SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Turner Auctions + Appraisals will present the Grace Garcia Estate, Part 2, on Sunday, June 26, 2022. This sale features an extensive array of religious items, fine and decorative arts, and collectibles from the personal collection of the late Grace Garcia, owner of Gilroy Antiques in Gilroy, California, for over 30 years. Called Gracie by all who knew her, she was a passionate collector who traveled throughout the world, adding beautiful things along the way. This auction also includes several lots from other collectors, including paintings by William Russell Flint and Mauritz Frederik Hendrich de Haas, and groupings of character dolls and costume figures.

Items of fine art and decorative art in this sale from the trust of the Grace Garcia Estate are diverse and eclectic, mostly from the 18th to 20th centuries. This sale features a vast selection of religious items – giltwood angels and putti; monstrances; framed plaques of Christ, angels, Madonna, saints, and popes; Greek, Russian and Christian icons; table and relief altars, painted altar statues and figures; numerous crosses and crucifixes in various materials; reliquaries; sacred hearts; figurines; embroidered panels; two framed certificates of past popes; carved wood saint figures; and numerous other devotional items. Artworks include paintings by Gerrit Neven and William Rowe, and a small selection of marble busts. Among the many lots of decorative arts are porcelain boxes, vases, figures, busts and figurines; a birdcage automaton; cat or dog vases, boxes, figures and memorials; small toys; Victorian shell objects; French glass egg boxes; silver serving ware and decorative items; a Rivenc music box; rococo-style gilt candelabra; a Neoclassical-style crystal urn; a Taj Mahal tapestry; items under glass domes; and more. Rounding out the sale are early-20th-century postcard and ephemera albums; art books; and an Indian apothecary cabinet.

Turner Auctions + Appraisals begins its online auction on Sunday, June 26, 2022, at 10:30 am PDT; sale items are available for preview and bidding now. The auction will be featured live on multiple platforms: LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, Bidsquare, iCollector, and Turner Auctions + Appraisals’ free mobile app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Apps ("Turner Auctions"). All are easily accessed through ‘Upcoming Auctions’ at the company’s website.

Here are some highlights of the upcoming sale:

Lot 21: Large Russian Icon on Wood Panel, Late 19th Century. Possibly once part of an altar; oil on thick panel, depicting St. Jacob and St. Simon, the border and background tracery is carved and gilt. The slightly curved panel is formed of two vertical boards joined with two inset wood horizontal braces. Inscription on back includes: "Jacob Zavedeev(?)". 44 1/4in. x 22 1/4in. x 1 1/4in. Condition: Overall good; areas of slight wear/chipping/cracking on the figures; the bottom with an approx. 3 1/2in. crack and some chipping, and a piece of gilt approx. 1in. long on the bottom edge chipped off (but present). Estimate $800-$1,200.

Lot 27: Mauritz Frederik Hendrick De Haas (1832 - 1895) Title: Seascape with boats. Size: (Sight) 20 1/2" x 36" Signature: Signed Lower Left Medium/ Ground: Oil on canvas. Estimate $5,000-$7,000.

Lot 153: French Gilt Birdcage Automaton. The wood bottom of the cage is embossed: "Made in France." The birds open their beaks and turn their heads along with the clear cheeping sound. The bottom of the cage is lined with green felt. 20in. h. x 11in. diam. Condition: Works not warranted, may need care. The bird models are in good/clean condition. The gilt cage is in good condition with light scratches/wear. Estimate $800-$1,200.

Lot 60: Painted Wood Altar Statue of the Christ Child. The figure with arm raised in blessing, standing in an ornate altar niche. Accompanied by a crown, bracelet, rosary, and sash. 41in. h 17in. w. 14in. d Condition: There is a crack in giltwood scrolling lower left, and other wear/chipping commensurate with age, but overall good. Estimate $500-$700.

Lot 170: Rivenc Cylinder Music Box. Geneva, Circa 1875. Made for the Scottish Market, playing ten songs. According to the accompanying documents it was restored in 1989. Contained in an inlaid box. 8in. h. 24in. l 11in. d. Good condition; some small/minor scratches to box. Estimate $800-$1,200.

Lot 171: Large Gilt Brass Gothic Cathedral Reliquary. With a tall spire (22in. h.), dragon-form feet, and embellished with red and blue glass jewels. Windows are opaque pale purple glass. 40 1/4in. h. x 22in. l. x 14in. d. Condition: Very good; some wear to gilt. Estimate $600-$800.

Lot 182: Indian Embroidered Tapestry of Taj Mahal. The image of the Taj Mahal embroidered in dense silver thread on a velvet ground within a floral border, dated 1943. Framed: 45in. w. 43in. h. Condition: Very good. Estimate $500-$600.

Lot 88: Sitzendorf Porcelain Bacchante Figures, 19th C. The pair of figures on grape-covered bases, the female with gilt decanter and chalice, the male figure with tambourine and gilt horn; with blue mark of parallel crossed lines on base. Each approx. 14 1/4in. high, approx. 6 1/4in. wide at the bases. Condition: Very good, only tiny chips on leaves of female. Estimate $300-$600.




Lot 112: Carved Wood Saint Figure, and Rayed Altar Stand. The saint has remnants of paint and is missing an arm, one foot is broken but still attached to base; the figure with age cracks, including on the head. 22 3/8in. h. x 9 1/8in. w. x 9 3/8in. d. Together with a gold and silver giltwood altar stand with rays and a central medallion of a bird surrounded by three angel heads; there are two insert slots on the platform of the altar. The bottom of the platform with small cracks. 37 1/4in. h. x 27in. w. x 9in. d. Estimate $300-$500.

