DOUGLASS, Kan. – Part 1 of the lifetime Ron Blessing estate collection – an amazing accumulation of quality Victorian antiques, French cameo art glass, period American furniture and other items – will come up for bid on Saturday, October 29th, beginning at 9:30 am Central time, by Woody Auction. The sale will be held online and live in the Woody Auction hall located at 130 East Third Street, Douglass.

Mr. Blessing was a long-time resident of Kearney, Nebraska, and began collecting quality Victorian antiques many years ago.  Early on, he developed a love of silverplate items, especially pickle castors and brides’ baskets.  His dream was to turn his Kearney warehouse into a fully displayed showroom of the finest antiques available and to host large dinner parties surrounded by the Victorian atmosphere. 

As with many collectors, Ron's tastes evolved, and French cameo art glass became another passion. Consequently, he managed to acquire some of the most sought-after pieces in the country. His antiques needed to be properly displayed, so Ron commenced collecting only the finest furniture, by makers such as R.J. Horner, A.J. Johnson, Meeks, Belter, Pottier & Stymus, Karpen, Phillip Kopp and Oriel.

“It is indeed an honor for Woody Auction to present Part One of one of the finest collections of Victorian antiques to be found anywhere,” said Jason Woody of Woody Auction. “All 312 lots will sell at public auction to the highest bidder without reserve. Mr. Blessing’s estate collection is so massive it needed to be broken up into two auctions. Part Two will happen in March 2023.”

There are several gorgeous, genuine turn-of-the-century signed Galle French cameo art glass pieces. One, a lamp manufactured around 1920 and 30 inches tall, boasts a beautiful yellow ground with blue and amethyst cameo carved Japanese chrysanthemum overlay having butterfly highlights. Another, 11 inches in height, is a vase with a beautiful ice blue ground with white cameo carved overlay featuring sixteen seagulls in flight over ocean waves. Both are of the finest quality and are fine representations.

Yet a third signed Galle French cameo art glass vase, this one a 9 ½ inch tall blown mold example, doesn’t carry the lofty estimates of the other two, but is just as beautiful. It features a clematis design with yellow and white ground amber cameo cutback overlay. Also up for bid is a museum-quality two-piece urn signed Moser, 38 inches tall, incredibly rare yellow opaque art glass with extensive colorful enamel leaf décor and applied acorn highlights. The upper section features a scene of two children.    

A 12-piece dining set by R.J. Horner in the Oak Busted Lady pattern, is “the most complete Horner dining set Woody Auction has ever had the privilege of selling,” Mr. Woody said. The highly detailed set includes a china cabinet with four glass shelves, a buffet with beveled mirror, a sideboard, a dining table with three leaves capable of extending to 95 ½ inches in length, and eight lovely dining chairs.

Also from R. J. Horner is a gorgeous three-piece bedroom set made of quarter-sawn oak. The matched set includes a full-size bed, a dresser and a wardrobe, featuring elaborate griffins, cherubs and a figural head bust with serious depth. It’s one of the finest Horner bedroom sets available. A fantastic laminated rosewood parlor table by J. & J. Meeks will also attract attention, impressive with its finely carved fanciful horned beast with fruit spilling from an open mouth and possibly replaced white marble top.

One furniture item with an interesting back story is the circular bank/hotel foyer cabinet by Phillip Kopp, 105 inches tall and 63 inches in diameter, made in 1850 from burl walnut. The two-tiered cabinet, having four sections of white marble with mirrors set at 90 degree angles, was on display at The Crystal Palace Expo in New York, with one panel indicating the original price was $3,000 (over $112,000 in today’s dollars). Other features included 16 lockable drawers and eight lockable doors.

A massive, three-door rosewood china cabinet, 112 inches tall by 93 inches wide, has an elaborate crest with a monogram “B”, beveled glass doors and glass shelves. The cabinet is of the highest quality. Rounding out just a few highlights from the furniture category is a circa 1880 sideboard by Oriel Cabinetry, made from beautiful quarter sawn oak and featuring full-bodied figures of mermaids and soldiers, a large two-piece marble top, four drawers and four doors. A mirror will be sold separately.

Returning to French cameo art glass, two turn-of-the-century vases signed Daum Nancy are both expected to do well. One is a blown-out vase, with marvelous Black Forest detail, 17 ½ inches tall, having an orange and yellow mottled ground with green transitioning to black cameo cut back overlay. The other has two applied handles, 6 inches tall, clear white, with a yellow and pink mottled ground with cameo acid cut mushroom scenic décor, elaborate enamel highlights and fantastic detailing.

Buyers present at the sale will enjoy a zero percent buyer’s premium when paying by cash or check. In addition, buyers present will pay no sales tax since this is an auction of a single seller collection. Also, collectors take note: Woody Auction has attempted to call any flaws that can affect the value of an item, but final determination is left to the buyer. Common nicks and scratches have not been called.

Please note that large furniture items will not be at the Douglass auction hall and must be picked up in person in Kearney, Nebraska or shipped via a professional shipper by Thursday, December 8th. Pick-up or shipment may only occur after wire transfer has been received, checks have cleared, or with a bank guarantee. For more info about the large furniture items, please visit www.woodyauction.com/kearney-furniture. To set up an appointment to preview the large furniture items in Kearney, call 316-747-2694. Appointments are available Oct. 15 from 8 am to 12 pm; Oct. 18 from 1-5 pm; and Oct. 27 from 8 am to 4 pm.

A preview will be held on Friday, October 28th, from 1-5 Central time in the Douglass auction hall, for all of the antiques and small furniture items (but not the heavy furniture pieces and groupings). People can register and bid online now, at www.liveauctioneers.com/woody-auction-llc. Bidders are encouraged to register at least 48 hours in advance. For information about absentee and phone bidding, as well as local accommodations, please visit www.woodyauction.com/October-29-2022-ron-blessing/.

Woody Auction is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or an entire collection, please call (316) 747-2694; or, you can send them an email, to info@woodyauction.com. To learn more about Woody Auction and the antique auction scheduled for Saturday, October 29th at 9:30 am Central, please visit www.woodyauction.com. Updates are posted often.

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