SOUTHERN SCHOOL, MID-19TH CSouthernSOUTHERN SCHOOL, MID-19TH CSouthern School, mid-19th c ., "Martha Shannon Blair (1831-1918)", oil on canvas, unsigned, handwritten labels with sitter information on stretcher and reverse of frame, 27 1/2 in. x 20 1/2 in., framed . Provenance: Descended in the family of the sitter; Proceeds to benefit the collections and preservation of the Hermann-Grima & Gallier Houses
AMERICAN RENAISSANCE CARVED OAK BOOKCASEAmericanAMERICAN RENAISSANCE CARVED OAK BOOKCASEAmerican Renaissance Carved Oak Bookcase , late 19th c., probably New Orleans, molded blocked lion mask cornice, figural stiles with soldier and fruit garland, arched glazed doors, shelf interior, base with two drawers, with mask pulls, two lion head shield panel doors, lion, fruit garland stiles, molded base, bun feet, h. 100 in., w. 65 in., d. 25 in. Provenance: Proceeds to benefit the collections and preservations of Hermann-Grima & Gallier House
AMERICAN RENAISSANCE CARVED OAK CABINETAmericanAMERICAN RENAISSANCE CARVED OAK CABINETAmerican Renaissance Carved Oak Cabinet , late 19th c., probably New Orleans, molded cornice, scroll and shield carved frieze, foliate stiles, two glazed doors, shelf interior, cabochon and fruit lower drawer, gadrooned base, h. 97 in., w. 64 1/2 in., d. 19 3/4 in . Provenance: Proceeds to benefit the collections and preservation of Hermann-Grima & Gallier Houses
An American Rococo Carved Rosewood DuchesseAn American Rococo Carved Rosewood Duchesse Dressing Table mid-19th c. probably New Orleans serpentine mirror with shell crest bracket supports surmounted by urn finials shaped marble top conforming frieze drawer C scrolled legs joined by X stretcher urn finial casters height 66 1/2 in. length 47 in. width 22 1/2 in. Provenance: Descended in a New Orleans family; found en suite with preceding lot. Note: The mirror frame proportions legs and stretchers on this lot are nearly identical to those on a duchesse de-accessioned from the Bayou Bend Collection Houston and sold by Neal Auction Company as lot 149 on September 12 2009; The Bayou Bend duchesse was accompanied by a copy of a letter to Miss Ima Hogg from Frank Kane 600 Royal Street dated April 25 1957 describing its origins from warerooms of (Francois) Seignouret and as being "presented to Miss Octavie Roman niece of Governor of Louisiana (1831-1835 1839-1841) upon her marriage to Philip Buchanan son of Judge Buchanan; the original owners of Oak Alley Plantation in St. James Parish at Vacherie Louisiana". The Rococo Revival dressing table or "duchesse" form is rare and was a specialty form made by a variety of American cabinetmakers generally for the Southern market. Interestingly this form is seen often in lower Mississippi River Valley collections (including Herman-Grima and Gallier Houses the Louisiana State Museum and Lansdowne in Natchez; another example from a New Orleans family sold in these rooms as lot 79 November 10 2010. Reference: Warren Brown Coleman Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection Museum of Fine Arts Houston p. 148 fig. F240. Otto American Furniture of the 19th c. pl. 286 282 291 and Scherer. New York Furniture at the New York State Museum pp. 96-97 fig. 95.
An American Rococo Carved and GrainedAn American Rococo Carved and Grained Rosewood Half-Tester Bed mid-19th c. New Orleans stepped and beaded serpentine tester containing a very fine ruche and pleated inset tapered posts paneled headboard centered by a flower filled urn cascading leaves and scrolls to the sides footboard with cabochons conforming low posts with adjustable poles for mosquito netting shaped rails height 122 in. length 78 1/2 in. width 70 in. Note: Monumental Rococo Revival beds such as the example here were made for the Southern market and proportioned for the grand rooms of houses in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. Perhaps taking inspiration from European "State Beds" these finely carved and ambitious American tester beds not only functioned with mosquito nets in summer and insulating drapes in winter but also conveyed the traditional oligarchic society where they were used. Contrasting with the "closet" scale furniture seen in New England bedrooms American Rococo tester beds were designed for a more public admiration. Many details on the bed offered here appear in other known beds including the prominent bed at Lansdowne Natchez; Gallier House New Orleans; and a bed from a White Castle Louisiana Plantation sold as lot 294 October 11 2008. Reference: The Lansdowne bed is illustrated in Otto American Furniture of the 19th Century pl. 289.
A Fine Louisiana Classical MahoganyA Fine Louisiana Classical Mahogany Bibliothèque mid-19th c. probably New Orleans beaded cornice molded frieze two glazed and paneled doors enclosing shelf interior flanked by baluster-turned and barley-twist stiles ogee plinth bracket feet height 94 in. width 59 1/2 in. depth 20 in. Note: The proportions and execution of the glazed and paneled doors on this lot are nearly identical to those on an American Classical mahogany bibliothèque from the collection of Dr. George Crozat and sold by Neal Auction Company as lot 47 at Houmas House on May 17 2003. The distinctive turned stiles and bracket feet on this bibliothèque relate to those on a mahogany washstand documented to Prudent Mallard (Sèvres/New Orleans 1809-1879) now at Gallier House in New Orleans. The beading on the cornice of this lot also relates to an additional number of known Mallard examples including the bed and armoire made for Isabel Puig now at the Louisiana State Museum and the well-known "Lansdowne" bed in Natchez. Reference: Dubrow. American Furniture of the 19th Century 1840-1880. p. 137. Otto. American Furniture of the 19th Century pl 284 285 289.
A Fine Victorian Walnut Framed BerlinA Fine Victorian Walnut Framed Berlin Woolwork and Beaded Panel c. 1875 of a geometric design worked in scarlet cross-stitch and heavily beaded with white black brown and gold pound beads length 27 in. width 12 in. Provenance: Gallier House Museum 1132 Royal Street New Orleans.
Rare New Orleans Market Bird's-Eye MapleRare New Orleans Market Bird's-Eye Maple and Walnut Five-Piece Bedroom Suite, third quarter 19th century, attributed to the warerooms of Prudent Mallard, comprised of a high-back bedstead,a dressing bureau, a single-door armoire, a washstand, and a night stand, the suite executed in bird's-eye maple veneers with contrasting walnut carving and moldings, the bed headboard with a cabochon-centered crest cartouche over shaped and rectilinear panels, supported by turned posts capped by finials, h. 80", inside w. 61-1/2", l. 83", outside w. 70", l. 88-1/4", the armoire with a similar integral crest over a single door framed by ogee moldings and flanked by distinctive segmented twist turnings at the corners, with a full-width drawer below, h. 103-1/2", w. 57-1/2", d. 28", the dressing bureau in two parts, with a shaped mirror beneath a similar crest, the case with a marble top, a projecting molded drawer over a pair of drawers framed by ogee moldings and a slipper drawer below, the pair of drawers flanked by segmented twist turnings, h. 97", w. 47-1/2", d. 21-3/4", the washstand with a white marble top over a molded drawer, with a pair of doors below, h. 31-1/2", w. 41", d. 22", the nightstand with a dished marble top, a drawer and cupboard door below, h. 33", w. 19-1/4", d. 17-1/2", the suite retaining its original surface. Pieces in this pattern surface occasionally in mahogany, rosewood and walnut. Individual pieces executed in maple with contrasting walnut have rarely been found. The headboard and rail brackets of this bed are very similar to those on the documented suite in the Gallier House, New Orleans, Louisiana. The case pieces also share the distinctive segmented corner moldings and similar overall form.