NEW ORLEANS, La. – A pair of 20th century Italian-style composition Blackamoor torchieres, a mid-19th century French three-piece gilt and patinated bronze and white marble clock set, a large pair of French carved giltwood Corinthian columns, and an oil on canvas painting by Louisiana artist Robert M. Rucker (1932-2000) will all come up for bid June 24th and 25th in New Orleans.

They’re a few of the expected top lots in Crescent City Auction Gallery’s June Estates Auction, a summer sale packed with over 1,000 premium lots in the categories people have come to expect from Crescent City’s major two-day auction events: French and American period furniture, original artwork by New Orleans and regional artists, fine jewelry and decorative accessories.

Headlining the auction are estate items from Mt. Hope Plantation in Mississippi. Nearly 100 lots – about 10 percent of the auction – will come out of this gem of a home built in 1820, and all are early American. The house is the oldest standing structure in Copiah County. It’s also on the National Register of Historic Places and is recognized as a Mississippi State Landmark.

Mt. Hope Plantation, in fact, is for sale (although it is not being offered in this auction). The home has been lovingly restored, with no detail overlooked, and has four large bedrooms, four full baths and seven fireplaces, in a 5,500-square-foot floor plan that’s conducive to comfortable country living.

The auction will be held in Crescent City’s gallery, located at 1330 St. Charles Avenue. Start times will be 9 am on Saturday, June 24th, and 10 am on Sunday, June 25th (Central). Previews will be held Thursday, June 15th, through Friday, June 23rd (except on Sunday, when the gallery is closed), from 10-5. A late evening preview will be held Wednesday, June 21st, lasting ‘til 8 pm.

The 20th century Italian-style composition Blackamoor torchieres (also known as candlestands) are impressive, at 86 inches in height. The pair have a pre-sale estimate of $2,500-$4,500. The pair of French carved giltwood Corinthium columns, also from the 20th century, are even taller: 98 ½ inches in height (and 24 inches in diameter). The pair carry an estimate of $2,000-$3,000.

Robert M. Rucker was a New Orleans-born impressionist artist who opened his first gallery in the city’s French Quarter at the age of 16. His oil painting titled The Steamboat Natchez, signed lower right, should bring $2,000-$4,000. The French three-piece clock set, circa 1850, is by Societe Regeneratrice & Mutuelle de l’Horlogerie (Paris). The set should fetch $2,000-$3,000.

There are four paintings by Rucker in the sale, one a watercolor titled French Quarter Street in a Full Moon. The work, artist-signed lower right, is expected to change hands for $700-$1,200. The jewelry selection is exceptional, a broad array that includes dazzling diamonds, sparkling sapphires, red rubies, exotic Alexandrite, shimmering emeralds, Tanzanites and Tahitian pearls.

A French ebonized ormolu mounted center table, manufactured around 1870 and measuring 46 ½ inches in diameter, should lead the French furniture category, with an estimate of $1,000-$2,000. Three lots after that have identical estimates of $800-$1,200. The first is a carved walnut Louis XV-style double door armoire, made in the 19th century and 102 ¼ inches tall by 66 inches wide.

The second is a 19th century French Empire-style carved mahogany marble-top commode, 32 ½ inches tall and 31 ½ inches wide. The fourth is a 19th century Louis XV-style ormolu mounted marquetry inlaid rosewood marble-top secretaire abattant (fall-front writing desk), 56 inches tall.

The English furniture category will feature a Regency-style carved mahogany leather-top rent table, crafted in the late 19th century (est. $900-$1,200); and a set of six 20th century carved walnut Queen Anne-style dining chairs, two armchairs and four without arms (est. $800-$1,200).

Furniture pieces from other European countries will include a German (or Austrian) Biedermeier carved walnut secretaire abattant, made circa 1830 and standing 65 ½ inches tall by 43 inches in width (est. $1,000-$2,000); and an unusual 20th century Italian Empire-style Breche d’Alpes marble-top center table on dolphin supports, expansive at 56 ¾ inches wide (est. $700-$1,000).

Two lots of American period furniture have the same estimate of $700-$1,000. One is an unusual late 19th century Classical Revival lift-top petticoat table; the other is a Federal carved mahogany settee (or long, squared-ended seat with upholstered sides and back), made in the 19th century.

Artwork by New Orleans artists will include an oil on canvas by Alan Genise Flattman (b. 1946), titled Sunset Over the Marsh, signed (est. $1,000-$2,000); a charcoal study by George Valentine Dureau (1930-2014), Standing Male Angel, signed (est. $600-$900); and a watercolor by George F. Castleden (1861-1945), New Orleans Harbor, The Mississippi River, signed (est. $500-$750).

Additional works by artists from the region will feature a silkscreen (46/120) by the renowned “Blue Dog” artist George Rodrigue (1944-2013), titled Take Me to Your Leader (1997), silver pen signed and numbered (est. $800-$1,200); a pair of oils on board by Jack R. Meyers (La., 1930-1994), titled The General Store and Laundry Day (est. $800-$1,200 each); and four crackle glazed ceramic figural groups by Steele Burden (La., 1900-1995) each estimated at $800-$1,200.

Decorative items will include an American Aesthetic gilt and gesso pier mirror and marble-top console table, possibly made in New Orleans around 1880 (est. $1,200-$1,800); a nickel-plated puzzle sculpture by Miguel Berrocal (Sp., 1933-2006), titled Mini David, executed circa 1970 (est. $1,000-$2,000); and a pair of mid-19th century Royal Crown Derby Imari pattern handled vases now mounted on giltwood bases as lamps and each one 14 inches tall (est. $1,000-$2,000).

An online preview can be viewed now, at crescentcityauctiongallery.com. Online bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Absentee and phone bids will be taken up until 1 pm Central time on Friday, June 23rd.  Light refreshments will be served on auction days.

A full color catalog is up now, online, at www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com. A printed catalog is also available on request. Crescent City Auction Gallery is accepting quality consignments for all of its future auctions. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (504) 529-5057; or, you can send an inquiring e-mail to info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

For more information about Crescent City Auction Gallery and the upcoming June 24th-25th two-day estates auction, please visit www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com. Updates are posted frequently.

                                                                        ####