Jeffrey S. Evans & Assoc., Inc.
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November 21, 2025: Fall Premier Americana: Day Two Featuring The Benny Long Collection

Fri, Nov 21, 2025 09:00AM EST
  2025-11-21 09:00:00 2025-11-21 09:00:00 America/New_York Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates : November 21, 2025: Fall Premier Americana: Day Two Featuring The Benny Long Collection https://live.jeffreysevans.com/auctions/jeffrey-evans/november-21-2025-fall-premier-americana-day-two-featuring-the-benny-long-collection-20569
Jeffrey S. Evans & Assoc., Inc. info@jeffreysevans.com
Lot 1067

STIREWALT FAMILY, SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA, PAINT-DECORATED YELLOW PINE CHILD'S / DIMINUTIVE BLANKET CHEST

Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000
Current Bid
$10,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$3,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$30,000 $2,500
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000

STIREWALT FAMILY, SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA, PAINT-DECORATED YELLOW PINE CHILD'S / DIMINUTIVE BLANKET CHEST, the hinged rectangular lid with applied moldings over a conforming dovetailed case featuring a poplar lidded till to the interior, raised on its original turned and ebonized feet mortised through the bottom of the case. Retains its original yellow, red, and white stenciled and black free-hand sponge decorations against a dark green ground; the moldings and case corners are also ebonized. The complex decorations feature a shield-breast spread-wing eagle grasping a leaf in each talon, flanked by two eight-point "Virginia" stars, and pairs of stems with five leaves to the front; facing pairs of dotted "Virginia parrots" flanked by four "Virginia" stars, the top two with added spikes to each end; and four stems with five leaves to the top. Attributed to Jacob Stirewalt (1805-1869) and/or John N. Stirewalt (1802-1836), New Market, Shenandoah Co., VA. Circa 1840. 14 3/4" H, 27 3/4" W, 15 1/4" D.
Published: Moore and Goodman - "Painted Boxes and Miniature Chests from Shenandoah County, Virginia: The Stirewalt Group", The Magazine Antiques, September 2007, p. 81, figs. 12a, 12b. Moore and Goodman incorrectly state "The feet are replacements". 
Catalogue Note: The present box is one of an important group of paint-decorated boxes/chests attributed to the Stirewalt family of New Market, Shenandoah Co., VA, that are all linked by parallels in construction, materials, and decoration. It is unclear at present exactly who is responsible for the construction and decoration of these boxes, but it is clear that the effort was likely a collaborative one, given the degree of variation found in the group. Regardless, Jacob and/or John Stirewalt of New Market, Virginia and Rowan Co., North Carolina, seem to be at the center of the story. See lot 1068 in the present sale for a smaller example attributed to this school.

Condition

Good overall condition with expected wear. The feet have lost their lower spikes and one has chips to the top edge. The lid with later hinges, a narrow patch at one hinge area, small losses to the moldings, a glued break running from end to end, showing evidence of having been repaired with braces, and wear to the decoration/paint. The case with a small patch at one hinge area, loss of lock, and a later escutcheon added to cover the lock hole.

Provenance

From the collection of Benny Long, New Market, VA.
Purchased at an estate auction in Roanoke, VA, of a family that had moved there from the New Market area. 

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