A monumental Billy Ray Hussey lion, a must for collectors and a fine example of North Carolina folk pottery, will be among the items auctioned off on June 19, 2010 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – Nearly 800 fresh-to-the-market lots in a wide variety of categories will be sold at a two-session Fine & Decorative Arts Catalog Auction slated for Saturday, June 19, 2010 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd.

Headlining the event will be the private collection of Daisy Wade Bridges, which includes more than 200 lots from her lifetime collection of porcelain and North Carolina pottery. She previously worked for Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, where she was introduced to the world of ceramics and their manufacture. A philanthropist, she donated many artifacts of merit to the Mint Museum in Charlotte.

A historical Blue Staffordshire ship plate with an E. Wood Burslem mark, made circa 1820s.

Bridges collected, studied and wrote about Wedgwood for many years, until one day she noticed that great ceramists and great history were just as alive and interesting in the U.S. as they were in Europe. She proceeded with considerable enthusiasm to study the wares from our country and the remarkable ash and salt glaze traditions in North Carolina. She has written extensively on the subject.

In addition to Bridges’ collections, Session I will also be dedicated to Asian objects, collector cars, antique clocks, American and European silver, American and Continental paintings, American and Continental furniture, porcelains, bronzes, antique rugs, fine jewelry and a wide array of decorative arts. The second session, starting at 6 p.m., will be dedicated entirely to fine and vintage wines, a burgeoning genre on the auction circuit.

“This auction will be a great way to wrap up the first half of 2010, which has been very successful,” said Leland Little of Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales. “The merchandise in this auction is very strong, and we expect the inventory to remain consistent into the fall.” Online bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

The North Carolina pottery in the sale—mostly from Bridges’ collection—will feature a rare Pisgah Forest baluster vase with pewter overlay and aubergine glaze; a monumental Billy Ray Hussey lion figure with multi-color glaze and abundant curly clay to the mane and hind-quarters; a rare form Burlon Craig face wig stand; a pair of contemporary lidded vessels by Donna Craven; and a Mark Hewitt large lidded jar with ash glaze.

Porcelains will include a pair of Delft lidded garniture vases from the late 17th or early 18th century, with polychrome glaze and figural decorations; a fine pearlware center bowl (likely Leeds, England, circa 1750s), circular with scalloped trim; a mid-18th century English stoneware salt-glazed teapot; and Staffordshire pieces: a pair of squirrels, a rabbit form soup tureen and a grouse form tureen.

The fine wine session will feature one lot of 10 bottles of Chateau Latour Pauillac (1994) with an opaque dark ruby/purple color and an intense nose of walnut and cassis scents; one lot of 12 bottles, also Chateau Latour Pauillac (1995), medium to full-bodied, with original tissue; and one lot of nine bottles of Chateau Tertre Roteboeuf Saint-Emilion, dense and full-bodied, with intense layers of fruit.

Decorative arts from the Daisy Wade Bridges collection will include a late 19th century Federal style 25 ½-inch girandole mirror surrounded by a gilded concave frame decorated in floral relief; an early 19th century English Sheraton rent table with a revolving circular top and an old tooled leather surface; and a Historical Blue Staffordshire ship plate with an E. Wood Burslem mark (circa 1820s).

Walker painting: Oil on canvas painting by James A. Walker (Br., 1841-1898), titled “Siege of Paris,” signed and dated.

Continental art will be offered in abundance. Examples include an oil on canvas by James A. Walker (Br., 1841-1898), titled “Siege of Paris;” an oil on canvas by Robert Mols (Bel., 1848-1903) of Antwerp Harbor; an oil on canvas portrait of Catherine of Braganza from the circle of Sir Peter Lily, late 17th century; an oil on canvas portrait of “W. Boyce” attributed to Allan Ramsay (Br., 1713-1784); and an oil on canvas rendering of an evening street scene in Paris by Edouard Cortes (Fr. 1882-1969).

American art will be no less impressive. Works include an oil on canvas of the Grand Canyon by Dawson Dawson-Watson (Tex., 1864-1939); an oil on canvas half-portrait of John Bispham (circa 1834) by Thomas Sully (Pa., 1783-1872); an 1819 oil on canvas steamboat painting by Francis Speight (N.C./Pa., 1896-1989); and an oil on canvas spring rendering by George L. Noyes (Mass., 1864-1954).

