PANAMA CITY, Fla. Items from the estate of John Townsend Tyler – a highly decorated U.S. Marine officer and pilot who, along with his late wife Alice, accumulated many quality antiques and estate jewelry pieces prior to his passing on June 9, 2014 – will be sold by The Specialists of the South, Inc., on Saturday, Sept. 27th, in the firm’s gallery at 544 East 6th Street in Panama City.

The auction will be packed with 19th century furniture, Southwestern objects and artwork, Asian items, estate jewelry, sterling silver and collectibles by names such as Belleek, Lladro, Lalique (a Druide vase), Hummel (a Madonna and Child), Wedgwood, Royal Worcester, Royal Doulton (Tiara china), Gorham (a mixed metal tea caddy) Limoges, Spode (plates), Lenox and Steuben.

The 19th century furniture will feature a dough box, a pine dry sink, a Federal chest and a step-back cabinet. Other furniture will include stenciled furniture, wicker pieces, and a William & Mary-style corner cabinet. Also sold will be area rugs, household items (small appliances, flat screen TVs), vintage children’s books, cut and pressed glass, camera equipment and old clocks.

Thanks to Mr. Tyler’s esteemed military career, the auction will also have U.S. Naval Academy items, to include china, a ring, two chairs and a rocker. Some military books will also be sold. Other items of interest will include 43 U.S. Mint-sewn bags of state quarters, a variety of stamp plate blocks, a Gledhill early cash till, geodes and model planes.

Items from the Southwestern United States will include pottery, baskets, woven goods, artwork and turquoise and silver jewelry, all gathered by the Tylers during their many years living in Arizona. Asian lots will feature a fine selection of post-World War II woodblock prints, to include at least four landscapes by noted Japanese artist Andoh Hiroshige (1797-1858), and six “Big Head” Kabuki actors by Sharaku, Imari Japanese porcelain pieces, a gorgeous Chinese silver chest, ceramics, plaques and other items.

Artwork will feature five animal wood plank renderings by the Montana wildlife artist Larry Zabel (Am., 1930-2012), and works by the noteworthy African-American Panama City artist Ricky Steele (b. 1959, known as “The Emotional Painter”), to include limited edition-prints titled He Restoreths My Soul, As Sisters and a print of a Buffalo Soldier inscribed on the back and signed to the deceased. Also offered will be additional prints by other artists and some cat art.

Silver items will include a sterling flatware set in the Governor Dummer pattern (housed in a Bailey, Banks & Biddle silver chest), sterling hollow ware, a Gorham silverplate tea service, a V & Company older pattern flatware set and more.

Estate jewelry will be offered in abundance. These will include a men’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer watch, a ladies’ Omega 14kt gold watch, an 18kt gold bracelet with domed floral design in all eight sections appraised for $2,500 with a matching 18kt gold ring appraised at $500, a Skagen men’s watch from Denmark, two charm bracelets (both of them loaded with charms), a by-pass two pearl ring, and an opal ring with high display of color.

Other jewelry will feature an aquamarine 14kt gold ring with diamonds on either side, a 14kt gold pendant of dark gray smoky quartz appraised for $500, a pin-and-brooch with 12 cream to slightly rose pearls with two gold leaf shapes between each cultured pearl, an oval black onyx brooch surrounded by 18 onyx teardrops, and a 14kt love knot bracelet appraised for $950.

Also sold will be a cameo pendant with three figures, some nice heavy gold pieces, a variety of rings with stones in the process of being inventoried, and a wide variety of bracelets and necklaces. Other items in the sale will include carved religious figures, bird carvings, Bolo ties and belt buckles, a kaleidoscope and blue and white Christmas plates.

John T. Tyler was born in New York City and graduated from high school in Swarthmore, Pa., where his next door neighbor was the girl he would marry, the former Alice DeCaindry, who passed away in 2011. Tyler graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1955 and married Alice in 1958. He served as a naval aviator and officer in the U.S. Marines until his retirement in 1985.

As a Marine pilot, Tyler flew FJ-4, A-4, F-4 and AV-8A aircraft. He saw military action in the Formosa Strait Crisis, the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam, racking up numerous medals and awards along the way. Following his retirement he worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft and Boeing in Mesa, Ariz., where he tested and evaluated the AH-64 Longbow Apache helicopter.

The auction will get underway promptly at 8 a.m. Central time, with previews by appointment and on auction day from 7-8 a.m. For those unable to attend in person, internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. A 14 percent buyer’s premium will be applied to all purchases and all sales are final.

The Specialists of the South, Inc., has been serving the Panama City community for over 30 years. The firm specializes in a broad range of services, to include estate auctions, furniture refurbishing, interior decoration, personal property appraisals and business liquidation services. It has been named the Small Business of the Month by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce.

The Specialists of the South, Inc., is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (850) 785-2577, or you can e-mail them at contact@sospcfl.com. To learn more, or to register for the Sept. 27 Townsend sale, you may log on to either www.SpecialistsoftheSouth.com or www.PanamaCityAuctions.com.

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