The lifelong antique collection of Bill and Betty Murphy, who traveled for years buying fine items to fill their 10,000-square-foot home situated on a high bluff overlooking the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana, will be sold on Saturday, July 31st, at 10 am Central time, by Stevens Auction Company, online and live in the Aberdeen gallery at 609 North Meridian Street.
“This auction contains the best lamp collections we have ever sold, plus rare and unusual antique furniture, Persian rugs, china, clocks, fine porcelains, mantel mirrors, collectibles and other fine home furnishings,” said Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company. “We trucked everything in the Murphys’ beautiful mansion home in Indiana to our gallery to make this auction possible.”
The estate also contains items from the prolific furniture makers J. H. Belter, J. & J. W. Meeks, Thomas Brooks, Purdent Mallard, R. J. Horner, Anthony Quervelle, Mitchell & Rammelsberg, Pottier and Stymus, John Jelliff and Elijah Galusha. In all, more than 500 items will come up for bid, nearly all of it from the Murphy collection. Open house is Friday, July 30th, from 10am-6pm.
With a robust pre-sale estimate of $20,000-$35,000, a strong candidate for top lot of the auction is a beautifully carved 19th century white marble statue of a fawn in wonderful condition, 36 inches tall. Also up for bid will be a marble statue of a classical maiden standing on rock work, 33 inches in height by 14 inches wide (estimate: $1,500-$2,500); and a lovely mahogany figural pedestal with a boy eating grapes, 36 inches tall by 12 inches in width (estimate: $800-$1,200).
Beds will feature a rosewood rococo half tester plantation bed with roses carved on arm supports, with carvings on headboard and tester crest, attributed to P. Mallard (estimate: $8,500-$15,000); and a walnut Victorian high back bed attributed to Mitchell & Rammelsberg (estimate: $1,200-$2,000). Also up for bid will be a rounded mahogany heavily carved parlor sofa by Karpen, with a dragon carved in the back, dolphin arms, leather with a tufted back (estimate: $2,000-$3,000).
Other fine pieces attributed to Mitchell & Rammelsberg will include a rosewood heavily carved marble-top dresser, premium-grade, 88 ½ inches tall by 56 inches wide (estimate: $2,000-$3,000); a mahogany Victorian two-door wardrobe with finial and pierced carved crown, 10 feet 3 inches tall by 55 inches wide, in as-found condition (estimate: $1,500-$2,000); and a walnut Victorian marble-top dresser with bow front, 9 feet 4 inches tall (estimate: $1,000-$1,800).
Marvelous decorative accessories will be offered in abundance and will include the following:
– A pair of 19th century royal blue porcelain Old Paris mantel vases with gold decoration and roses, each vase 17 inches tall (estimate: $1,200-$1,800).
– A French marble clock with gold sphinx on top, 16 ½ inches tall (estimate: $1,000-$2,000).
– A monumental oil lamp with original matching shade with a hand-painted owl, in great condition (estimate: $1,200-$1,800).
– A pair of triangular perfumers (cologne bottles) with gilding and winged swans, by Jacob Petit, with a portrait of a man and a woman (estimate: $600-$1,200).
Returning to furniture, a set of twelve rare walnut Egyptian Revival dining chairs attributed to Alexander Roux, each chair 55 inches tall, should sell for $3,000-$6,000; a walnut Victorian oversized three-door wardrobe with beautiful carving and curved ends, attributed to J. H. Belter, is expected to realize $2,500-$3,500; and a large walnut Victorian secretary with a tall bookcase, glass doors, burl trim and bracket feet, 9 feet tall by 5 feet wide, should ring up $2,000-$3,000.
Furniture pieces attributed to Thomas Brooks include a rosewood Victorian etagere with white marble top and bow front, 102 inches tall by 62 ½ inches wide (estimate: $5,000-$7,500); a large walnut Victorian sideboard with life-size deer head with antlers and a carved arm support with white marble top (estimate: $2,000-$3,500); and a rosewood rococo etagere with all original finials and crown, circa 1855, 8 feet 6 inches tall by 71 inches wide (estimate: $1,200-$2,000).
Pieces attributed to Anthony Quervelle will feature an unusual large crotch mahogany two-door linen press with carving all over and having a pierce-carved apron at the base, 70 inches tall by 27 inches wide (estimate: $2,500-$4,000); and a mahogany acanthus carved game table with acanthus carved base and dolphin feet, 28 inches tall by 3 feet wide (estimate: $1,000-$2,000).
Three furniture lots, all tables carrying lofty high estimates of $5,000, will include a rosewood rococo dressing table carved all over and attributed to P. Mallard, 77 inches tall by 44 inches wide; a rosewood rococo marble-top center parlor table attributed to Alexander Roux, with beautifully carved roses in a basket finial and apron; and a walnut Victorian banquet table with burl trim, a carved base and seven 18 ½ inch leaves, having a total length of 15 feet 10 inches.
Also up for bid will be a rosewood Victorian carved parlor cabinet with mother of pearl inlay on the door and carved bird finial, attributed to Alexander Roux, 82 inches tall by 78 inches long (estimate: $2,000-$3,500); a flame mahogany Empire mint julep cabinet in good condition with original white marble, attributed to J. & J.W. Meeks (estimate: $1,500-$3,000); and a six-piece rosewood parlor suit with like-new upholstery attributed to J. Jelliff (estimate: $1,800-$2,500).
Doors will open at 8 am on auction day, July 31st. Pictures are continually being added to the Stevens website (www.stevensauction.com), so interested parties are encouraged to check often for new additions and further information. For information not contained in the sales brochure, please call 662-369-2200 or email to stevensauction@bellsouth.net. Phone bids are welcome.
Internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Terms of payment are all major credit cards or pre-approved business or personal checks (with proper ID), or wire transfer. A 15 percent buyer’s premium will be applied to all purchases, with an extra 3 percent processing fee for credit cards. A sales tax will be charged as well, except for those with a valid state resale number. Refreshments will be served on auction day.
To learn more about Stevens Auction Company and the Spring Antique Estate Auction planned for Saturday, July 31st, visit www.stevensauction.com.