Historical Lenox tea service to be auctioned by Sotheby’s
Lenox — The Ventfort Hall Association reports that Sotheby’s will auction some Morgan family silver on Tuesday, October 14 in New York City.
The American silver five-piece tea and coffee set (John C, Moore for Tiffany & Co., New York, circa 1865) includes a teapot, coffee pot, creamer, sugar bowl, and waste bowl. Each piece is engraved with the Morgan crest above the monogram “SSM (Sarah Spencer Morgan).” The same monogram appears on napkins and tablecloths currently at Ventfort Hall and handed down by the Morgan family. Other than the linens, Ventfort Hall has very little of Sarah Morgan’s personal items since all were sold by the family.
Other Sarah Spencer Morgan-associated pieces available at the auction include a 287 piece American silver King’s pattern flatware service, Howard & Co., New York, circa 1890, engraved with the Morgan crest; a George II silver basket, John Pero, London, 1739; a small silver Russian kettle, Moscow, circa 1750, fitted with an English silver lampstand, William Fawdery, London, 1711; a German silver-gilt tankard, Andreas Haidt, Danzig, circa 1690-1700. Both the small silver kettle and the tankard are thought to have beeen gifts from J.P. Morgan to his sister Sarah.
–E.E.
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Elizabeth Lombardi watercolor exhibit at Camphill Ghent
Chatham, N.Y. — Artist Elizabeth Lombardi will launch “Experience to Imagination,” an exhibit of her paintings, on Saturday, October 10 with an opening reception from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. in the Joan Allen Art Gallery at Camphill Ghent. Lombardi will talk about her work at 2:30 p.m. The exhibit will run through Sunday, December 6.
The exhibit “is a combination of imaginative work which evolves out of color relationships and work based on studies of people and nature,” according to Lombardi. There will be around 30 pieces with watercolor as the primary medium. Lombardi is a longtime art teacher in Waldorf schools in Long Island, N.Y., Princeton, N.J., and currently in Stockbridge, Mass. She studied at Oberlin College, the Art Students’ League of New York, Kunst Academie in Vienna, Austria, and the Oskar Kokoschka Schule des Sehens in Salzburg, Austria, as well as doing further studies of the figure with Jacques Fabert in Buckingham, Penn. She recently wrote and illustrated “Jonathan’s Journey,” a Christmas story for young children. She lives in New Marlborough, Mass.
The Joan Allen Art Gallery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information contact Camphill Ghent Activities Director Gry Brudvik at (518) 392-2760 x104.
–E.E.
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“Ghosts & Legends of Upstreet Pittsfield” tours return for October
Pittsfield — In time for the Halloween season, These Mysterious Hills will present another series of the “Ghosts & Legends of Upstreet Pittsfield,” a historic downtown walking tour offered for six evenings between Monday, October 12 and Thursday, October 29.
Hosted by local folklorist and historian Joe Durwin, the tour explores some of the rich history of downtown Pittsfield through the lens of its folklore, legends, and mysteries. Beginning in front of the Pittsfield Common, the approximately 90-minute guided walk will delve into ghost stories, oddities, and strange-but-true tales attached to many Upstreet locations including several of the city’s premiere cultural venues.
A suggested donation of $5 per person will go to defray expenses involved in ongoing research. Tours will take place after dark and attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately. Crosswalks and traffic rules will be observed throughout the tour. The tour will cover some mature themes and parental caution is advised; the event may not be suitable for persons under 12. The tours will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 12; Friday, October 16; Monday, October 19; Friday, October 23; Monday, October 26; and Thursday, October 29.
–E.E.
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Former Marine named Jewish War Veterans post commander
Pittsfield — Robert Waldheim, who served in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps, is the new post commander of the local Louis Green Post 140 of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV). Waldheim has long been active in veteran’s affairs in the region, and is a member of the color guard of Vietnam Veterans of America James E. Callahan Berkshire Chapter 65. He served overseas in the infantry as an MOS 0311 rifleman in 1967-68.
Waldheim would like to increase participation among younger veterans in the Jewish community. He hopes to organize a meeting before Veterans Day in November so that local Jewish veterans can be well represented at commemorations scheduled for 2015 and beyond. The JWV is looking for at least three participants able to carry a flag and/or a rifle. A vehicle will be in the line of march for those not wishing to walk. Those interested in more information can contact Waldheim via email at sellit4@aol.com, or via telephone at (413) 684-3679.
–E.E.
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October events at Lauren Clark Fine Art
Great Barrington — Lauren Clark Fine Art presents studio tours, an artist talk, and a pie tasting during the month of October.
The Gallery will host visits to the studios of New Marlborough painter Ann Getsinger on Sunday, October 11 and Housatonic multimedia artist Franco Pellegrino on Sunday, October 18; and to the Harold Baumbach Gallery in Housatonic on Sunday, October 25. The tours will take place from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and are free but space is limited and reservations are required.
On Thursday, October 15 at 6:30 p.m., the Gallery will present the first talk in its new art history series. Entitled “Renaissance, and Baroque, What Exactly Is the Difference Between These Two,” the free talk will be given by artist Richard Britell.
On Saturday, October 17, the Gallery will host a free pie tasting with Scott Clark of Clark’s PieWORKS in Housatonic from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information on upcoming events, call the gallery at (413) 528-0432.
–E.E.
