Have you seen these?
Betsy is looking to examine and document furniture that was made or painted by, or in any way attributed to John Shearer or Johannes/John Spitler. She is also interested in examining manuscripts and historical documents related to either craftsman or their customers. She is specifically looking for the following pieces, but if you know of others, please contact her at Betsy.Davison@gmail.com or 703-544-7058.
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John Shearer pieces
John Spitler-painted pieces
John Shearer, Joiner
- Desk and bookcase pictured in Colonial Homes magazine, August 1993, page 93. At the time it belonged to Charles and Paulette Garber. Caption: “John Shearer of Virginia is believed to have made the walnut secretary desk about 1802. This piece has 15 secret compartments.”
- Descended in the van Metre family or Bodine family of Berkeley County, W. VA. Sold by Harry W. Yoe, auctioneer, July 3-4, 1981:

- Inscribed “John Shearer / Joiner / Martinsburgh / 1800.” Advertised in Magazine Antiques, January 1965:

- Inlay mentions the ship “Asia.” The original owner contacted Frank Horton of MESDA in the early 1980s and died in the late 1990s:

- The Traveler’s Rest desk was last known to have been sold at a Headley’s auction:

- Samuel Luckett desk. This desk was held in the “Valley Pioneer Artists” exhibit held in Winchester in 1986:

- Dining table with a incised and stained escutcheon design:

- “Eliz Filler Fame to Mars” incised in inlay:


Johannes or John Spitler, Furniture Painter
- Published in Antiques Magazine, October 1975, p. 734:

- Sold at Sotheby’s, January 24, 1987, lot 211:

Contact
Email: Betsy.Davison@gmail.com
Phone: 703-544-7058.