The private collection of Marion P. Atten Dewitt, Ill., comprising Pilgrim Century and early 18th century chests, wainscot chairs, turned chairs and stools, was sold by Skinners in an online sale which ran from from Oct. 6 to 14. Additionally, the sale featured 17th- and 18th-century metalwork, early German pottery, American and English woodenware, early textiles, early arms and armor and more. Atten collected with a developed eye for rarity and form and was a respected dealer in early decorative arts. The sale grossed $510,512, with many items selling for more than double the estimate. A highlight of the sale is the carved oak MI chest with drawer, from the early 18th century, which was estimated at $6,000-$8,000 and sold for $31,250. This chest is intricately decorated with flat tulip and leaf carvings as well as the initials MI carved into the center panel. The Atten collection exemplified the earliest known American Colonial decorative arts. A passionate and dedicated group of collectors competed vigorously. The items were rare, and bidders enjoyed this unique opportunity to add to their collections, said Stephen Fletcher, Skinners chief auctioneer and director of American furniture and decorative arts. Another highlight from the sale was a carved oak Bible box, which was estimated at $2,000-$4,000 and sold for $17,500. The wooden box was made in the 17th century, and the interlocking lunettes on the exterior of the box connect to the history of Hingham, Mass., one of the first English settlements in the 1600s. The sale also included interesting and rare smaller items, which did particularly well, including a needlework-decorated walnut veneer mirror frame, England, ca. 1640, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 and sold for $6,875. The precise needle work is done on silk, depicting ornamental designs of a king and queen as well as insects, birds, fish, a unicorn, a lion, and more intricacies. Another interesting item in the sale was an early cased pair of eyeglasses, from the 18th century, which sold for $1,500. The glasses came within a hinged wooden case. To learn more, visit www.skinnerinc.com.