Items From Palmira, The Estate Home Of Sarkis Kaltakdjian In Louisiana, Will Be Auctioned Nov. 12-14

By Author: Sully Hildebrand
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A pair of antique Chinese watercolors on silk depicting The Ten Courts of Hell, a rare pair of Imperial cloisonné and enamel lingzhi fungus jardinieres, and items from the estate of the Sarkis Kaltakdjian, the former prominent rug dealer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will be part of Crescent City Auction Gallery’s Important Estates Auction slated for Nov. 12-14.

Sarkis Kaltakdjian was a native of Damascus, Syria who studied interior design in Paris and eventually moved to Baton Rouge, La. It was there where he and his wife, Nora Keshishian, established Sarkis Oriental Rugs in 1976, which ran until 2015. Equipped with a unique taste and style, he collected an eclectic array of decorative art, paintings, and antiques throughout his life and travels. These very items are in the auction and present a unique opportunity for collectors.

Mr. Kaltakdjian’s nearly three-acre oasis, which he named Palmira, was located in Prairieville, La. It boasted floor-to-ceiling shelving that housed thousands of collectible items ranging from pre-Colombian style pottery to Asian carved jade items and more. Palmira’s multi-tiered ...
... yard, with a pier overlooking Bayou Manchac, featured waterfalls, bronze figures and two coliseums, where he had a sprawling collection of outdoor figures and furniture – a true collector’s paradise.

The three-day, 1,100-lot auction will be held online and live in the Crescent City Auction Gallery showroom, located at 1330 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. The merchandise has been mostly pulled from prominent estates and collections across the South. Start times are 11 am Central for the November 12th session and 10 am Central for the November 13th-14th sessions.

The pair of Chinese watercolors on silk depicting The Ten Courts of Hell are from the 18th or 19th century and are possibly The Second Court of Hell with Yama: King Chujiang and The Ninth Court of Hell with Yama: King Pingdeng. The larger of the two measures 49 ½ inches tall by 29 ½ inches wide. They are being offered as one lot, with a modest estimate of $10,000-$12,000.

The pair of Imperial cloisonné and enamel lingzhi fungus jardinieres both show the raised Qianlong mark and have lids that are removable for use as jardinieres (ornamental pots or stands for the display of growing plants), with the interior showing a Sotheby’s Hong Kong label. The lingzhi fungus are 26 inches tall; the jardinieres are 9 ¾ inches tall (estimate: $10,000-$15,000).

The sale features items ranging from a great selection of pre-Colombian pottery, estimated at $300-$500 each; to a 72-piece set of sterling flatware by Buccelatti in the “Old Italian” pattern, totaling 80.1 troy oz. (estimate: $2,500-$4,500); to an 18th/19th century Continental three-panel, hand-painted leather screen, overall 84 inches tall by 96 inches wide (estimate: $2,000-$4,000); to a Kawai carved mahogany baby grand piano, 1970, serial #471353 (estimate: $1,500-$2,500).

A pair of 19th century patinated bronze statues by Louis Guillaume Fulconis (1818-1873), after Giovanni Giambologna (1529-1608), titled Mercury and Fortuna, on circular stepped black marble bases and standing 33 ¾ inches tall, is estimated to bring $1,500-$2,500; while a large pair of patinated spelter Art Nouveau busts of an Arab man and woman, crafted in the late 19th century and each one measuring 29 inches tall by 14 inches wide, should realize $1,000-$1,500.

A late 19th century patinated Barbedienne bronze after Michelangelo (1475-1564), titled Lorenzo de Medici, 14 ¼ inches tall, has an estimate of $500-$900; a late 19th century Gilt Bronze Orientalist Maiden after Gaston Leroux (French, 1854-1942), perhaps of Cleopatra, 28 inches tall, is expected to earn $800-$1,200; and a pair of late 19th century gilt spelter Renaissance style figural ewers on circular figured gray marble bases, 24 ½ inches tall, should finish at $400-$800.

