Headlining the sale will be significant estate items from Bloomington, Ill., and Montclair, N.J.
(ABERDEEN, Miss.) – A mammoth two day multi-estate sale consisting of around 800 quality lots of merchandise will be held the weekend of Feb. 15-16 by Stevens Auction Company in the firm’s gallery located at 609 North Meridian Street in Aberdeen. Many of the lots may be viewed at www.stevensauction.com. Internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.
Museum-quality period Empire sideboard attributed to Anthony Quervelle, made circa 1830
Headlining the event will be two major estates. They are the lifetime clock collection of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Johnson of Bloomington, Ill., and merchandise pulled from a 12,000-square-foot mansion in Montclair, N.J., known as “Daybreak.” Select items from three other prominent estates will also be sold. Start times will be 4 p.m. (CST) on Feb. 15 and 10 a.m. on Feb. 16.
“This promises to be the highest concentration of quality items we have sold in years,” said Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company. “The merchandise ranges from nearly 100 vintage clocks, all in good working order, to a museum-quality Anthony Quervelle sideboard to a marble-top rococo center table by Alexander Roux to a genuine 19th century vampire killing kit.”
The Friday, Feb. 15 session will be dedicated mostly to clocks, from the Johnson collection. Mr. Johnson collected, repaired and restored clocks, and he owned examples by many of the world’s most prominent makers, such as Eli Terry, Seth Thomas and Ansonia. In all, about 90 clocks will change hands. Porcelains and smalls, also from the Johnsons, will be sold as well.
Stevens Auction Company is no stranger to vampire killing kits, the curious late 19th and early 20th century kits needed to dispatch unwanted vampires. The firm has sold several of the kits at previous auctions, attracting nationwide attention in the process. The kit being offered includes a cross, wood mallet, candles, mirror, rosary, black gun powder, Bible and wood stakes.
The period Empire sideboard attributed to Anthony Quervelle (1789-1865), the renowned French-born Philadelphia furniture maker, features original gold stenciling, cut glass doors and acanthus carving on the sides. The piece measures 6 feet long, 42 inches tall and 24 inches in diameter. It was made circa 1830. “This sideboard truly belongs in a museum,” Mr. Stevens said.
The monumental rosewood rococo marble center table with detailed carved fruit basket, attributed to Alexander Roux, was made circa 1855 and is one of several Roux lots in the sale. Also offered will be a rare set of six walnut Victorian dining chairs in mint condition, heavily carved; and a rococo banquet dining table with claw feet that will stretch to 14 feet 6 inches.
Pieces by other superior 19th century American furniture makers will also cross the block. These will include a scarce rosewood recamier by John H. Belter in the Fountain Elms pattern and in mint condition, laminated, 6 feet long by 4 feet tall (circa 1850); and a rosewood marble-top dresser with pierced carved mirror frame and crown, signed Thomas Brooks (circa 1870).
The makers J. & J.W. Meeks will be represented, with a rosewood rococo roll-top desk with round front drawers and gallery top, 53 inches tall; a rosewood rococo secretary desk with pierced carved crown and carving on the doors, 9 feet 2 inches tall; and a rosewood laminated rococo arm parlor chair and recamier, both in the Stanton Hall pattern and both made circa 1855.
Also by Meeks is a marvelous four-piece laminated rosewood rococo parlor suite in the Hawkins pattern, consisting of a sofa (66 inches long by 49 inches tall), arm chair and two side chairs (circa 1855). Also sold (not by Meeks) will be a lovely 4-piece mahogany acanthus carved bedroom suite, featuring a tall poster bed, large dresser, dressing table and highboy (circa 1880).
Antique lighting items will include a metal Art Nouveau landing light of a lady with grapes, 64 inches tall, with black marble base, extremely rare for its size (circa 1920); a 19th century astral gasolier with original gold gilding, made by Caldwell for the “Daybreak” mansion; and a set of six 19th century astral gas wall sconces, made to match the aforementioned gasolier.
Decorative accessories will feature a pair of 16-inch-tall Louis Philippe cobalt blue porcelain urn form vases, mounted on elaborate dore bronze bases and with bronze mounting; a rare 19th century Sevres clock in urn form, hand painted and artist signed, 26 inches tall; and a fine Louis XIV-style silver plate and carved trestle base trolley, 42 inches tall, made circa 1890.
A two-day open house will be held on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 14-15, from 10-7 both days, at which bidders can view the lots and plan their strategy for the next two days. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. A 15 percent buyer’s premium will be charged on the total purchase price with a 2 percent discount for cash, business or personal checks and wire transfers.
After this sale, Stevens Auction Company will sell the estate of the late Mrs. Earlean S. Bowen, on back-to-back weekends (April 6 and 13). A second weekend day may be added to one or both of those dates. Four days may be required to sell all of Ms. Bowen’s vast collections. The ‘Antiques Lady,’ as she was affectionately called, amassed a huge inventory over her 95 years.
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 Feb. 15-16 multi-estate auction, log on to www.stevensauction.com