American furniture will feature a rare 18th century Southern Queen Anne drop-leaf table from North Carolina; a mid-19th century mahogany rocking chair and foot rest attributed to Thomas Day; an early 19th century Southern Chippendale walnut chest of drawers, likely western North Carolina; and an early 19th century diminutive walnut and yellow pine Southern cellaret, also likely North Carolina.

Continental furniture will include a 19th century Venetian sofa with fruitwood frame, camelback with outswept rolled arms and Dupioni silk upholstery; a pair of inlaid Belle Epoch side tables (circa 1900), with highly figured rouge marble oval top with pierced brass gallery; and an early 19th century Georgian breakfront bookcase, carved mahogany with double cove-molded cornice over four doors.

Nine bottles of Chateau Tertre Roteboeuf Saint-Emilion (1995), all in good condition, will cross the block.

Asian objects are certain to get paddles wagging. Expected top earners include an important large bronze Buddha (19th century or earlier), a solid cast figure seated on an integral hollow lotus plinth; a large early 20th century hand-painted Japanese screen, four panels with wooden frames; and a Chinese porcelain eight-panel table screen from the 19th century, with 13 tiles and a mahogany frame.

Continental sterling silver will include a Victorian “Warwick” wine cooler (Sheffield, with Walker & Hall sponsor’s mark) and a William IV figural wine centerpiece (London, 1895 date letter). American silver will feature an important Southern Coin cup by Leinbach, footed with applied handle; and a Tiffany & Company ice cream server in the “Blackberry” pattern, made between 1902 and 1907. Also to be sold June 19 will be a pair of figural bronzes by the French artist J. Clesinger (1814-1883) and a 19th century Marti & Cie tortoise shell key-wound mantel clock.

Several collector cars will cross the block, to include a 1990 Ferrari Testarossa two-door coupe, white with red interior and 20,302 miles; and a 1995 Bentley Brooklands four-door sedan, light blue with cream interior and 27,450 miles.

Also on Friday, June 18, at 3 p.m., there will be a presentation on “The Artistic Legacy of Thomas Day: Master Craftsman and Free Man of Color,” given by Patricia Phillips Marshall, curator of decorative arts for the North Carolina Executive Mansion and the North Carolina Museum of History.

The remaining 2010 Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. catalog sales are scheduled for Sept. 18 and Dec. 4.

For more information about this auction, call 919.644.1243, e-mail to info [at] LLAuctions [dot] com or visit the Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Web site.

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This mark was used on French Quimperware pottery made by the De la Hubaudière factory from 1883 to 1895.

You might wonder when watching the appraisers at “Antiques Roadshow” just how they can determine so much information about a teacup or platter simply by turning them upside down. The fact is the markings that are stamped, painted or impressed on the underside of most ceramic items can tell a great deal about a piece other than just its maker.

What the appraiser is looking for is historical reference points that they have learned through years of research and study of pottery and porcelain items. What few people are aware of is that it’s not just the name of the company name—such as Rookwood, Weller or Royal Doulton —stamped on the piece that tells the tale, but a number of things used within the mark itself. The actual dating of a piece is much like detective work, and the company name itself only gives the appraiser a rough timeline of when the company was known to operate.

Other factors, such as the color of the mark, how it’s applied or the numbered codes within the design can often date a piece to the exact year it was produced. Famous companies such as Wedgwood, Minton’s, Derby and Worcester have all used a variety of numerical or symbol codes that, with a quick look in a reference book, will provide the exact date of production.

Even without a reference of pottery/porcelain marks there are a few “Pro Points” that you can copy or memorize to help you date pottery and porcelain:

• Small, hand-written marks tend to be pre-1800s.
• Kite-shaped marks with ” Rd.” in the center are English and were used from 1842-83.
• Printed/stamped marks in colors other than blue tend to be post-1850.
• The use of the word “Royal” before a company name tend to be used after 1850.
• The use of the term “LTD” or ” Limited” appear after 1860.
• The use of the word ” Trademark” tends to be used after 1862.
• The use of registration numbers such as “Rd No.10057” begin in 1884.
• Items marked Nippon generally date from 1891-1921.
• The name of a country with the stamp indicates where the piece was made dates from 1891.
• Company marks in gold, or the mention of “24K Gold” on gilded pottery or porcelain is generally mid 20th century.

These are not hard and fast rules, as there are some exceptions, depending on the individual company. In the case of the stamp shown at the top of the column, it’s one of these exceptions. This mark was used on French Quimperware pottery made by the De la Hubaudière factory from 1883 to 1895. It is hand-painted, whereas the “rules” would indicate it should be a pre-1800 piece.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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