The auctions on 14th and 15th October will feature the personal collection of dealer Gary Elam, built up across fifty years. The sale of Elam's estate is tinged with sadness, as Jeff Garrett explained: ''Our upcoming auction promises to be one of our best ever. The auction is bitter sweet, actually, in that I'm selling one of my best friend's and colleague's estate and collection, when in reality, I'd rather have my friend still here.''
Dallas dealer Elam was well regarded on his home turf as well as in the UK and in Belgium. Everything in the auction is being offered with no reserve. The exquisite collection, gathered by a dealer and collector with the upmost knowledge of art and antiques will include rare French bronzes; over forty oil paintings from England and Belgium; Persian carpets and more than 800 pieces of antique French, English and Italian furniture.
Another shining star of the auction is the 125-lot strong pottery and porcelain section from the personal collection of Gwendolyn Reasoner, PhD. Reasoner is a renowned expert in American, English and Continental pottery and porcelain. Gwendolyn boasts forty years at the helm of ReVann Galleries, with locations in SW Louisiana, Atlantic City, and Southeast FL. She is also co-owner of Connoisseur Inc. of Malvern, UK.
The unmissable piece sure to get porcelain collectors reaching for their paddles is a rare Boehm American Bald Eagle, entitled ''Sea to Shining Sea.'' The piece, which is estimated at £3 765-7 500, was designed and made from 1991-1992 for Boehm Porcelains in Trenton, New Jersey.
The piece is compromised of two tons of plaster cast in four sets of moulds, each consisting of 150 parts. An example of ''Sea to Shining Sea'' in the V&A's, London, collection.
Edward Marshall Boehm was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1913. In 1950, Boehm and his wife Helen founded the eponymous company, E.M. Boehm Studios, in 1950.
Boehm had large aviaries housing his exotic birds at his Trenton home. These beautiful birds he captured with porcelain. Not only did Boehm's birds serve as subjects, he also successfully bred some species for the first time in captivity, for which Boehm was awarded many accolades.
For his artistic endeavours, Boehm was honored with a wing of the Vatican Museums, Rome, named in his memory in 1992. At the time, this was the first time in the Vatican's history an American had a wing named after them.