Savannah’s Everard Auctions Presents Paintings, Jewelry And Furniture From Premier Southern Estates And Collections, June 20-21

Featured: Newly authenticated Sanford Robinson Gifford Hudson River landscape, John J Audubon ‘White Heron,’ outsider art, Rolex watches, diamonds, fine American and French silver

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The carefully curated selections featured in Everard Auctions’ June 20-21 Southern Estates and Collections online auction exemplify centuries of excellence and quality across a broad range of fine and decorative art. Highlights include a newly discovered and expertly authenticated waterscape by Sanford Robinson Gifford, John J Audubon’s White Heron, a sizable collection of outsider art, sterling silver, mid-century modern furniture, Asian art, jewelry, watches and autographed sports collectibles. 

Fine Art

One of the auction’s premier art entries is Hudson River Scenery, an 1858 oil on canvas on board by the revered Luminist and landscape painter Sanford Robinson Gifford (American 1823-1880). Gifford was a prominent second-generation Hudson River Valley School artist and a founder of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. In fact, he was such an icon of his day that he was posthumously honored with The Met’s first monographic retrospective and a memorial catalogue of his known paintings. 

Gifford’s Hudson River Scenery was recently inspected and authenticated by the leading Sanford R. Gifford scholar, Dr. Ila Weiss, who wrote, “It was a surprise and especially delightful for me to encounter this painting as I have been intimately familiar with a half-size oil study for it for many years and had no idea until now that it existed.” She went on to say, “The most significant change between the study and your developed image is the effect of warmly tinted aerial-luminosity, a Gifford stylistic hallmark … The veiling effect of warm, late afternoon light suffusing the landscape not only unifies the image but conveys sentiment: the artist’s deep affection for characteristic American scenery on return home from his first trip abroad of 1855–1857.” The artwork measures 10¾ inches by 19 15/16 inches and has an auction estimate of $60,000-$80,000. It will open for bidding at $45,000. 

Most would agree that nothing else looks quite like a genuine Audubon print. Artist and naturalist John J. Audubon (French/American, 1785-1851) spent many a winter in the Southern states, identifying birds and sketching species in the wild. Those artworks became part of his magnum opus, The Birds of America, and were instrumental to the 1905 establishment of the National Audubon Society, an organization dedicated to conservation and the restoration of natural ecosystems. Audubon’s dedication and astonishing artistic ability educated the 19th-century world about a side of America that didn’t exist in the big city. Everard is pleased to offer at auction a superlative Audubon print titled White Heron (and Horned Agama). It is a hand-colored, watermarked aquatint on elephant folio paper from an 1837 Havell edition. With an opening bid of $15,000, it is expected to sell in the range of $25,000-$35,000.

The June 20-21 auction also includes a large collection of outsider art, so named because it was created by self-taught or “naïve” artists who had little to no interaction with traditional artistic conventions. Notably, there are several works by Jimmy Lee Sudduth (Alabama, 1910-2007) and Howard Finster (Georgia, 1916-2001). Sudduth’s 48- by 24-inch paint-on-board artwork titled Riding a Bike is estimated at $1,000-$2,000 with an opening bid of $600; while Finster’s 1995 mixed-media work titled Mr. Coke, measuring 48 by 20½ inches, is estimated at $3,000-$5,000 with a starting bid of $1,800. Other outsider artists represented in the sale include R.A. Miller, Annie Tolliver, Leonard Jones, Amos Ferguson, Allen Fireall, Kipling Collins, J.T. McCord, Eric Legge, Brian Andreas, Purvis Young and Brian Dowdall. 

Decorative Art, Fine Jewelry and Collectibles

There are many examples of fine sterling silver in this auction, including a Georg Jensen “Grape” motif sterling silver tazza, 10½ inches by 10 inches, which is estimated at $4,000-$6,000 with a starting bid of $2,400. Designs by Jacques Favres, Puiforcat and Odiot comprise a beautiful array of French silver chosen for the sale. Other silver highlights include a large collection of Burmese silver, including a variety of betel boxes; and a pair of large Georgian silverplate wine coolers.

The fine jewelry selection includes a ladies 14K white gold and diamond bracelet with a total diamond weight of approximately 7 carats. This exceptional wrist sparkler is estimated at $5,000-$8,000 with a starting bid of $3,000. There are also two highly desirable men’s Rolex watches. A Rolex gold and stainless steel Oyster Perpetual Date Submariner, boxed and accompanied by its manual, is estimated at $4,000-$6,000 with a starting bid of $2,400; while a Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master gold and diamond watch is estimated at $6,000-$9,000 with an opening bid of $3,600. 

Coveted collectibles include two pieces of sports memorabilia signed by legendary athletes. A baseball autographed by Hall of Fame Yankee sluggers Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio will cross the auction block with a $1,000-$1,500 estimate and a starting bid of $800. The ball comes with a PSA/DNA Certificate of Authenticity and is presented in PSA Plexiglas display box There’s also an Arnold Palmer putter, autographed by the immortal golfer on the grip, which will tee up with an auction estimate of $300-$500 and a starting bid of $175.

Furniture

Furniture highlights include a circa-1780 stained beechwood settee attributed to Thomas Chippendale Jr., which has an auction estimate of $2,000-3,000 and a $1,200 reserve. Other late-18th-century furniture includes a circa-1760 George III mahogany library armchair, which is estimated at $800-$1,200 with a $500 reserve.

Another stately piece of furniture is a 74½-inch European cabinet crafted from exotic wood, possibly bois de violette, and estimated at $1,500-$2,500 with a $900 reserve. Mid-century modern furniture offerings include an Eames for Herman Miller chair and ottoman, $2,000-$3,000, reserve $1,200; a set of four Eames for Herman Miller chairs, $300-$500, reserve $175; and a pair of Wassily for Knoll chairs, $600-800, reserve $350.

Both sessions of Everard’s June 20-21, 2023 auction will start at 10 am EST. Bid absentee or live online via Everard, LiveAuctioneers, Bidsquare or Invaluable. No in-person gallery bidding. The public is welcome to attend the preview reception on June 15 from 5-7 pm at Everard Auctions’ gallery, with additional previewing available from 9-5 or by appointment on June 15, 16 and 19. For additional information on any item in the auction, call 912-231-1376 or email [email protected]. Everard Auctions & Appraisals is located at 2436 Waters Ave., Savannah, GA 31404. Visit the company’s website at http://www.everard.com/.