Ohio’s Oldest Premier Auction Firm Pays Homage to Ohio Valley Artistry

Delaware, OH - On May 4, 2007, Garth’s Auctions will hold its first annual session of The Ohio Valley Auction, featuring exceptional examples of fine, decorative, and folk arts from the region stretching from Western Pennsylvania to Illinois and as far south as Tennessee. The event will be held annually in the spring and will serve as a celebration and promotion of the rich heritage and artistry found in the Ohio Valley.
For nearly three centuries, the Ohio Valley has been a native homeland, pioneer gateway, artery of commerce, political dividing line, religious crossroads, and a cultural melting pot. Noted historian, Frederick Jackson Turner proclaimed in an address delivered to the Ohio Valley Historical Association in 1909, “The Ohio Valley has not only a local history worthy of study, a rich heritage to its people, but
also that it has been an independent and powerful force in shaping the development of a nation.”Throughout its history, the region has inspired and supported both commercial and recreational artistic expression – from itinerant painters, to fine furniture craftsman, stone-carvers and everyone in between. Jeff Jeffers, President of Garth’s, explains the firm’s interest an annual auction promoting The Ohio
Valley: “Garth’s has developed a unique opportunity to leverage our experience handling fine and decorative arts from the broad Ohio Valley area over fifty years into an annual auction event celebrating the region and its history.

Garth’s Annual Ohio Valley Auction is the logical outgrowth of our firm’s history, and it will be our way to help promote a national appreciation for our regional artistic heritage.” The firm has a great start on consignments for the session, including “The Birdseye View Of the Parkersburg Railroad Bridge”, dated 1873 and monogrammed “TW”. The fine oil painting is a westward view of from Fort Boreman Hill, which is perched above Parkersburg, West Virginia, just downriver from the mouth of the Little Kanawha River. It was a strategic point during the Civil War, and in 1863, Company A of the 11th West Virginia Infantry erected a fort for the protection of the waterways. The 22” x 30” work is estimated at $20,000.00 - $40,000.00. Several additional paintings will be included in the auction: an exceptional watercolor view of riverboats at Pittsburgh; a folksy farm painting from Stewardson, Illinois (oil on canvas); and a wonderful oil on canvas of Commodore Perry’s victory on Lake Erie by Gordon Grant. Other items of merit include a sampler from Rebecca Bodley’s school in Cincinnati; an important collection of Cincinnati silver, including a 6-piece silver tea service by Herman Duhme; a rare Kentucky jacquard coverlet; and a selection of folk art works by Ernest “Popeye” Reed, including an unusual corner cupboard. Furniture examples are plentiful and exceptional, with many published and signed: an important Sonnenberg schrank, Zoar cupboards, a Trumbull County painted chest of drawers, Ohio- or Indiana- German pie safe; an exceptional Indiana decorated butler’s chest; and a bonnet chest attributed to the shop of Matthew Patton of Dayton. Also iincluded will be important historical material, including a scarce 1828 map of Ohio by Turnbull and Anderson, a number of early Ohio Valley-printed books, and many interesting manuscript items. “We have kept the lot count low for this session. Our goal is to conduct an auction that tells a story about the region – with high-quality, historically significant works. Many of the works we are including speak to a specific maker, town, or period in our history”, says Andrew Richmond, of Garth’s catalog department. “The region has developed artists and craftsman who worked in many media, for a variety of reasons – occupation, education, - simply a passion for creating. The auction should be as varied in its representation.” The firm hopes to use the session as an opportunity to advance scholarship about the region internally, with their clients and with the historical community at large. “A lecture and special preview is scheduled the Sunday before and will give a great academic and social atmosphere to the auction”, says Richmond.

The lecture, given by Christopher Phillips, PhD, Associate Professor of History at the University of Cincinnati and Senior Editor of the journal Ohio Valley History, will be a history of the Ohio Valley, detailing its significance in American history. Paired with a wine and cheese preview on Sunday, April 29 from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, the lecture is open to the public, but reservations are required.

For more information on attending The Ohio Valley Auction, the lecture and preview, or to place an advance order for the catalog, contact Garth’s Auctions at 740-362-4771, or on the web at www.Garths.com. Consignments for this important auction are still being accepted; the deadline is March 9.