An oil on panel painting by Niek van der Plas (Dutch, b. 1954), titled Preservation Hall Brass Band, signed lower right, 15 ½ inches tall by 23 ½ inches wide, has an estimate of $1,800-$2,500; an oil on canvas by Ira Monte (Spain, b. 1918), titled Birds in a Swamp, signed lower right, 29 ½ inches by 39 ½ inches, is estimated at $1,200-$1,800; and a pair of oil on panel nature paintings by Michelangelo Meucci (Italy, 1840-1890), titled A Woodcock and Mallard Duck and Hungarian Partridge and Woodcock (1875), signed, should command $800-$1,200.

Good things come in pairs, with estimates of $1,500-$2,500. The first is a large pair of 20th century polychromed bronze blackamoors on integral stepped bases, wired for lamps, with a frosted glass flammiform shade, 61 ½ inches tall. The second is a pair of large cast iron Campana form garden urns made in the 20th century, the relief rim over a side with relief classic figures, on a socle support to a stepped tapering plinth, each urn 40 inches tall and 30 inches in diameter.

A fine antique Persian Kirman carpet, crafted circa 1910 and measuring 9 feet 6 inches by 12 feet 9 inches, carries a pre-sale estimate of $1,500-$2,000. Also, a 19th century Continental gilt bronze figural mantel clock with a seated figure of a classical warrior, should reach $800-$1,200.

Original artwork by noted, listed New Orleans and regional artists are offered at nearly every Crescent City auction. This one will be not exception. A few of the finer examples are as follows:

- An oil on canvas by William Tolliver (Miss./La., 1951-2000), Untitled Field Workers, circa 1985, signed lower left, 35 ¼ inches by 47 ¼ inches (estimate: $8,000-$10,000).

- An acrylic on canvas by Noel Rockmore (New Orleans, 1928-1995), titled Bike Chick (1965), artist signed, dated and titled, 50 inches by 24 inches (estimate: $2,000-$4,000).

- An oil on canvas by James Michalopoulos (New Orleans/Pa., b. 1951), titled French Quarter Scene, initialed, signed, dated, 14 inches by 11 inches (estimate: $1,500-$2,500).

French period furniture is also a staple at Crescent City auctions. It will be offered in abundance. Two expected top lots, each with an estimate of $1,200-$1,800, are a late 19th century Louis XVI-style carved beech giltwood five-piece parlor suite consisting of a settee and four fauteuils; and a circa 1800 Louis XIV-style carved walnut commode, 30 ½ inches tall by 49 ¾ inches wide.

Additional gorgeous French furniture lots include a 19th century French Provincial inlaid carved walnut Louis XV-style sideboard (estimate: $800-$1,200); a 19th century French Renaissance-style highly carved pine bench/coffer (estimate: $800-$1,200); and a 20th century French Empire-style ormolu mounted carved walnut marble-top secretary abattant (estimate: $500-$900).

Fine American furniture will be offered as well. Lots include a mid-19th century New Orleans carved mahogany rococo single-door armoire, possibly William McCracken, impressive at 108 inches tall (estimate: $700-$1,200); and a 19th century Southern carved mahogany New Orleans-style bed (formerly a half tester bed), 79 inches tall by 75 inches deep (estimate: $600-$900).

Exhibition previews will be held daily (except on Saturday and Sunday), by appointment only, in the Crescent City gallery, starting on Wednesday, Nov. 3. An evening preview will be held Tuesday, November 9th from 5 pm - 6:30 pm Central time. To schedule a preview appointment, call 504-529-5057, or, send an email to info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com. COVID-19 protocols will be strictly enforced.

Internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and BidSquare.com. Absentee and phone bids will be accepted until 1 pm Central time on Friday, November 12th. A 25 percent buyer’s premium will be applied in-house (three percent discount for cash or check). A printed catalog is available; call 504-529-5057 or email info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

For more regarding Crescent City Auction Gallery and the Important November Estates Auction slated for the weekend of November 12th-14th please visit www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com.