NEW ORLEANS, La. – A visually arresting Parisian street scene by the French painter Antoine Blanchard (1910-1988) and a 19th century porcelain Meissen bronze-mounted dresser box made in the Capodimonte style are two expected top lots at Crescent City Auction Gallery's upcoming three-day estates auction planned for Sept. 16-18, at two of their galleries on St. Charles Avenue.

On Friday morning, Sept. 16, starting at 11 am Central time, 483 lots will come up for bid from the Crescent City Auction Exchange building, CCAG’s annex, at 1401 St. Charles Avenue. Then, on Saturday, Sept. 17 (at 9 am), and Sunday, Sept. 18 (at 10 am), 1,185 lots will come under the gavel at Crescent City Auction Gallery's main gallery across the way at 1330 St. Charles Avenue.

The auction is being billed as a Major September Estates Auction and, true to its title, it will feature quality merchandise in a variety of categories, pulled from prominent local estates and collections. The auction's headliner promises to be the property from the estate of Sharon Litwin, an Englishwoman who became a huge force in culture and community activism in New Orleans.

Ms. Litwin, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in June at age 75, co-founded NolaVie, a cultural, not-for-profit website that launched in 2011, for which she wrote a weekly “culture watch” column. She also produced a culture-news segment on local radio station WWNO-FM. Ms. Litwin's items in the auction reflect her lifelong passion for the arts, culture and collecting.

Antoine Blanchard is the pseudonym under which artist Marcel Masson painted his enormously popular (and equally collectible) Parisian street scenes. The work being sold is an oil on canvas titled L'Avenue de l'Opera., 23 ¾ inches by 29 ¾ inches and artist-signed lower right. It carries a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$6,000. Blanchard's paintings today are highly prized by collectors.

Meissen pieces are also coveted by collectors, who are drawn to the creations of Europe's first porcelain factory, founded in 1710. The dresser box being sold, estimated at $3,000-$5,000, has the added allure of being made in the Capodimonte style. Capodimonte is the Italian (and later Spanish) porcelain factory noted for production of figure groups designed by Giuseppe Gricci.

The rest of the three-day auction will be filled with the very items people have come to expect from Crescent City Auction gallery’s sales: period French and American furniture, original artwork (much of it by New Orleans and other regional Southern artists), antique clocks, lamps and lighting, gorgeous mirrors, beds and bedroom suites, fine decorative accessories and more.

The French period furniture will be plentiful and consist of pieces dating from the early 19th to the early 20th century. Featured will be sideboards, commodes, armoires, vassaliers, vitrines and tables, in styles that include Louis XV-style, French Empire, Louis Philippe, Gothic Revival, Louis XIII and more.

Other French antiques in the auction will include a gilt and patinated bronze figural mantel clock with time and strike, made circa 19th century and almost 17 inches in height (est. $800-$1,200); and an exceptional and large French Gothic Revival gilt bronze 15-light chandelier, produced around 1900 and impressive at 82 inches tall and 55 inches in diameter (est. $5,000-$7,000).

Original artwork by noted regional artists will include two paintings each by George Valentine Dureau (1930-2014) and Clementine Hunter (1887-1988). Both were active in New Orleans and Louisiana. Dureau’s works include a painting, Father Holding His Son (est. $3,000-$5,000), a photo titled B.J. Robinson (est. $600-$900), and others. Hunter’s works include African Headdress (est. $3,000-$5,000), a pair of paintings featuring both the male and female headdress, The Nativity (est. $3,000-$5,000), and others.

The category will also feature an oil on canvas signed by Robert M. Rucker, titled Moonlit Shrimp Boat at Lafitte (est. $2,000-$4,000); three paintings by Alexander Drysdale (1870-1934), including a near pair of oil wash works titled Moss Draped Oaks (each est. $4,000-$6,000); and a watercolor by Henri Casselli (b. 1946) titled Three Black Field Hands (est. $4,000-$6,000).

A few more expected top lots are a mid-19th century American rococo mahogany cluster column full tester bed, probably New Orleans (est. $4,000-$6,000); a 19th century American Victorian gilt and gesso pier mirror and marble-top base, 105 inches in height (est. $1,500-$2,500); and a beautiful circa 1860 American rococo revival mahogany turtle-top center table (est. $600-$900).

Internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, and Bidsquare.com. Phone and absentee (left) bids will also be accepted. Preview exhibitions will be held from Thursday, Sept. 8th, to Thursday, Sept. 15th, from 10 am to 5 pm (except on Sunday, when the gallery is closed). A late evening preview will be held Wednesday, Sept. 14th, lasting until 8 pm.

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 an entire collection, you may call them at (504) 529-5057; or, you can send them an e-mail: info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

For more information about Crescent City Auction Gallery and the September 16-18 three-day estates auction, please visit www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com. Updates are posted frequently.

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