Nye & Company Auctioneers will hold a three-day Country House Splendor auction on Sunday to Tuesday, September 11th-13th, starting at 10 am Eastern time all three days. The auction will include approximately 1,000 lots of fine and decorative arts from the 17th century up to modern day, headlined by items from the estate of Barbara Mallory Hathaway.
Barbara M. (“Bunny”) Hathaway was a World War II veteran and philanthropist known for her green thumb. She passed away in May 2023 at age 101. “Bunny” was born in 1921 and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut and New York City. She was the daughter of Clifford Day Mallory, president and CEO of the Mallory Line, a family shipping concern that was established in 1816.
Ms. Hathaway lived in the same house for over 70 years. Many of the pieces included in the sale were originally from her parents’ apartment in New York City, as well as the William Bottomley designed estate of her great aunt in Maryland. The collection features terrific objects one might expect to see decorating the interior of a classic country home, whether English or American.
Highlights include a Regency inlaid desk-and-bookcase that seems to reach for the sky and is finely proportioned. The ‘smalls’ are abundant and rich in design and flare. There are numerous Staffordshire figures, some equestrian themed, terrific silver, glass, porcelain and lighting. There is also a selection of garden ornamentation including a figural fountain of a young boy with flute.
Bunny’s maternal grandfather was George Sealy, the Texas banker, merchant, cotton baron and owner/president of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. After being educated at boarding school in Virginia, she was named by Hearst Newspaper Syndicates as 1939’s Debutant of the Year. When the US entered WWII, she moved to Washington, DC, where she was employed by the Office of Strategic Services (the precursor of the CIA) and was assigned to the Balkan Desk.
At war’s end she married Captain E. Phillips Hathaway, a decorated Marine aviator who had received three air medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross. They moved to the Greenspring Valley outside of Baltimore, Maryland, where they built a French inspired house. Bunny – a passionate amateur gardener – proceeded to design and layout extensive gardens.
For over 50 years the house and gardens were often opened for various philanthropic causes and featured in magazines including House & Garden. In 2013 the gardens were accepted into the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens. Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway established the racing syndicate Phoenix Stables and had many successful steeplechase horses and years of excitement.
For nearly fifty years Bunny served on the board of the Harvey Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland. During her tenure as president of the garden committee, the gardens received the Garden Club of America’s Zone Historic Preservation Award. Mrs. Hathaway was instrumental in maintaining the Clifford Day Mallory Cup at what is now called the Regional Sailing Association and established a scholarship fund for underserved youth in honor of her father at the New England Science and Sailing Foundation.
Of all her philanthropic causes, she was most proud of the Open Gates Medical Center in Baltimore. Bunny provided the seed money in the 1980s and the center, which was specifically built and staffed to serve the underprivileged of Baltimore, was named after her maternal grandparents’ Stanford White designed mansion, “Open Gates“ in Galveston, Texas. The house not only survived the catastrophic hurricane of 1900 but was opened to shelter 400 storm victims, many of whom literally washed up on its doorstep.
The auction will also feature property from another private collection, primarily early American furniture from the mid-18th through the early 19th century. Highlights include an extremely rare Federal inlaid mahogany concave chest from central Virginia, possibly Richmond. This fabulous and scarce piece of American craftsmanship carries a conservative estimate of $15,000-$30,000.
There is also an equally rare Federal carved cherrywood armchair from Mitchelsburg, Kentucky. This chair has been upholstered with a non-invasive covering pioneered by Colonial Williamsburg’s upholsterer, Leroy Graves. This cutting-edge technology allows the seat covering to be easily removed and avoids tacking anything to the frame.
The collection also includes an early Queen Anne pair of balloon seat side chairs made in Philadelphia, 1750-1760, with a history of descending in the Mendenhall family (est. $15,000-$30,000). There is also a terrific Lemuel Curtis girandole clock (est. $15,000-$30,000). These rare wall clocks are often some of the most sought-after pieces for Americana collectors.
Another excellent complement to the furnishings category is the splendid collection of silver, brass and Paktong candlesticks dating from the second-half of the 18th century. These well-crafted and beautifully designed metalwork sources of light helped illuminate the homes and lives of generations past. Some are estimated as low as $500-$1,000.
Nye & Company continues to be pleased to be selling property from the NAMITS collection. This private collection was collected over decades and has a terrific blend of Provincial French furniture, Native American pottery and contemporary fine art.
Highlights of the collection include a number of Pueblo pots from the turn of the 20th century. These vessels are rich in decoration, history and use. Most are priced at $500-$1,500. There is a monumental French inlaid cherrywood enfilade that has tons of put-away space and is perfect for a grand home owner who likes to entertain. This piece is estimated to sell for $2,500-$3,500.
For those who appreciate whimsy, craftsmanship and folk art, there is a small but choice selection of canes being sold from the estate of Marjorie and Robert L. Hirschhorn. The Hirschhorns were passionate collectors of folk carved canes, parquetry and marquetry inlaid furniture. Robert was on the board of trustees of the American Folk Art Museum (2002-2011).
Another piece to cross the auction block is an almost life size portrait of Queen Victoria being deaccessioned from a prominent UK and Philadelphia family. This rare portrait is a copy of Thomas Sully’s well-known painting and was painted by Charles Cohill in 1856. This piece is conservatively estimated at $7,000-$10,000.
For those drawn to shiny objects, the sale has a large and diverse selection of sterling silver. There is a nice mixture of hollowware and flatware. Highlights include an 18th century English salver by William Peatson, a Gorham sterling “Kings Pattern II” flatware service in case box (est. $2,500-$3,500); and a New York Yacht Club sterling trophy bowl by Crichton, celebrating the win of the yacht “Typhoon.” This silver piece will likely sell for between $1,000 and $1,500.
On the fine art side, there is a fabulous group of paintings ranging from impressionistic to realistic to modern. Highlights include a wonderfully vibrant and impressionistic work titled Road to my Farm by George Loftus Noyes (Canadian, 1864-1954) estimated at $15,000-$30,000. There is also a nice landscape picture of Wells by Edward Gay (1837-1928).
Sure to be a fan favorite is a floral and fruit still life by Bradley Brayton Bucklin (1824-1915). Reminiscent of Severin Roesen, this realistic still life glistens in the light and the reflective qualities off the marble table top are stunning (est. $5,000-$10,000). Evelyn Bodfish Bourne has also created an impressionistic marsh-scape rich with light and color (est. $10,000-$20,000).
Real time Internet bidding and absentee bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Bidsquare.com, BidSpirit.com and the Nye & Company website: www.nyeandcompany.com. Telephone bidding will also be available on a limited basis.
For more information about Nye & Company Auctioneers and the three-day Country House Splendor auction planned for September 11th-13th, starting at 10 am Eastern time all three days, visit nyeandcompany.com. The full color catalog will be available for viewing shortly at www.nyeandcompany.com, www.liveauctioneers.com, www.bidspirit.com, www.bidsquare.com and www.invaluable.com.
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Nye & Company encourages everyone to come by the gallery or view the sale online. People can bid in absentia and online. An online preview is being held thru September 13th at the websites listed above. Anyone looking for additional images, condition reports or information about an object can visit the Nye & Co. website or email to info@nyeandcompany.com. For those who would like to inspect the items in person, Nye will be holding a public exhibition September 3rd -6th from 10am to 4pm each day and then again September 9th-12th from 10-4. For more information, please visit www.nyeandcompany.com.