Lot 198: Neoclassical Style Ormolu-mounted Crystal Urn. The floral-etched and cut crystal urn vase with Greek key-shaped handles. 15 1/4in. h. x 6 1/4in. w. x 5 1/2in. diam. Condition: Good; no chips or cracks. Estimate $300-$500. (Photo, lower right)
Lot 246: Indian Bone-Inlaid Apothecary Cabinet. The drawers are inlaid with engraved bone; the sides of the cabinet with exotic wood marquetry. 25in. h. x 38 1/2in. w. x 14 1/2in. d. Condition: A few segments of inlay missing from drawers; several cracks/small losses to side marquetry; wear. $300-$500.

Lot 229: Silvered and Brass Monstrance with Lunette. The chamber frame with putti, grapevine, and wheat motif; the paw-footed stand with a sleeping sheep. A lunette is present within the chamber. Condition: Old repair on one of the bottom rays; tarnish/wear to silvered portion. Estimate $200-$400.

Lot 154: Victorian Shell and Gilt Metal Frame and Decorative Objects. The easel frame with grape and leaf decoration, and hinged shell doors opening to reveal a 19th century photograph of a girl with braided hairstyle. Together with a hinged lid shell box, and a standing shield with swords. Frame: 6 1/8in. x 5in. Box: 5 1/2in. h. x 7in. w. x 4 1/4in. d. Shield: 3 3/4in. h. All in good condition. Estimate $200-$300.

Lot 128: Silk and Gold-Embroidered Christ Child Panel. The silk figure on a gold silk oval, applied to a floral-embroidered red moiré silk panel; in a wood and molded gilt frame. 23 1/2in. x 19 1/4in. (sight); 29 1/2in x 25 1/2in. (frame). Good condition. Note for shipping: A fabric-covered wood panel is screwed to/backing the frame, adding to the weight of the piece. Estimate $200-$300.

Lot 176: Pair of Rococo Style Gilt-Metal Candelabras. The five-arm brass/bronze candelabras with milk glass and gilt flowers, wheat, vining leaves, and grapes. Each approx. 32 1/2in. h. x 15in. w. x 6in. d. Condition: Overall good; one with a bottom arm bent slightly outward; some patina/remnant wax in candleholders, some wear to gilt stands. Estimate $200-$300.

Lot 245: Pair of Large Giltwood Angels. 18th century, but gilding later. One angel with arms outstretched to the sides; the other with one arm reaching forward. 25in. h. 44in. w. 29in. h. x 42in. w. Condition: With chips, cracks, losses, and old repairs as expected with age; one wing with the tip/end broken off (but present). Estimate$1,000-$1,500.

Lot 29: Artist: William Russell (Sir William) Flint (1880 - 1969). Title: The Beach At St. Malo. Size: (Sight) 19 1/4" x 25 3/4". Signature: Signed Lower right. Year Created: 1964. Medium/Ground: Watercolor on paper. Estimate $7,000-$9,000.

GRACE GARCIA AND HER PERSONAL COLLECTION

Grace Garcia (1939-2022) was born in Campbell, California, to a family with roots in San Francisco. She graduated from Campbell High School, married in 1957, and had four children. As a young bride with a limited budget of $25 a week, Gracie could not afford to shop in stores with new furnishings. As a result, she began to pursue antiques and other beautiful old things that were less costly. While she is quoted as saying she “became a collector at birth,” Gracie began collecting in earnest in the early 1960s, shopping for beauty, not price. Over time, her collection grew dramatically, with items acquired from her travels, antique shows or stores, in advance of estate sales, or from people who knew she would appreciate their gifts.

Her job brought her further into the sphere of antiques. As manager of the Main Street Exchange in Los Gatos, California, Gracie worked until the store closed in 1989 due to the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake. Soon after, she decided to launch her own shop, Gilroy Antiques, and on her own terms: she was only open the first 20 days of each month, reserving the last 10+ days to travel the world or visit friends and family. In fact, for over 30 years, her store provided two sources of great pleasure – there she was surrounded by her antiques and met people who visited, making many friends and connections along the way.

In addition to her store and meeting people, travel was a vital part of Gracie’s life. From 1986 to 2019, she made 43 trips throughout the world. Of those, 35 were international trips – with visits to China, Russia, Mexico, myriad countries in Europe, and other places in Southeast Asia including India, which was a favorite. According to her children, David Garcia and Tika Burns, “she was fearless.” She often traveled on her own, with neither a cell phone nor a computer for assistance, and felt comfortable going anywhere, intentionally getting lost in cities to embrace the place and its culture. “She was not afraid of people or places or to buy things: if it was beautiful, she’d buy it.” In fact, Gracie would regularly travel with a big, empty suitcase filled with bubble wrap in anticipation of beautiful objects yet to come! Her newest passion, said Tika, was birdcages. Sadly, with Gracie’s passing, her planned trip in 2022 to Budapest was not to be.

A large part of Gracie’s personal collection has a religious flavor, perhaps inspired initially by the splendid works of art and adoration found in the Vatican. Although she was not religious in the traditional sense of the word, she was spiritual and embraced items from various religions around the world. She appreciated the art, dedication and craftmanship that went into the pieces. Gracie’s large house was filled with her collection, and then when it grew too large, it expanded into the apartment above her antique store. The many religious items were woven and displayed throughout her living spaces, and particularly her bedroom, where Gracie cheekily noted that she had had “more priests in her bedroom than anyone else.”

Grace Garcia was a down-to-earth, self-made woman: she paid off her house, raised a family, made countless friends, and ran a successful business. She lived for beauty, appreciated quality and value, and was an intrepid traveler. It was said her passion for antiques was surpassed only by her passion for life. Now, as her personal collection goes to auction, the acquisitions of Gracie’s life well-lived are sure to enhance the lives of others