Georgian mansion and contents up for bids July 1-2

WENHAM, Mass. – The 12,000-square-foot, 30-room Georgian mansion known as Seven Pines, located on Boston’s North Shore, plus its entire contents of European antiques and other fine items, will be sold without reserve July 1-2, by John McInnis Auctioneers, based in Amesbury. The auction will be held on-site, at 97 Larch Row in Wenham, Massachusetts.

For those unable to attend either session in person, internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

Seven Pines is a Georgian Colonial brick manor home that was designed by Joseph D. Leland and built in 1927 on 30 picturesque acres on Larch Row. The home has been maintained, updated and expanded over the years, and enjoys close proximity to the village center, rail lines and aviation, parks, golf courses and equestrian trails.

The contents are being called The Henry D. Audesse Collection, referring to Seven Pines’ most recent occupant. Offerings include 19th century French furniture, porcelains, bronzes, fine decorative objects, clocks, paintings and other works of art, mosaics and lighting. Start times for both auction days will be noon EST. The actual home will be sold at 3 p.m. July 1.

Session I, will feature more than 400 lots of high-end decorative items, to include Bell Epoque, 19th century decorative furniture, porcelains, bronzes, paintings, lighting and more.

Two items in Session I should be strong candidates for top lot. One is a pair of 19th century Sevres vases, 35 inches high, ormolu mounted cobalt ground porcelain with two handles on each side and mythological reserves. The vases are both signed “Dapoigny / Sevres” and both come in their original mahogany cases. The lot is expected to fetch $15,000 to $25,000.

The other is a French 19th century Louis XVI-style pedestal clock with gilt bronze and porcelain face

signed “Leroy A Paris.” The ormolu mounted inlaid kingwood and mahogany clock stands 88 inches tall and features a bell striking movement and a drum case mounted with playful putti with garlands of flowers amid billowing clouds. It should realize $12,000 to $18,000.

One of the more historically significant lots is a porcelain monogrammed gilt banded dinner service, made in France by Vierzon (Hache Julien & Cie). The lot’s provenance sheet reads: “Set of Limoges porcelain ordered and given by Napoleon III to Michael Smythson upon his return as ambassador to France from England in 1886.” It should bring between $1,200 and $1,800.

Other star lots from Session I include a fine, circa-1870 French Egyptian Revival ormolu mounted rouge marble urn on a gilt and silvered bronze quatrapied stand, with mythological creatures, 27 1/2 inches tall ($5,000-$9,000); and a circa-1900 French Louis XV-style bombe cabinet with parquetry and green marble top and mounted figures of putti ($3,000-$6,000).

Session II, slated for July 2, will be packed with more than 500 lots of 19th and 20th century decorative antiques, porcelains, accessories, paintings, many maritime objects and nautical antiques, scrimshaw and more.

An expected top performer in the session should be a three-volume set of books titled “Audubon’s Quadrupeds of America,” bound in full green leather with embossed gold decoration and lettering, and gilt edges by the renowned bird scholar John James Audubon and Rev. John Bachman (New York), published by V.G. Audubon between 1849-1852. The set is expected to sell for $3,000 to $6,000.

The real estate will be shown by appointment only. The high bid will be subject to confirmation by the trustee to the estate of Henry D. Audesse. All internet bidders for the real estate must be pre-qualified by John McInnis Auctioneers. Interested parties are encouraged to view the listing in the real estate section of LiveAuctioneers.com and review all the terms and conditions there.

For more information, visit www.mcinnisauctions.com, email mcinnisauctions@yahoo.com, or call 978-388-0400.