LYRE AND SCROLL BANNERETTEAMERICAN SCHOOL, 19TH CENTURY | Lyre and Scroll BanneretteAmerican School, 19th century

Sotheby's, New York, American Folk Art from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. G. William Holland of Pennsylvania, January 28, 1995, sale 6659, lot 686

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Courting the Winds, April 9-13, 1988 (illus. in cat., p. 5).

Tom Geismar and Harvey Kahn, Spiritually Moving:  A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1998) cat. no. 56, illus. in color.

Wear and touchups to the surface consistent with age and use. There are two vertical breaks to the tail approximately 18 inches from the support shaft, each approximately 3 inches in length. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Purchasers may pay for and pick up their purchases from any of our Americana Week sales taking place from January 17-20, 2019, at our York Avenue headquarters until the close of business on Sunday, January 20, 2019. After this time, all property (sold and unsold) will be transferred to our offsite facility, Crozier Fine Art, One Star Ledger Plaza, 69 Court Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Once property has been transferred from our York Avenue location, it will not be available for collection at Crozier Fine Arts until Friday, January 25, 2019. Crozier's hours of operation for collection are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday. Please note, certain items of property, including but not limited to jewelry, watches, silver and works on panel will remain at 1334 York Avenue. Invoices and statements will indicate your property's location. For more information regarding collection from our offsite facility, please visit sothebys.com/pickup.
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.

Flat sheet metal bannerettes were common church vanes throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many included openwork in their symmetrical classically themed designs, which visually lightened and added formal interest to their sometimes substantial lengths. The lyre is an ancient Greek string instrument that according to one mythological account was invented and strummed by the god Hermes and has long been associated with poetry and religion. Lyre shapes were common elements of the classical revival design style that became popular in the early years of the American republic.