1800s Vampire Killing Kit Nabs $14,850 At Stevens Auction

Natchez, Miss.

:A complete and authentic vampire killing kit — made around 1800 and complete with stakes, mirrors, a gun with silver bullets, crosses, a Bible, holy water, candles and even garlic, all housed in a American walnut case with a carved cross on top — attained $14,850 in the Jimmy Pippen estate sale by Stevens October 3–4 in the new Natchez Convention Center.

The sale comprised the contents of Pippen's stores (Pippen Antiques and Pippen Interiors), items from his personal residence (which he considered a perfect creation and called "Paradise"), the contents of another home (a three-story, 1850s townhouse called "The Orchard" that he restored with fine appointments and rented out) and treasures from several warehouses.

The Friday session was dedicated mostly to the newer items in Pippen's vast collections. The Saturday session proved to be the main event, with a crowd of about 300 people packing the convention center to bid on period furniture items, decorative accessories, fine art and more. Also sold was the living estate of Charles Davenport, a neighbor and friend of Pippen's.

"It was almost like we had two sales on Saturday. The daytime crowd stayed until around 6 in the evening, then a whole new crowd poured in. Buying was active and enthusiastic for the full duration of the day — 11 hours and 45 minutes. We didn't finish until 9:45 pm," Stevens said.

The top lot of the day honors, however, went to a monumental rosewood Renaissance Victorian bedroom suite, made circa 1860 and attributed to John Jelliff, that sold to a determined bidder for $33,000.

Antique beds, a staple at many Stevens auctions, did well. A rococo mahogany half tester queen-size plantation bed, circa 1855, attributed to William McCracken, soared to $20,900, while another example attributed to McCracken, a rosewood tester bed at 9 feet 4 inches tall, circa 1845, achieved $18,700. A mahogany half tester bed attributed to Signouret, circa 1850, made $17,600.

From the period furniture offerings, a French Empire pier table, with original gold leaf stenciling and marble columns, circa 1830, coasted to $14,400, a Louisiana-made cypress plantation cupboard, made by slaves around 1800 and measuring 8 feet tall by 52 inches wide, earned $11,550, while a rosewood armoire with bird's-eye maple interior, attributed to P. Mallard, circa 1855, hit $7,700.

Fine arts standouts included an oil on canvas portrait of a Frenchman in its original gilt frame at 39 by 50 inches that brought $5,280, an oil on canvas portrait of a young boy, signed C. Campbell, circa 1886, 30 by 44 inches, that made $3,520 and a Nineteenth Century copy of a Sixteenth Century oil on canvas painting of soldiers on horses at $1,760.

Decorative accessories were in abundance. A Nineteenth Century copy of a marble sculpture of winged figures, with a green marble pedestal, garnered $3,960; an Old Paris three-piece mantel set, with two vases 19 inches tall and a centerpiece 10 by 12 inches, circa 1850, made $3,740; while a pair of Victorian crystal candelabras, signed Baccarat, circa 1900, realized $3,740. A Sebastian Erard rosewood harp, circa 1825, Patent No. 4596, played a sweet tune for $7,920.

A fairy lamp collection came up for bid. All were made circa 1880s. Top lots included a double Burmese fairy lamp for $3,080, a Burmese epergne with four-fairy lamp at $2,860, a Royal Worchester figural double fairy lamp for $2,420 and a pair of Cricklite Royal Worchester fairy lamps at $1,980. A Baccarat banquet lamp made circa 1860, 32 inches tall, commanded $1,980.

Rounding out the sale were a Nineteenth Century American Empire mahogany slipper seat, circa 1840, that hammered for $6,160; an unusually tall bronze astral lamp, 36 inches tall, with 10-inch prisms, circa 1850, at $4,070; a Victorian sterling repousse tea service five-piece set, circa 1900, for $3,740; and a Nineteenth Century old Sheffield plate epergne, silver on copper, circa 1890, at $2,860.

Stevens Auction Company conducts onsite sales throughout the Southeast and at its gallery at 609 North Meridian Street in Aberdeen, Miss.

All prices reported include the ten percent buyer's premium. For more information, www.stevensauction.com or 662-369-2200.