Mrs. Mellon: Session Three

Sessions three, fours and five are in a separate catalog. I will devote a post to each of these sessions.

Mrs. Mellon had a personality I would have liked, I think. As I continue through the catalog, it is becoming increasingly clear that she had a myriad of interests. Some themes continue on, others seem to have been collected and then another interest appeared but all of the contents show me a love of the outdoors, appreciation of history and a sense of humor.

There are several collections of small items. Staffordshire, enamel boxes, enamel fruit boxes, snuff boxes,  and paperweights are included in this collection. These are not popular among many young collectors today but they are so decorative and classic that I hope a little antiquing will come into their futures.

There are a few quirky chairs:

and quite a bit of painted furniture:

Note the lampshade covered in wallpaper.

One of the attic rooms has a decorating lesson: Remember that wallpapering all of those odd angles makes them much less visible.  

 

Baskets are such useful things.I use them to organize and store all sorts of things - they are also wonderful for plants, platters, serving dishes and just about anything else. The gardens offer a small amount of statures and planters but the highlight is what is apparently a garden shed approached via a mature arbor.

From the gates exterior you can see the arbor above the doors.(The figures on the entry posts are available.)

Inside this space are tromp l'oeil paintings which appear to cover the entire room. The ceiling is birds egg  blue over painted in bamboo squares while the walls are a medium green with "shelving" bracketed by bamboo in a diamond form. The painted items on the shelves are the exposed contents of the shed - baskets of produce, empty baskets turned this way and that, clay pots, vegetables and garden tools.

Baskets hang from the ceiling in this room which is not identified but is probably a guest room with the iron bed as centerpiece. This room is full of baskets and contains very little furniture.

The final few photographs in this section show us the stables as well as interesting vignettes.  

Mrs. Mellon; Session Four

Session Four will be held on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at Sotheby's in New York City.

This session begins with many objects which continue the collection themes of previous sessions and introduces rugs, more silver, more furniture most of which is dressier than that of the farm and, at the end, moves to the Mellon's New York City residence.

A set of six George II burr and figured walnut dining chairs in the manner of Giles Grendey are an important opening item. They are circa 1735.

A selection of other offered items include:

A George II mahogany hunt table. Mid-18th century.

A pair of George IV Silver Pail-form wine coolers, William Eley, 1826.

Beautiful porcelains ...

More boxes ...

There are some unusual items ...

This is referred to as a potting shed although it doesn't look large enough to me to be one. It appears to be a delightful garden whimsy ...  love the Chippendale detail.

These I could find a spot for.

The furniture from New York is more formal than on the farm but the spirit is all the same.I am including this raffia tie which was a detail (not for sale) in the catalog as an example of fun and continuity.

A bit more New York furniture.

Session Five coming right up so you can make your plans to preview in person!

Hello Mrs. Mellon: Part Two

Welcome to the dining table, graciously set for ten. There are two different sets of chairs at the table, both are painted black and are pleasantly scuffed and battered. One set has a caned back and one is regency and they pair happily united by their colors and similar seat cushions. One the sideboard is a casual line up of topiaries, cabbage tureens and antique decanters. The  table also includes a melon tureen and a more spindly topiary.

The caned black chairs are a set of six Regency parcel - gilt rosewood grained caned armchairs circa 1805. The more interesting set to me is the group of four Regency parcel - gilt painted caned armchairs circa 1850. I like that these are not caned across the back. Both sets appear with their seat cushions at the set table but without in the catalog. They mix well together because of their coloration, size, cushion color and similar wear.

Porcelains on the table are a bit difficult to see on the set table so I have included another picture which shows that they are indeed part of a set ( 135 pieces total ) of a Chinese Export porcelain dinner service dated 1800. Many useful and not so useful but nice table items follow : decanters and their collars,silver sauce boats, a nutmeg grater, a Regency silver coffee set,kettles on a stand, silver tea infusers and fox head place card holders.

Mrs. Mellon must have loved to entertain because there are many accessories for the table and a large selection of china - both as sets and as assorted serving pieces in many shapes and colors.

 I am, in my mind, opening the doors of a large china closet and this is what I see.

All of these china choices are classic patterns, some are very colorful and some subdued.Each is antique and there are many more including more organic shapes:

China, tablewares, framed art, glassware and silver complete the auction and we are left with a few scenes of a lifestyle in the Virginia countryside, a view of gardens and a final view of the house.

This is the conclusion of the contents of auction sessions one and two. Subsequent auctions include the contents of Mrs.Mellon's other homes.

Hello Mrs Mellon

 UPS brought a box to me last week. Opening it, I found a pair of auction catalogs from Sothebys announcing the upcoming auctions of properties from the collections of Mr and Mrs Paul Mellon and was immediately enthralled by the beautiful scenes of their properties, collections, gardens and, most of all, felt as though a life and its values were opened to me.

Mrs. Mellon, known as Bunny, was "characterized by understated accomplishment and graceful perfection in all of her numerous endeavors ... principal among these were very deep and sustained loves for art, horticulture and landscape design."

Here is a photo of Bunny which seems to me to characterize what I know about her - she seems very welcoming as she says hello over her collection of topiaries sunning in their clay pots. In the interior shots in her homes topiaries are a very welcome addition to the decor and add life to each room.

The auctions first catalog features the Mellon's home in Virginia named Oak Spring Farm in a most personal way. One enters, driving through the Virginia countryside on a beautiful day, the pastures and verdant and the fields are divided by stone and rail fences. The countryside seems to breath peaceful ...green....fertile.

 And we come to the farm: 

The door has been left open for us to enter Bunny's home; to come into the brick floored entry with its wrought iron umbrella stand filled with a cane collection, down the hall furnished with settees, paintings, smaller tables and chairs into what seems to be a small library.

These pages have tiny numbers next to each item which will be auctioned and on the side of each page or on following pages are descriptions and estimated prices. Next to the sofa is a small Louis XV miniature commode - there is a pair although only one is shown. I have just the spot for these. The small round table is home to a rare 'Sea Life' chess set (est. $10,000 - 15,000). The pawns are urchins topped by a starfish and, rather than black and white players, these are blue and red. Interesting. The next room is the living room with black and white painted floors, furniture from around the globe, topiaries, baskets and the first of many porcelain collections.            

This room is very light filled, comfortable and extremely personal. The collections here were inspired by love of the organic in nature, flowers and assorted items of personal interest. There are espaliers of apples along the garden paths and collections of apple and pear shaped boxes inside . . . lovely.

This interesting shelf unit appears to be in the hallway between the living and dining rooms. Some of the porcelains in it are as follows:

This is a grouping of Chelsea plates circa 1758-60.

The cauliflower tureens date from 1770; the lettuces at top left and middle right are mid 19th century and the lower lettuce is circa 1844-47. All are tureens.

This group of Chelsea eel stands are also Chelsea circa 1755. The following group of asparagus boxes are from many countries, dated from 1750 until mid eighteen century. I have several favorites here, too.

This concludes Session One of the Sothebys sale. I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into a lovely life. I know I have.