PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The living estate of Terry and Karen Kelley – an astounding trove of old and rare books (many of them first-editions and/or author-signed), glass and ceramics, original artwork, furniture and collectibles in a wide array of categories – will come up for bid on Saturday, Oct. 29, at The Specialists of the South, at 8 a.m Central time.
Absentee and Internet live bidding will be a available through LiveAuctioneers.com.
All of the estimated 500-plus lots comprise the Kelley estate, with no additions.
Most of the items were gathered over the years by Karen Kelley, a registered nurse. Her life is as colorful as the items in her inventory. While studying nursing, she ran a filling station in Plant City, Fla., and one day Elvis Presley pulled in for gas. He gave her a scarf (with a printed signature) that will be in the sale.
An avid reader, Ms. Kelley is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers of America. She also traveled with John Stark of the Ohio Booksellers and was personally given many books in her collection by Van Allen Bradley, the former book editor of the Chicago Tribune. Many of her books are signed, numbered and “tipped in” – with the author’s signature or artwork inserted into the book. A copy of John Steinbeck’s book, The Moon is Down, for example, with Steinbeck’s signature tipped in, will be included in the auction.
The book that’s expected to fetch the most is a signed copy (#45 of 95) of Kahlil Gibran’s Sand & Foam (below). Gibran (1883-1931) was the noted Lebanese-American artist, poet and writer of the New York Pen League, best known for the book The Prophet. Sand & Foam is expected to sell for $2,000 or more.
Glass lots will feature many Steuben and Fenton pieces, many of which are artist-signed. Ceramics will include Flow Blue, Haviland and Japanese Yamaka Southwind.
Artwork will include a watercolor by Ray Ellis (American, 1921-2013), titled Daufuskie Lane (below), and watercolors by the living Southern artists Gordon Wheeler and Dan Goad.
Metal lots will feature a full-figure bronze sculpture of Napoleon by Ernst L. Kirchner (German, 1880-1938), a Western-themed bronze sculpture after Charles M. Russell (American, 1864-1926) and a fine set of Roycrofters bookends.
For details contact The Specialists of the South Inc. by phone at 850-785-2577 or email at contact@sospcfl.com.
[av_button label=’View the fully illustrated catalog and bid on LiveAuctioneers.com.’ link=’manually,http://bit.ly/2eCtZ1G’ link_target=’_blank’ size=’medium’ position=’center’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ av_uid=’av-loiofz’]
