$1,968
Tanglewood Wrought Iron Gate, America, late 19th/20th century, with scrolled cresting above four panels composed of scrolled leafy vines, with flanking vertical rails terminating in arrow points, ht. 91 1/2, wd. 52 1/2 in. Note: Long associated with excellence in the musical arts, Tanglewood has been steeped in the pursuit of beauty since its very beginnings. Artists, musicians, composers and even authors, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, were welcome guests at the estate from the moment that William Aspinwall Tappan and his wife Caroline Sturgis Tappan made it their summer home in the 1840s. Enjoyed by the family for many decades, Tanglewood was generously donated to the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1936 by Caroline's daughter, Mary Aspinwall Tappan, and granddaughter, Rosamond Sturgis Dixey. This gate came from the estate when the family left it to the BSO and is an excellent example of the artistic wrought iron that ornamented American domestic architecture at the time. Bearing a strong resemblance to the intricate wrought iron found throughout Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, the gate displays a density of gracefully-formed curves and curls that show a master craftsman's many hours of careful work.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2013-03-03
