Katherine Creamer estate sold June 13th in Mississippi A 5-piece rosewood Victorian bedroom suite, signed Mitchell & Rammelsberg (circa 1860), from the living estate of Katherine Creamer, sold for $51,700 at an auction held June 13th by Stevens Auction Co
(ABERDEEN, Miss.) - A stunning 5-piece rosewood Victorian bedroom suite, signed Mitchell & Rammelsberg (circa 1860), soared to $51,700 at the living estate sale of Katherine Creamer, a discerning collector from Mobile, Ala., whose stately mansion was built to contain her vast collections. The sale was held June 13 by Stevens Auction Company at the firm's gallery facility in Aberdeen, Miss.
The bedroom suite was the top achiever of the 500 lots that crossed the block. I'm surprised it didn't bring more, frankly, said Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company. A similar suite that wasn't even as nice sold for over $100,000 some time ago, but that was before the economy took a hit. I guess it was a sign of the times, but the winning bidder from Buford, Ga. -- got a fabulous bargain.
The suite included a half tester bed, wardrobe, dresser, wash stand and half commode. It was a spectacular grouping, but Ms. Creamer only bought the finest furnishings and wasn't afraid to spend her money. She would go to New Orleans to shop, on Royal Street, and if she saw something she liked she bought it, regardless of cost, Mr. Stevens said. She was very choosy. Everything had to be the best.
A crowd of around 300 people packed the Stevens Auction showroom, located at 609 North Meridian Street in Aberdeen, while more than 250 phone and absentee bids were recorded. We sold for eight solid hours, and the people who were there when the auction started were still there at the end, too, Mr. Stevens said. It was an unusual sale, but then, Mrs. Creamer was a remarkable collector.
Additional highlights from the auction follow. All prices quoted include a 10 percent buyer's premium.
Monumental beds, prevalent at so many Stevens auctions, were offered at this event, too. A rosewood half tester plantation bed by C. Lee, queen size and supreme grade (126 inches tall by 79 inches long, circa 1855), rose to $22,000; and a rosewood cluster column full tester plantation bed with original testers, attributed to Mallard (112 inches tall by 77 inches long, circa 1850) realized $13,200.
A Victorian rosewood sofa by John H. Belter in the Rosalie pattern with grapes, with a matching set of four rosewood Victorian side chairs and a matching arm chair, gaveled for $15,400; and a solid rosewood parlor suite by Alexander Roux (circa 1850), including a sofa (79 inches long), a pair of solid rosewood arm chairs, and a set of four rosewood side chairs, went to a determined bidder for $12,100.
A 19th-century figural bronze work by Emile Picault (Fr., 1833-1915), titled Victoria, 34 inches tall on the original red marble case (Fabrication Francais, Paris), hammered for $2,640; and an oil on canvas portrait of a Southern belle in the original frame, topped out at $2,420. Also, a stately German mahogany grandfather clock with 9-tube Westminster chime, 8 feet tall (circa 1890) reached $4,675.
Mirrors reflected well on the winning bidders who scored them.
