Nameless Art + Design Show

February 5, 2025

The next time you're looking for something interesting and inspiring to do, consider attending an art show. It's a great way to appreciate and support the creativity and hard work of the artists involved.

Last week, my operations manager, Matt Krack, attended the second annual Nameless Art + Design Show in New York City. This show focuses on the works of unknown American makers between the years 1600 and 1970. Two dozen dealers from around the country participated in this year's event. Many of the pieces exhibited were utilitarian such as furniture and business supplies. There were also paintings, sculptures, textiles, and children's toys - all made by unknown, little-known, and possibly forgotten crafts people.

Enjoy these photos.

: The show was held in Chelsea, a downtown neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan. While it is largely residential, it is also a center for art and includes more than 200 different galleries.

: This booth was presented by Warren Battle based in Hudson, New York.

: Among Warren’s pieces was a carved and painted owl decoy with shotgun shell eyes. It was made in the early 20th century.

: This is a 19th century folk art wooden horse toy made with a real horse hair tail.

: Another toy on display was this wooden elephant with movable legs surrounded by other wooden animal friends.

: Matt picked up this piece – a charming berry box. Also made by hand by someone unknown.

: Other works were by little known craftsmen. This antique miniature cut-paper silhouette is signed by TB Gray, circa 1866. This fine work was presented by Portmanteau Antiques. Paper cutting art was referred to as a “scherenschbitte,” which is German for ‘scissor snips.’ The practice began in the United States with German immigrants in Pennsylvania.

: This piece caught Matt’s eye. It was shown by dealer Cathy McLaurin and John Osorio Buck of Labor and Glean who noted that it was purchased in Alabama, but nothing was known about the artist who made it. The entire piece is painted and decorated – even the undersides.

: This piece was shown by Adam Irish, Antiques & Americana. The designer is unknown and shows a half man – half lighthouse wooden sculpture.

: Scott Filar and Joy O’Shell had this fun object – a business promotional sign for Family Protein Centers. It was built using scraps – dowels, a toy, individual glass letters, and wood. It focuses on the nutrition pyramid of the 1950s which included eggs, meat and milk.

: This was from the Evan Grant booth – a steamship etching on coal, circa 1920. Perhaps the artist was a sailor who carved it during his service on the ship.

: On the wall, Evan displayed handmade, and well-used game boards.

: Aarne Anton displayed this handmade cabinet on the left clearly marked with “keep out” and “medicine” with drawings of a horse and skeleton, possibly used for veterinary and other large animal remedies. On the right, handmade invention drawings and sketches from 1936 through 1956 done by Stephen Gecik Gessig.

: This piece is a handmade clam basket from Maine, offered by South Road.

: On this handmade wooden table – a blue ceramic sculpture of a woman on cardboard.

: This piece is from South Road Antiques. It is a concrete woman decorated with glitter from the late 19th century. It was found in Connecticut – maker unknown.

: Also from South Road Antiques – a group of whimsies in the style of Wilhelm Schimmel. The carver is noted to be from Pennsylvania.

: Other objects included these small figurines – wooden and articulated, possibly toys, but very detailed.

: This toy truck was created with very detailed axels and wooden sides. Notice the seats – they’re even “upholstered” with scraps of carpet.

: And this was salvaged from an Odd Fellows Lodge, an international fraternity. Visitors to this establishment would write on small tags and hang them from this handmade stand.

: And this bird was made by Joseph Bernier, a French-Canadian lumberjack who was crippled by a fallen tree accident and started carving to support himself and his family. He wasn’t a well-known artist, but some of his pieces have been shown in museums and other antiques shops.