ABERDEEN, MISS.- A stunning circa 1890 11-piece mahogany R.J. Horner dining suite with cupids and a rare, museum-quality rococo rosewood fire screen in mint condition are just two of the many important lots set to cross the auction block on Saturday, February 20th by Stevens Auction Company, online and live at the Aberdeen gallery located at 609 North Meridian Street.

The auction will kick off at 10 am Central time and features three of the most prominent antique collections in the entire Southeast. “Many of these items have been in the same families for over 140 years and are rare items not usually sold at auction,” said Dwight Stevens, owner of Stevens Auction Company. “The 500 items to be sold were personally hand-picked by me for this event.”

Period American furniture will be featured prominently in the sale, including marvelous pieces by prolific makers such as J.H. Belter, J.&J. W. Meeks, Thomas Brooks, Prudence Mallard, R.J. Horner, Anthony Quervelle, Mitchell & Rammelsberg, Stickley, Sigournet, A. Roux, Pottier & Stymus, John Jelliff, George Henkel, Herter Brothers, Elijah Galusha and George Hunzinger.

The Horner dining room suite is truly spectacular and includes a table with five 12-inch leaves, a china cabinet, a deluxe double-mirror sideboard, two servers (one crystal) and six armchairs. “This suite has only had two owners in its entire 125-year life,” Stevens said, “and it’s important to note that it’s an exact match suite. Even the feet match, which is rare.” (est. $35,000-$75,000).

As for the rosewood fire screen, Stevens called it “the finest piece of Victorian rococo I’ve seen in 40 years.” Measuring 55 inches tall by 38 inches wide, the fire screen has a pre-sale estimate of $15,000-$30,000. All the lots in the sale can be seen at an open house preview scheduled for Friday, Feb. 19, from 10-6. For information call 662-369-2200 or visit www.stevensauction.com.

In addition to the fine furniture, there are other tantalizing lots to consider, such as a 191-piece set of Old Paris dinnerware, deep burgundy and gold with large serving pieces, in great condition (est. $6,000-$9,000); and a 19th century equestrian-themed, 15-piece Syllabub punch set with Moser amber and enameled fruit and garland bowl, with 12 pedestal glasses (est. $5,000-$8,000).

There are also three classic cars in the auction, all of them sweet rides. They are as follows:

• An all-original and adorable 1962 Nash Metropolitan convertible, turquoise blue and white, in fine running condition, kept inside and with no rust (est. $12,000-$22,000).




• A 1941 Ford pickup street rod with new yellow paint, a new 383 Stroker Chevrolet engine, 700 R overdrive transmission, all-steel body, new tires (est. $25,000-$40,000).

• A 2014 Jaguar, that year’s biggest “cat” for options, 4-doors, 540 hp V8 engine, only 55,000 miles with new tires, double sun roof, service records (est. $25,000-$35,000).

Back to furniture: Pieces by J. & J.W. Meeks will feature two rosewood rococo chairs in the Stanton Hall pattern, being sold as separate lots (each est. $2,000-$3,500); two rosewood rococo laminated parlor sofas, also in the Stanton Hall pattern and also being sold as separate lots (est. $3,500-$5,000, $1,500-$2,500); and a heavily carved rococo center table (est. $2,500-$4,500).

A mahogany partners desk by R.J. Horner with carved full body wing griffins has an estimate of $5,000-$10,000; a walnut rococo recamier, beautifully carved on the back with serpentine seat and gold silk upholstery attributed to Boudoine, is estimated at $1,500-$2,500; and an Alexander Roux heavily carved sofa with barley twist and pink upholstery should command $2,500-$4,000.

A gorgeous walnut Renaissance high-back oversize bed with burl trim and heavily carved crest, 9 feet 5 inches in height, all original and attributed to Thomas Brooks, is expected to realize $5,000-$7,500; while a rosewood rococo heavily carved marble-top dresser by P. Mallard, with original finish and pure white marble, 92 inches tall by 48 inches wide, should hit $3,500-$6,000.

A round parlor center table with inlay by Herter Brothers, 36 inches in diameter, should fetch $1,500-$3,000; a very early Jackson press, made in Tennessee or Kentucky, 87 inches tall, has an estimate of $1,200-$1,500; and a pair of rosewood Victorian armchairs with head-on-arms, attributed to John Jelliff, will be offered as separate lots, each with an estimate of $800-$1,500.

A rosewood rococo marble-top dresser with a beautifully carved mirror surround and large hand-carved pulls by Elijah Galusha, 7 feet 8 inches tall, in outstanding condition, is expected to reach $1,200-$2,000. Also, a rosewood rococo slant-front secretary, all original, with carved crown and carved wood pulls, 8 feet 11 inches tall by 45 inches wide, should gavel for $3,000-$5,000.

Decorative accessories are also plentiful and will feature a gold gilded Victorian over-the-mantel mirror, extra wide at 83 inches and 69 inches tall (est. $1,500-$2,500); and a brass Egyptian six-light lamp with etched pink shades on a sphinx base, 32 inches in height (est. $1,000-$2,000).

One of the more intriguing lots in the sale is a rare Tennessee court document, dated June 18, 1822, signed by future President James Knox Polk during his time as a lawyer in Maury County (est. $3,000-$5,000). The document, signed “James K. Polk, Atty. for Pltff”, records that Polk received from Sheriff Nimrod Porter the sum of $206.98 at the courthouse in Columbia, Tenn.