Auction Details
<p>The auction features a diverse group of decorative and fine arts. Session One includes a Historical Ephemera section with an offering of African-American Ephemera inc. 18th & 19th C. books, pamphlets, photography, prints & ephemera concerning abolition & slavery. Photography inc. daguerreotypes of outdoor scenes, fireman, portraits, ambrotypes, & union cases will be sold. Civil War period items will include a CDV album containing officers & men of 3rd Michigan Infantry, other CDV’s, 1856 letter from USS Merrimac, autograph of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and photograph of Lincoln on battlefield at Antietam, as well as political ephemera, early imprints, and advertising pieces. Estate jewelry will include watches such as Breitling and Patek Philippe as well as many platinum and white gold lady’s watches set with diamonds. There will be a fine Cartier multiple strand pearl necklace and many rings, brooches, and bracelets with gemstones. Another category included in the jewelry auction is Mexican craftsman silver. There is some earlier jewelry in the auction as well including an outstanding enamel and diamond portrait brooch. This collection will be followed by the Fine Art auction. Some notable artists included in this auction are Roy Nuse, Arthur Meltzer, Walter E. Baum, Emile Gruppe, Anthony Thieme, Antonio P. Martino, Walter Koeniger, E. D. Lewis, F. D. Briscoe, and J.G. Tyler.
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Session Two is highlighted by the George Gordon Meade Collection. Included in this collection is a large grouping of documents, photographs, books, and other items that have remained in possession of the Meade family for over 100 years. This family grouping represents one of the largest Meade related archives that is not currently held by a private or governmental institution. The collection itself was gathered and preserved by General Meade and his son, George Meade Jr., who was also a military officer and served on his father’s staff during the American Civil War. The collection was subsequently passed down to direct descendants that have cared for the items for over a century since George Meade Jr.’s death in 1892. This is the first public offering of items from this historical collection. The most important item in this collection is General George Gordon Meade’s commission for Brigadier General in the Regular Army that was issued to date from July 3, 1863 for the services he rendered at Gettysburg. This vellum document is in pristine condition, is contained in its original tin container, and bears the signature of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States. This collection will be followed be a fine grouping of American and English furniture. Highlighting this grouping is a New England tiger maple chest on chest in its first finish, and several tall case clocks inc. John Hagey, Germantown, PA, Daniel Sheid, Sumneytown, PA, and several others. Following this, many decorative accessories will cross the block inc. textiles, folk art, porcelain, glass, silver, mantel clocks, Chinese Export, Japanese porcelain and bronze, carved religious ivory figures and much more.