ABERDEEN, MISS.- Stevens Auction Company will be selling three important estates on Saturday, April 9th, online and live in the gallery located at 609 North Meridian Street in Aberdeen. Offered will be lifelong collections of fine antique furniture, beautiful porcelains, handmade rugs, clocks, 19th century lighting, vintage cars, works of art and Southern finery.
“Many rare and unusual items, unparalleled in quality, will cross the auction block in this huge one-day event,” said Dwight Stevens, the owner of Stevens Auction Company. The auction will get underway at 10 am Central time. An open house preview will be held on Friday, April 8th, from 10-6. Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone bids are welcome.
A strong candidate for top lot of the auction is an incredible gilt and silvered six-arm gas light (or gasolier). It’s very ornate, with huge leaf and scroll decorations, including leaf form gas cocks, silvered flying cupids and wingspread birds. Measuring a massive 5 feet 9 inches tall by 4 feet wide, the gasolier is estimated to garner $25,000-$50,000, but it will doubtless sell for more.
There are four vehicles in the auction, including a beautiful 1984 Mercedes Benz 380 SL convertible, all original, silver with blue interior and about 93,000 miles on the odometer (est. $12,000-$18,000). The other three are vintage classics from the 1930s. They are as follows:
• A 1939 Chevy street rod with a 383 stroker engine, black with purple accents and just 24,703 miles on the odometer (est. $30,000-$45,000).
• A 1935 Ford fire engine, red (of course), completely restored, with everything intact and running perfectly (est. $15,000-$30,000).
• A gorgeous 1935 Chrysler Airstream four-door sedan, blue, all original (est. $14,000-$20,000).
The furniture category will be plentiful and will feature a mahogany Empire full tester bed signed C. Lee, enlarged to king size with new mattresses and pillows (although it can be reduced back to queen) (est. $10,000-$20,000); and a rare and monumental signed Alexander Roux mechanical rosewood four-part secretary with pierced carved crest, in excellent condition and boasting outstanding construction, 8 feet 9 inches tall by 52 inches wide (est. $6,000-$12,000).
Also in the furniture category, a mahogany hall tree with winged female arms, full lion’s feet and leather upholstery, impressive at 103 inches tall by 65 inches wide, should finish at $3,000-$6,000; while a mahogany partner’s desk with winged griffin supports, bun feet and ornate carvings attributed to the renowned cabinetmaker R. J. Horner, has an estimate of $3,000-$4,500.
Fine art will be led by an oil on canvas portrait of former Attorney General Henry Dickinson of Columbus, Miss., the father of Jacob M. Dickinson, who served as Secretary of War under Pres. William Howard Taft from 1909-1911 (est. $10,000-$35,000); a large and beautiful oil on canvas by painter-illustrator Ralph Pallen Coleman (Phila., 1892-1968), an imposing rendering of Christ as a Youth with Mary and Joseph Giving Thanks for the Food, executed in 1962, 8 feet 6 inches tall by 6 feet 7 inches wide (est. $5,000-$25,000); and a large and breathtaking oil on canvas depiction of fruit and animals, signed, in an ornate giltwood frame (est. $5,000-$8,000).
Decorative accessories will feature a lovely Sevres royal blue urn in three parts on a swivel base, with bronze mounts and gilt decorations surrounding a large central painting of a seated beauty, 3 ½ feet tall (est. $6,000-$9,000); a rare pair of Dresden compotes with cupids and reticulated floral two-part bowls, 14 inches tall (est. $2,000-$3,000); a bronze statue of a cupid or winged putti on a marble base by Auguste Moreau (Fr., 1834-1917), 27 inches tall (est. $2,000-$3,000); and a large and intricately detailed bronze of Paul Revere, 27 inches tall (est. $1,500-$3,000).
There are several fine pianos in the auction, including an historical Alois Kern piano, the Verdienst Medaille Edition (the medals being presented at the Vienna 1873 and Paris 1878 World’s Fairs), in a gorgeous rosewood art case with reticulated music rack, Victorian legs and incredible brass inlay of a spread wing eagle (est. $6,000-$12,000); and a rosewood square grand piano signed Steinway & Son, circa 1850, having great sound, plays well (est. $2,000-$4,000).
The clocks category features a fine 19th century multi-colored marble and bronze clock and obelisks, highly decorated with hieroglyphics and phoenix birds with a painted sphinx at the top of the clock (est. $3,000-$4,000); and a 19th century French enameled clock with beveled glass and curved front door, enameled feet and pendulum, made by L. Marti (est. $2,500-$3,500).
Mirrors will include a large and very ornate antique silverplate three-part mirrored plateau, 4 feet 2 inches long by 17 inches wide (est. $1,500-$7,500); a brass and marble etagere with beveled mirrors in excellent condition, 85 inches tall (est. $3,000-$5,000; and an early 19th century ornate gilded mirror with cherub and floral décor and original back, 56 inches tall (est. $2,000-$4,000).
Included in the sale will be several items from Henry Clay's museum home – “Ashland” - where they have been for over 100 years. From 1825-1829 Clay was Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams, then returned to the Senate in 1831, and again in 1849, serving a total of 16 years. Throughout his career he became a Senator, Speaker of the House and Secretary of State. He unsuccessfully ran for President three times and helped form the National Republican Party.
