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Rare work by Wharton Esherick, George Nakashima up for auction in Philly

Here’s a preview of just some of their pieces up for bid

By Melissa Romero
Dozens of pieces by Wharton Esherick and George Nakashima will be up for auction.
Courtesy of Freeman’s

Dozens of glorious pieces by Wharton Esherick and George Nakashima will be up for grabs at an upcoming Freeman’s auction on March 19 in Philly.

Seven works by Esherick and 37 pieces by Nakashima make up a majority of the 57 lots up for grabs at the Craft+Design auction.

Esherick and Nakashima both have local ties to Philly. Craftsman Esherick was born in Philadelphia, and his museum and workshop, co-designed with Louis Kahn, is in Malvern. All of his work that will be up for auction are from original owners or of family descent, according to Freeman’s.

Nakashima, meanwhile, was born in Washington, but ultimately settled in New Hope, Pennsylvania. His home, studio, and workshop are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Here are just six of the Esherick and Nakashima-designed pieces that will be auctioned off, from a hanging wall case estimated between $30,000 and $50,000 to a watercolor painting—the first of Esherick’s to ever hit the market.

Cross-legged dining table by Nakashima

This American black walnut, rosewood, and hickory table was built in 1960 by Nakashima. It’s estimated value is $30,000 to $50,000.

Watercolor by Esherick

Esherick painted this watercolor of Fair Hope, Alabama in 1920. It is the first painting by the artist to appear on the market, according to Freeman’s.

Long chair by Nakashima

This walnut chair with cotton webbing dates back to 1968. Whoever wins the auction on this piece will also receive photocopy of the original order card from George Nakashima Woodworker and a letter of authentication from Mira Nakashima.

Courtesy of Freeman’s

Tables by Esherick

Both of these walnut tables date back to 1961 and 1962, respectively, and feature the Esherick’s carved initials. The longer table is estimated between $30,000 and $50,000 and the latter is $15,000 to $20,000.

Hanging wall case by Nakashima

Nakashima designed this hanging wall case in 1972 for a client whose last name was Kramer, which is featured on the piece. Like the long chair, this lot comes with a photocopy of the original order card.

The auction takes place on Saturday, March 19 at 12 p.m. at 1808 Chestnut Street.