ABERDEEN, Miss. – Rare vintage cars, including a 1959 Corvette convertible, a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda and a 1970 Dodge Challenger convertible – all in mint condition – plus other items ranging from a 1905 Eagle floor model cotton gin to stage-worn gowns from the collection of singer Whitney Houston, will all come up for bid Saturday, Jan. 7, at Stevens Auction Company.

The auction will be held in Stevens’ gallery, located at 609 North Meridian Street in Aberdeen, starting at 9 am Central time, plus online, at LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. An open house preview will be held on Friday, Jan. 6, from 10-6, and from 8-9 am on auction day. Many of the lots can be viewed online, in color, at www.stevensauction.com.

“This auction is an absolute must for car collectors, but it will be packed with many other items in a broad range of categories,” said Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company, adding select items in the sale have been pulled from a prominent estate in St. Joseph, Missouri, along with other wonderful estate items from Bullard, Texas; Florence, Alabama; and Jackson, Mississippi.

The 1959 Corvette convertible is red with white accents and features the original 283 engine, a four-speed transmission, hard and soft tops, red leather seats and a 10-disc CD changer. The 1970 Dodge Challenger underwent a frame-off restoration and is in like-new condition. Only 378 of the cars were made. “Either one of these cars would be a perfect Sunday driver,” Stevens said.

Other vehicles, in addition to the 1965 Barracuda, will include a garage-kept 1980 Corvette L-82 with 87,000 miles and a 2007 Pontiac Solstice convertible. For open road warriors, there’s also a 2010 Itasca Cambria model 28B motor home, 29 ½ feet long, fully loaded in excellent condition, with 41,500 miles on the odometer, two slide-outs and a manual satellite antenna and receiver.

The auction will also feature a breathtaking matched pair of mantle mirrors; several full tester and Victorian beds; a fine collection of sterling silver; china; wonderful antique clocks; Old Paris porcelains; bronze pieces; exquisite handmade rugs; brilliant cut glass; original artwork; and hundreds of other magnificent items of Southern finery.

Period furniture by renowned cabinet makers such as A. C. Richards, John Henry H. Belter, Alexander Roux, Thomas Brooks, the Herter Brothers, R. J. Horner, Pottier & Stymus, Mitchell & Rammelsberg, P. Mallard and others will also be sold on January 7th to the highest bidder.

Possibly the rarest, most valuable item in the auction is a two-piece rosewood Victorian bedroom suite with bronze plaque and bronze bust in the crest (signed “P.S.” for Pottier & Stymus), with a 90-inch-tall bed and a 98-inch-tall dresser. Pottier & Stymus was a prominent American furniture and design firm of the Victorian period. Some of its work can be seen at the Brooklyn Museum.

Pottier & Stymus was started in 1859 in New York City by August Pottier, an immigrant from France, and William P. Stymus, Sr. The company grew quickly and by 1871 the firm's factory occupied a full block on Lexington Avenue. By 1872, they employed 700 men and 50 women. Pottier & Stymus made furniture in the Neo-Greco, Renaissance Revival, Egyptian Revival, and Modern Gothic styles. Today, examples by the firm, like the one in the sale, are highly desirable.

Additional furniture will feature a laminated rosewood recamier (fainting couch) in the Tut Hill King pattern, by John H. Belter; a solid mahogany, heavily carved figural front bookcase with sliding doors by R. J. Horner, 66 ½ inches tall by 76 inches wide; and a rococo walnut Victorian turtle-top table with white marble and heads on the front and sides, attributed to Alexander Roux.

Also offered will be a rare, double-size Empire mint julep cabinet with black marble, and a pair of oversize period rococo gold mirrors with cupids, circa 1860, an impressive 7 feet 4 inches tall. Doors will open at 8 a.m. on the day of auction, Saturday, January 7th.  To request a full color brochure, please call (662) 369-2200; or, send an e-mail request to stevensauction@bellsouth.net.

Terms of payment are all major credit cards or pre-approved business or personal checks (with proper ID), or wire transfer. A 15 percent buyer’s premium will be applied to all purchases, with an extra 2 percent processing fee for credit cards. A sales tax will be charged as well, except for those with a valid and verifiable state resale number. Refreshments will be served auction day.

Stevens Auction Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly, at (662) 369-2200; or, you can e-mail them at stevensauction@bellsouth.net. To learn more about Stevens Auction Company and the big auction on Saturday, January 7th, visit www.stevensauction.com. Updates are posted often.

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