Bama Planter

Pine Alabama Plantation Desk from the Black Belt.  Seven feet tall.  I have looked for one of these to purchase for a long time so this is a keeper. The chair is a good comparison to show how large the desk is.  I moved the desk ( no easy task) to an interior wall and put some of my old books in.  It looks much better here than at the foot of the stairs.  

Mustard churns with a beehive in the middle, and mortars and pestles above, sitting on a Yankee bucket bench.  Finally a pretty day here in Alabama,  70 degrees and sunshine. 

Unidentified  Alabama Civil War Widow. Measuring a large 42 x 36. Original Frame. Untouched condition.  Oil on Canvas. 

This is a primitive folk art oil on canvas of lady with a feather in her hair and holding some sort of plant leaf. The canvas is 30 x 24. I am asking for opinions as to age, subject matter, and origin, etc. I've had her for a few years and never sought information before, but find her to be an interesting person. She was purchased from an estate in Connecticut. Experts on line found the original of my painting.  She is part of the Rockefeller Collection of  Folk Art at Colonial Williamsburg.  Apparently she is an early copy of her or is based on her. 

This photograph of a handsome boy is identified as Peter Balen. The image is from the mid 1850's and is a daguerreotype ( on silver). This mode of photography was replaced in the early 1860's by the ambrotype ( on glass) and the carte de visite ( on paper, via a negative). Daguerreotypes and ambrotypes had no negatives, so each is one of a kind. I purchased him at auction as I thought he had interesting features and was identified. There was no place to write the name of the sitter in these "cased views" unless, as in this one, a sticker was attached to the velvet side. Therefore, most dags and ambros are unidentified.

There were several gate leg tables at a recent auction here but no one seemed to pay any attention to this ratty looking one ! It is square pegged and is indeed a period William and Mary . Rarely seen in Alabama !!!   

My love for New England settles began with my discovery of Tasha Tudor and her house.  They seemed to be everywhere.  I finally found one at an Alabama auction this week.  This is the first real settle I have ever seen in person.  ( photo showing back)  I think at least 95% of the audience didn't know what it was. (another photo of back)  Only two people bid against me. I could not tell from the pre-auction photos how large it was.  Rose head nails on the ends ! It is 4 1/2 feet long.....probably small compared to many others...but I love it. 

Size: 45" long;  44 1/4 " tall ;   52" to top of back splash ;  21 inches deep.