WEBSTER STREET ESTATE SALE - BIG EASY ESTATE SALES

WEBSTER STREET

ESTATE SALE

Featuring the family's collection of paintings and drawings by Margaret S. Witherspoon

We’re on Webster Street this weekend with a fantastic generational estate sale, featuring a lifetime of works by New Orleans artist, Margaret Schramm Witherspoon (1914-2005). The family is releasing well over 100 of Witherspoon’s works for sale in our estate sale this weekend – see more details below. Also included in this sale is a massive collection of books. The owner of this home has collected first edition and rare books for decades. Most of all the books are first editions and most are signed and/or inscribed. The collection touches on all subjects. We have a great selection of local and regional books as well – many are rarer copies. This sale also includes a collection of art and sculpture works collected by the family – many from local galleries and studios. Of course, this sale includes traditional antique furnishings, décor, general household items and so much more!

Please read though the lists below for the best details on this sale. Check back during the week for more updates and photos. Hope to see everyone Uptown this weekend for this most interesting estate sale.

Incredible body of work by Margaret Schramm Witherspoon (New Orleans, 1914-2005)

The following is the Ogden Museum’s write-up for Witherspoon’s show in the early 2000s:

Margaret Witherspoon was born in New Orleans on May 29, 1914, not far from the Uptown neighborhood where she graduated McGee’s School. For more than seven decades she has been pointing portraits – some of family and friends, others or strangers she happened to meet.

Although her work went through many stylistic changes during her long career, Witherspoon’s insistence on painting realistic portraits directly from life was constantly transformed but never waned.

Witherspoon studied at Newcomb College and the Arts and Crafts Club. A native of New Orleans, she spent 1934-1935 year as a student of Frank Dumond at the Arts Student League in New York.

Upon returning to New Orleans, she set up a studio, and in the late 1930’a and 1940’s painted portraits of family, friends and commissioned portraits of New Orleans society and public figures.

The early fifties was a fallow period for Witherspoon’s art, however her commitment to her work was revitalized after returning to Newcomb College in 1957. There she investigated historical art movements and was particularly influenced by the metaphysical ideas of French Symbolism, especially Odilon Redon. Her work in the early sixties was marked by a return to realistic portraits of family and friends. Witherspoon’s work was transformed in the 1970’s and early 1980’s by her increased concern with the psychological complexities of portraying the human figure. During the 1980’s her approach to her sitters became increasingly fragmentary, with heads, multiple heads and floating faces. In the 1990’s, the majority of her portraits were closely observed 5x7 inch faces.

The following is a highlighted list of works available in this sale – there are well over 100 works available!

1. Portrait of a Gentleman, titled “M. Schramm, Dumond Class, April 1935” en verso, oil on canvas – a rare example of Witherspoon’s early work from the family’s collection
2. Portrait of an early 19th c. Gentleman, copied from an early 19th c. portrait painting, signed and dated en verso, presented in a period giltwood frame – another rare example of Witherspoon's early work from the family collection
3. “Magnolias” still life, 1939, oil on canvas
4. “Grief” 1975, oil on canvas – and two other similar large “Grief” works from the 1970's
5. “Portrait of Ed Wiegand” 1978, oil on canvas
6. “Portrait of Alvina Haverkamp” 1986, oil on canvas
7. “Portrait of Nancy Witherspoon” 1940’s, oil on canvas
8. Several Margaret Witherspoon self portraits
9. Six “Eye” paintings, all with subject names on the back, oil on canvas
10. Over 30 5x7 inch face portraits from the 1980’s and 1990’s, most have subject names en verso
11. Many portrait oil paintings of family and friends
12. Collection of still life graphite drawings, professionally framed
13. Two archival boxes filled with loose graphite drawings and watercolors dating back to the 1970’s

ART

Sculpture Art

1. Evelyn Jordan (New Orleans), two large clay body figural works and two clay head works on iron stands
2. Cathy Rose (New Orleans), two small mixed media sculpture works
3. Joe Bova (American, b. 1941), terracotta head sculpture, head with pig
4. Benard, ceramic figural head with hat
5. Adam Farrington (New Orleans), four metal sculpture works
6. Prescott Smith, small iron painted modern sculpture, signed and date 1991
7. Hayes Parker vintage figural sandstone sculpture planters

