Solvang Estate Sale

This week's estate sale offers a rare glimpse into the elegance and grandeur of nineteenth-century Southern life, featuring treasured antiques connected to the distinguished Nolan family of Waverly, Tennessee.

The family’s remarkable history begins with James N. Nolan (1840–1896), a prominent businessman, Civil War veteran, and Tennessee State Comptroller. Around 1870, he established his family residence, known as Nolan Heights, an impressive Victorian home that remained in the Nolan family for more than a century and is now recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nolan also established the celebrated Nolan House Hotel, a nineteenth-century gathering place near Waverly’s railroad depot. Among its most intriguing historical connections was the notorious outlaw Jesse James, who reportedly stayed at the hotel with his wife and son in 1877 while traveling under an assumed name.

From these distinguished Tennessee roots, the family’s legacy eventually traveled west to California, where generations of treasured furnishings and heirlooms were preserved and ultimately found their home in Solvang.

Today, we are privileged to present a remarkable collection of family treasures, lovingly preserved and cherished for well over a century. Each piece offers a glimpse into a gracious, elegant time when fine craftsmanship, thoughtful detail, and timeless beauty were hallmarks of everyday life. Steeped in history and rich with character, these treasured furnishings evoke the romance and refinement of a bygone era, carrying with them stories, memories, and the enduring charm of generations past. It is a rare opportunity to bring home not just a beautiful object, but a little piece of history.