NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two original oil paintings by the renowned French artist Edouard Cortes expected to realize $20,000-$30,000 each, a Paris street scene done in gouache by Pablo Picasso, a watercolor by New Orleans folk artist Sister Gertrude Morgan, an oil on construction paper rendering by another folk art icon, Clementine Hunter, a collection of early 19th century Russian icons and an American Renaissance Revival carved mahogany bookcase attributed to Alexander Roux will all be auctioned Sept. 20th-21st by Crescent City Auction Gallery.

The massive, two-day estates auction will be held in Crescent City's gallery, located at 1330 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, beginning promptly at 9 a.m. (Central time) on both days. For those unable to attend in person, internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Phone and absentee (left) bids will also be accepted. A full color catalog can be viewed now on the company's newly re-designed website: crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

Nearly 1,600 lots will come up for bid, in the categories Crescent City Auction Gallery has become renowned for throughout the South: original artworks (much of it by noted regional artists), period American and European furniture, sterling silver, estate jewelry, Mardi Gras collectibles and decorative accessories. Most of it is fresh to the market, never before offered.

“This promises to be an exciting auction, not only because of the size of the collection (Crescent City’s largest in a year), but the quality of items that bidders will see across the board,” said Adam Lambert of Crescent City Auction Gallery. “There are items that will stand out in all collecting categories and we expect to see some auction records fall.”

The paintings by Edouard Leon Cortes (Fr., 1882-1969) are expected to attract a great deal of interest. Both are signed oils on canvas Parisian street scenes, with letters of authenticity from the Klein Art Gallery. One is an 18 inch by 22 inch painting titled Winter, Place de la Madeleine (1942). The other, 13 inches by 28 inches, is titled Grand Boulevard et Porte St. Denis (1958).

A gouache painting by Pablo Picasso (Sp./Fr., 1881-1973), 4 ¾ inches by 6 ½ inches and titled Paris Street Scene, is estimated to bring $5,000-$10,000. The signed, dated (1960) and framed work is from the estate of Phyllis Hudson, who met Picasso at an art conference in Paris in 1960. A dedication to Ms. Hudson is hand-written in French by Picasso.

The names Sister Gertrude Morgan and Clementine Hunter are iconic throughout the folk art genre. The pencil-signed watercolor by Sister Gertrude Morgan (Am., 1900-1980), titled Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock, should fetch $2,500-$4,500; while Zinnias with a Red Ribbon, done circa 1944 by Clementine Hunter (Am., 1887-1988), is expected to bring $3,000-$5,000.

The Russian icon collection will be led by an icon showing St. Nicholas flanked by four saints and executed circa 1800 using tempera on wood panel, with gilt highlights. The piece, 14 inches tall by 12 ½ inches wide and presented in a shadowbox frame, should command $3,000-$5,000.

A fine selection of American furniture is led by a late 19th century American Renaissance Revival carved mahogany bookcase by Alexander Roux (N.Y., 1813-1886), 109 inches tall, with a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$8,000. Also sold will be a 19th century Southern Louisiana Creole carved cherry armoire (est. $5,000-$7,000); as well as a 19th century American Rococo Revival carved mahogany settee (est. $1,000-$2,000).

The artworks by regional painters will be plentiful and impressive. An early 20th century oil wash rendering by Alexander Drysdale (La., 1870-1934), titled Moss Draped Trees and Bayou, pencil signed, should bring $2,500-$4,500; and a signed 1937 watercolor by Alvyk Boyd Cruise (La./Miss., 1909-1988), titled French Quarter – The Tower, should hammer for $2,000-$4,000.

An oil on canvas painting, signed and dated (1882) by the Italian-born Louisiana painter Achille Peretti (1857-1923), titled Seated Nude From the Rear, is estimated to bring $2,000-$3,000 and a silver leaf over black clay depiction of a heart, by Louisiana artist George Dunbar (born 1927), simply titled Red 17 and measuring 12 ½ inches by 9 ¼ inches, should breeze to $1,500-$2,500.

A rare pair of oils on a cloth lampshade, each signed “RMR” for the Louisiana artist Robert M. Rucker (1932-2000), titled Swamp Scene With Cabin, on a cypress knee base, should garner $1,000-$2,000; while a 19th century oil on canvas American School portrait, purported to be Horace P. Brown, the cousin of Georgia Gov. Joseph E. Brown, should make $1,200-$1,800.

English painters will be represented in the sale as well. Two signed and dated works are each expected to cross the auction block for $1,000-$2,000. One is an 1846 oil on canvas painting by William Clarkson Stanfield (Br., 1793-1867), titled Sunset on the Ocean. The other is an 1820 watercolor by Richard Parkes Bonington (Br., 1802-1828), Washerwomen on the River Bank.

A 19th century English School oil on canvas titled Portrait of a Woman in a Garden with a Spaniel, imposing at 48 ¾ inches tall by 39 ¼ inches wide, carries a pre-sale estimate of $1,000-$2,000; and a 20th century Art Nouveau-style carved marble statue, 41 inches tall, should rise to $1,500-$2,500. Jewelry will feature diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, tanzanites and more.

European furniture will feature a 19th century French Provincial Louis XV-style inlaid cherry homme debout (a tall, narrow two-door cupboard with a center drawer, used for storing men’s clothing), 94 ¼ inches tall (est. $1,700-$2,400); and a French Provincial Louis XV-style carved cherry commode, circa early 19th century, 35 inches tall by 48 ½ inches wide (est. $800-$1,200).

Also sold Sept. 20-21 will be a 19th century Louis XV-style gold leaf and gesso ornamental figural mirror, 72 inches tall by 48 inches wide (est. $1,400-$1,800); a selection of over 30 Mardi Gras parade bulletins, including one from Proteus (Feb. 7, 1910), titled Astrology (est. $450-$650); a seven-piece French First Standard silver petit dejeuner set (circa 1884-1895), by Jules Monney, weighing a total 45.9 troy ounces; and a small collection of Mettlach Pokals and a stein, made in the 19th century.

Lots 1-850 will be sold on Saturday, Sept. 20, and lots 851-1,564 will come up for bid on Sunday, Sept. 21. Exhibition previews will start on Thursday, Sept. 11, and continue up to Friday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day (except on Sunday, when the gallery is closed). There will be a late evening preview on Wednesday, Sept. 17, lasting until 8 p.m.

Crescent City Auction Gallery, LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (504) 529-5057; or, you can e-mail them at info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com. A catalog for the Sept. 20-21 auction is available on request. All lots can now be viewed online, at www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

To learn more about Crescent City Auction Gallery and the upcoming Sept. 20th and 21st auction, please visit www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com. Updates are posted frequently.

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