Paintings & Prints

1. Kate (Catherine) Samworth (New Orleans), figural work, oil on panel
2. Jamie Baldridge (American, b. 1975), “E.L Lyon, Chaos Counter,” 2005, digital pigment print, signed, titled and dated in pencil, ed. 8/20
3. George Schmidt (New Orleans, b. 1944), “The Naked Dance, Storyville,” 1989, etching, signed, titled and dated in pencil, ed. 7/50
4. May Stevens (Santa Fe, NM, 1924-2019) “Big Daddy Times Three,” 1973, silkscreen, signed in pencil, ed. 1/75
5. Tom Secrest etchings
6. Carol Travers Lummus 1978 etching
7. Charles Bragg, Sutton Gallery promotional poster
8. Misc. prints and etchings

FURNITURE

1. American 19th c. carved mahogany daybed
2. American Empire mahogany card table console
3. American 19th c. pine library table
4. Early 20th c. mahogany dining table
5. Early 20th c. Sheraton-style mahogany inlaid sideboard
6. Set of eight Hepplewhite-style carved mahogany dining chairs
7. Set of six Regency-style carved mahogany dining chairs
8. Large-scale cypress cupboard – glass-encased cabinet top over an open surface space with closed cabinet base
9. Antique pine corner cupboard
10. 20th c. pine ‘breakfast’ table
11. Several miscellaneous chairs – some Windsor chairs
12. Primitive barstools
13. Custom-made reclaimed wood bench and chair
14. 1990’s black and white stripe sofa
15. American Victorian 19th c. mahogany wardrobe
16. American Classical 19th c. mahogany gentleman’s dresser
17. Two oak chests of drawers
18. Oak library table
19. Mahogany king-size four-poster bed
20. Vintage mahogany tester bed
21. Pair early 20th c. carved oak double beds (marked separately)
22. Antique 19th c. church pew
23. Antique carved oak drop-front secretary
24. Antique bookcase
25. Large corner desk
26. Bookshelves
27. AND MORE!

DECORATIVE + COLLECTIBLE + HOUSEHOLD

1. Antique music box in inlaid box on custom stand - works!
2. Some lamps throughout - antique carved mahogany floor lamp, porcelain lamps, brass shell reading lamp and more
3. Semi-antique Heriz carpet + other Persian rugs
4. Pair antique crystal three-arm candelabra; several pair brass candlesticks
5. Royal Worcester bone china dinnerware, service for eight
6. Great selection of silver-plate, including an impressive large oval serving tray
7. Barware, stemware, glassware, bowls, serving platters, etc.
8. Vintage pottery, including some Casey Willems
9. Kitchen + Laundry room are both full - Shark vacuum, general and functional household items
10. Some electronics + DVD's, cassette tapes
11. Outdoor shed with ladders, yard decor, tools, shop vac, large stack of bricks and more

BOOKS

Thousands of books! Mostly first editions and mostly signed or inscribed by the author. Hundreds of novels, local and regional interests - some rare copies, cartoon and novelty books and so many more. This is a fantastic sale for book lovers and collectors!

1. Signed/inscribed by authors: Clarence John Laughlin, George Rodrigue, Walker Percy, Harnett T. Kane, Buddy Stall, C. C. Lockwood, John Grisham, Jim Garrison, Tom Robbins, Gore Vidal, John Carr, T. Harry Williams, Ed Reed, John Maginnis, G. Dupre Litton and countless more.
2. Clarence John Laughlin, limited autographed edition of Ghosts Along the Mississippi
3. George Rodrigue, signed Blue Dog book
4. Walker Percy, signed copy of The Moviegoer - Rare
5. Gore Vidal - signed copies of Williwaw and The Season of Comfort
6. Jim Garrison, signed copy of A Heritage of Stone

Two rooms upstairs filled with books - many complete editions and man are rare!

SILVER

1. Sterling silver flatware set, fiddle and thread pattern, service for up to 12, 127 total pieces
2. Sterling water pitcher, small bowls and trays + misc. sterling serving pieces