SOUTHAMPTON, PA.- Last month one of Hunterdon County, New Jerseys most idyllic country properties, the 27-acre Paper Road Farm in Grafton, was sold at auction. Now
Stephensons Auctioneers , estate specialists located in Bucks County, Pa., will take over the reins to auction the contents that furnished and decorated the picturesque stone farmhouse on the Delaware River. The November 16 auction will be held onsite at the property, but bidders can also participate by phone, absentee or live via the Internet through
LiveAuctioneers .
In keeping with the feel of the original 18th-century colonial structure, the owners in residence took great care to furnish the interior with period pieces. They did a wonderful job, said Cindy Stephenson, owner of Stephensons Auctioneers.
Many artworks will be offered, including oil-on-canvas landscapes by Sophie Marston Brannan, Harry Horn, Bowen Aylesworth Haines and George F. Schultz. An E.L. Parmele oil-on-canvas winter landscape is dated 1850 and features cows and figures; while a Raymond W. Sims oil on board is a still life with fruit. There are numerous other watercolors, pastels, portraits and prints.
A true country mansion, the home contains a wealth of furniture in both country and formal styles. Theres a cherry cupboard, a 19th-century grain-painted chest, an 1869 Norwegian humpback paint-decorated trunk, a dovetailed dome-top blanket chest with original red paint, and another 19th-century painted blanket chest. A mahogany Federal-style dining table comes complete with two leaves and a set of six mahogany ribbon-back dining chairs. Other elegant furnishings include a mahogany Queen Anne-style highboy, a Chippendale slant-front desk, an inlaid mahogany demilune table and a Chippendale-style scroll-arm sofa. Hand-tied Persian rugs adorn the hardwood floors.
As the auction moves from room to room, bidders will be able to bid on a walnut Davenport desk, a Federal cherry drop-leaf table, a Shaker ladder-back rocker, Chippendale-style leather wing chair, walnut double-door bookcase and a mahogany tester bed converted to king size, with hairy paw feet. A reliable timekeeper in the home is the circa-1830 English inlaid tall-case clock that measures 89 inches in height. Outdoor and garden furniture will be auctioned, as well. Patio sets include a 7-piece teak ensemble by Kingsley-Bate and a five-piece iron set. There are many dozens of additional furnishings, including mirrors, lamps, mantel clocks, a glass-paneled tri-fold screen, and a wealth of decorative accessories.
There are many collections in the residence: stoneware crocks and jugs, some with advertising; late-18th to early 19th-century pewter, equestrian-related items, copper cookware, linens, lace, and some silver, including a five-piece tea and coffee service.
As one would expect on a horse farm, the auction includes saddles. Among those to be offered to the highest bidder are a Flanagan 18in hunt seat, Mesace Medellin Industria Colombia 17½in hunt seat, G. Passier & Sons 17½in dressage, Beval 17in hunt seat, G. Passier & Sons 18in dressage, English 18in hunt seat, and a Crosby 18in hunt seat. There are two Western saddles: a 14in brown and 14½in black model.
In addition to residential contents, the sale includes farm equipment used in day-to-day work activities, starting with a John Deere 850 diesel tractor with turf tires. Also, there are wooden barrels, ladders, fencing and posts; yard tools, wheelbarrows, a diesel tank, an outside sink, four exterior parking lot lights on poles, and even cords of firewood.
It isnt often that we see an onsite auction of a country estate that is this complete and of such consistently high quality throughout, said Stephenson. I think that many bidders are going to be very happy with their purchases.
The Nov. 16 auction will take place onsite at Paper Road Farm, 12 Grafton Rd., Stockton, N.J. beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. The pre-auction inspection will be held immediately prior to the auction, from 9-11 a.m. Absentee, phone (must reserve line in advance) and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers will also be available.
View the fully illustrated online catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at
www.liveauctioneers.com.