 2001
Acquired from the above by the present owner

At Home with Gustav Stickley:  American Arts & Crafts from the Stephen Gray Collection, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, October 11-January 4, 2009

Stephen Gray, The Early Work of Gustav Stickley, New York, 1987, p. 138
Wendy Kaplan, The Art that is Life:  The Arts & Crafts Movement in America, 1875-1920, Boston, 1987, p. 245
Kevin W. Tucker, Gustav Stickley and the American Arts and Crafts Movement, Dallas, 2010, p. 148

Overall in very good condition. The oak surfaces throughout appear to retain their original finish, with some occasional old surface scratches, minor surface abrasions, and edge wear with some occasional small and minor edge losses consistent with age and very gentle use. All of the inlay work is intact and stable, and all of the inlay appears original and undisturbed. The interior with very minimal wear and a few light and minor surface scratches. With light surface soiling to the interior and recessed contours of the lower divider shelves. With period key. A superb example of this iconic model in pristine condition, displaying crisp lines, an exceptional dark rich finish, and a beautiful wood selection with strong figuring. One of the finest examples known of this important form.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In the spring of 1903, Gustav Stickley hired a talented architect by the name of Harvey Ellis to execute designs for his Craftsman Workshops.  Ellis designed a unique line of furniture distinguished by lighter, sophisticated lines and inlaid decoration articulated in copper, pewter and contrasting woods.  In January 1904, Ellis’ inlaid furniture was the subject of an article entitled ''Structure and Ornament in the Craftsman Worskhops'' in Stickley’s magazine, The Craftsman.  Although Ellis died in January 1904, only seven months after joining Stickley, his new designs left an enduring legacy on the firm's repertoire, which evolved to incorporate lighter structural forms.  The elegant music cabinet offered here is exemplary of Ellis’ work.  As in his other designs for furniture, the verticality of the slender rectilinear form is balanced by the arched apron of the base and the overhanging cornice of the top.  The delicate inlays for which he was known were produced by George Henry Jones’ marqueterie workshop in New York, and epitomize the design aesthetic synonymous with Ellis’ brief yet defining tenure at the Stickley firm.