Elizabeth Muir

What is your current position at Bonhams?

I am Head of Department for American Furniture & Decorative Art. My role focuses on bringing the unique stories of American craftsmanship to light through our auctions.

Our next American Furniture & Decorative Arts sale will take place on 31 January.

Thinking of selling your American Furniture & Decorative Art collection? Submit your artworks online for a free auction estimate.

Where are you from? And what inspired you to go into the auction world?

I’m from Illinois and was lucky enough to grow up in a Frank Lloyd Wright house, which sparked my early love of design and craft. Living in a space that was so thoughtfully made left a lasting impact on how I view art and objects.

What did you study?

I had the great privilege of getting to study itinerant and early American folk art in graduate school under Dr. David Jaffee. I learned about how the growing rural elite of the 18^th and 19^th centuries sought to display their refinement through portraits, and getting to study self-taught geniuses like William Mathew Prior, Ammi Phillips, and Joshua Johnson was such a joy.

What is exciting to you about your field?

There’s a renewed energy in Americana right now. I’m seeing younger collectors drawn to antique objects with a sense of history, wanting to engage with something tangible in an increasingly digital world. They are craving a sense of history in the works they own. It’s exciting to introduce these pieces to new audiences who appreciate their stories and significance.

What was the last museum you visited?

I went to the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts. There is a 1794 Shaker building on site, along with an incredible collection of Shaker furniture. I am such a huge fan of Shaker design as such a uniquely American expression of the adage “Less is More.” You can see in objects like their dining tables the way that the clean lines let the beauty of the material shine.

What is your strength as a specialist?

My strength is in my passion for the material as well as my deep understanding of the making processes. I’m dedicated to honoring artisans, even when their names are lost to history, and giving their work the recognition it deserves.

Which work of art has changed your life?

During my fellowship at Historic Deerfield, we had to sit in front of a work of art in the Museum of Fine Art Boston for an hour as an exercise in looking. I selected John Singer Sargent’s “The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit”. What a luxury it is to spend an hour in front of such a work of genius! I still think about the pattern of the parquet floors, and the play of light on the glaze of the vases. This experience reinforced my desire to work with and study objects, appreciating the power of taking the time to really see.

Contact Elizabeth Muir on elizabeth.muir@bonhams.com or +19172061658