PORTLAND, Maine - An untouched antiques and art collection accumulated over 100 years by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas will be auctioned by D.A. Folsom Auction Service on June 26, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. A second session, on June 27, will be for in-house bidders only, at the historic Motherhouse on Stevens Avenue in Portland. In all, 1,200 lots will be offered.

"The Sisters of Mercy have decided to downsize and refit their fantastic early brick building toward a new service for the needy," said auctioneer Dale Folsom. "The resulting buying opportunity will thrill both collector and dealer alike."

The Gardiner, Maine-based auction company has spent the last six months sorting through the hundreds of rooms at the Motherhouse. "Each passing day has revealed another array of treasures," said Folsom.
More than 1,000 framed works of art, mostly pre 1920, will be auctioned. An important 22 inch by 31 inch watercolor by Ettore Roesler Franz, titled Monk and Donkey is among the top lots, as is a signed 47 inch by 56 inch Guardabassi oil on canvas titled Jesus with Maidens. Other art entries include approximately 10 D. Anderson original watercolors, mostly of a nautical theme; An F.J. Boston oil on canvas of children with a book, and a large selection of unsigned oil-on-canvas antique paintings whose subjects include Mother Mary in prayer, children playing, "Nun with Vision," and "Angel with Tambourine."

A huge collection of prints and hand-colored photos will cross the auction block, representing both religious and traditional themes. Additionally, a sizable grouping of framed black and white architectural photos is scheduled for sale. 



Furniture highlights include an American Hepplewhite grandfather clock with quarter columns, a massive 10-foot by 12-foot mahogany bookcase, a two-piece country Victorian cupboard with desk, a handsome Victorian hall mirror with drawer, and an oak bow-front china cabinet with lion's-head columns.

Additional furniture highlights in the sale include a massive paw-foot oak pedestal-base table, a stately Victorian broken-arch china cabinet, a fine selection of Victorian marble-top lamp tables, side tables, an Eastlake marble-top sideboard, and approximately 50 sectional bookcases by Globe, Macey, and Gunn.

A fantastic assortment of Arts & Crafts and Mission oak furniture is held in the collection: desks, bookcases, lamp tables, and chairs. There will also be such unusual inclusions as an inlaid tramp art lift-top desk, a fine Eastlake sheet music cabinet, a large selection of church pews, a giant two-piece stepback cupboard and a selection of Governor Winthrop desks.

An ornate Seth Thomas hanging Victorian Eastlake-style wall clock and heavily carved Continental grandfather clock in dark mahogany lead the clocks and watches, while the silver, coins and jewelry section of the sale features white gold filigree diamond rings, vintage triple strands of coral, graduated strand crystal quartz beads, hundreds of pocket and wristwatches to include gold Hamiltons and Walthams; and group lots of costume jewelry including hatpins, cameos and brooches. Coins include gold foreign, Susan B. Anthony dollars, Liberty dollars, Morgan silver dollars, early dimes and quarters, and paper money.

Headlining the pottery and glass collection are majolica art pottery urns with pedestals, a large grouping of Hummels, Hall and Roseville vases, flow blue, transferware, ironstone, Nippon, Noritake, Rose Medallion and Limoges. Other items of interest range from an 1891 Steinway concert grand piano to an 1800s autograph album to a huge brass bell on a swivel.

For information on any lot in this sale, call 207-428-3866. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.