The on-site absolute auction will be held in Ethelsville, Ala., a few miles from Columbus, Miss.
(ETHELSVILLE, Ala.) – “There’s too much great stuff!” lamented Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company. He was referring to the upcoming on-site liquidation of the contents of Nostalgia Furniture, nationally known furniture makers. The auction was originally slated for April 30, but because the inventory yielded such a huge trove of items, a second day was added.
Now, the sale will take place April 29-30, on County Road 53 North in Ethelsville, Ala., located just a few miles outside Columbus, Miss., on U.S. Highway 82. It will be an absolute auction, meaning everything sells, regardless of price. “Folks need to come with trucks, ready to buy,” Mr. Stevens said. “This is solid, heavy, quality furniture. You won’t find better anywhere.”
Following are just some of the items to be sold. In many instances, there are more than one example of the piece described. All pieces will be sold as individual lots, with no reserves.
Bidders will be awestruck by the long row of mahogany half tester queen-size beds, each one 8 feet 11 inches tall. Other beds include three mahogany swan sleigh beds, in king and queen sizes; a queen-size mahogany plantation-style poster bed; a pair of Mission-style carved full-size mahogany beds; a mahogany queen-size Mallard-style bed; and three king-size teak carved beds.
Tables will feature a teakwood refractory table, two inches thick and 40 inches by 72 inches (similar pieces are selling on eBay for $1,800-$2,500 each); a Mission trestle table with one leaf; mahogany banquet tables ranging in size from 6 feet 10 inches to 15 feet 3 inches; a pair of mahogany 10-foot-long trestle tables, both 41 inches wide; a banquet table with one leaf and 2-pedestal base (44 inches by 94 inches); and 200 Chippendale 60-inch round dining tables.
Chairs will include over 100 Chippendale dining chairs with carved back and egg carvings on the knee and ball-and-claw feet; 75 Chippendale armchairs with claw feet and flower corners; 170 Chippendale side chairs with claw feet and flower corners; 14 teak Normandy ladder-back armchairs with rush bottoms; 33 teak Normandy ladder-back side chairs with rush bottoms; a Chippendale lion’s head armchair with claw feet; and other chairs in varying styles.
Also featured will be six teak hutches (46 inches by 84 inches); three large mahogany breakfronts with beveled glass doors (8 feet 7 inches tall by 8 feet wide); two mahogany Villagio curved glass curio cabinets that light up when touched (7 feet 6 inches tall by 49 inches wide); three Davenport sailors’ desks; and three Queen Anne teak hutches (two drawers, 7 feet tall).
Still more offerings will feature a gorgeous Mission-style entertainment center; six-piece mahogany entertainment center sets; six mahogany linen presses (8 feet tall by 38 inches wide); a large mahogany breakfront (8 feet 6 inches tall by 8 feet wide); and other fine furniture pieces.
Decorative accessories will include a heavily carved oval hanging wall mirror with full body figures (76 inches tall by 54 inches wide); a Victorian-style heavily carved picture frame (27 inches by 34 inches); and a pair of cast iron garden chairs with teakwood accents, 28 inches wide and featuring dog’s head arms; and more. In all, about 400 quality items will change hands.
Nostalgia Furniture started from humble beginnings in 1990, when Mike and Martha Ellis, who were already retired, decided they might like to open a furniture shop in downtown Columbus, Miss. After seeing a collection of Indonesian furniture in Atlanta, they were hooked. They opened the one store in Columbus, and later added a second location, in Birmingham, Ala.
Never settling for anything less than the very best, the Ellises would personally travel to Indonesia, to learn for themselves how to make a better product for their discriminating clients. After taking on a business partner from San Francisco, the couple began working from a factory, which at one time employed about 250 highly trained professional artisans. Quality was job one.
At the peak of their success, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis were shipping between 200 and 300 pieces per week. Each one was a superior, high-quality product.
Eventually, the Ellises oversaw operations in North Carolina, Georgia, California and Mississippi, and they were featured in several nationally known magazines for their contributions to the furniture industry in the U.S.
Ironically, it was not a downturn in the economy or a drop-off in demand for product that led to the demise of the business. Rather, it was events and complications following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. These caused the Ellises’ investment in Jakarta, Indonesia to run into a number of deep and troubling disruptions. They eventually led to the closing of their Indonesian venture.
All of the furniture to be sold April 29-30 was manufactured at the peak of the business’s success. Each piece has been made from kiln-dried mahogany and teakwood, and every one is top-quality and intended to last a lifetime. The furniture may be viewed at open house previews planned for Friday, April 22, from 10-6, and April 29-30 prior to the start of the auction. Auction times will be Friday, April 29, from 1-7 p.m., and Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. until finished.
For auction information, and to view many of the items to be offered in the April 29-30 auction, please log on to www.stevensauction.com. For additional information, or to order a free color brochure, call (662) 369-2200, or send an e-mail to [email protected]. No Internet bidding will be available at the sale, but telephone and absentee bids will be accepted.
Terms will be cash, all major credit cards and pre-approved checks. All sales will be final, with no warranty expressed or implied. A 12 percent buyer’s premium will be charged on each total purchase price, with a 2 percent discount for cash, business and personal checks with proper ID, or wire transfers. A 7 percent sales tax will apply to all purchases, with exceptions.
Stevens Auction Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly, at (662) 369-2200; or, you can e-mail them at [email protected].
To learn more about Stevens Auction Company and the upcoming April 29-30 on-site auction, log on to www.stevensauction.com