Southern Picker - James E. Allen

Animal Rescue Fundraising Update for HART

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:05:34 +0000

Rescue Dog Maneudo / Wallace

Thanks to our customers, Maneudo who now lives in Canada after being rescued from McIntosh county about a year ago. He along with his three sisters and his mother were rescued and fostered by us. Our fundraiser for HART of McIntosh contributed towards spay/neuter for all the dogs. His mother is the bulldog that we call Nanny that used to be in our shop.

We just received an update that included this picture showing what a good life he has today. Many thanks to everyone that came to our fundraiser. Consider continued support of HART by visiting their site and clicking on one of the hearts to join, adopt a best friend, donate or encourage your friends to join this great cause to stop the killing of unwanted pets.

If you live near Whitby Canada Camp Lotsa Dogs is a great place to adopt a rescue dog. They have very high standards, help with training and have tremendous boarding facilities.

Nanny, still needs a home

Priceless Will Get a Value When Estate Sale Discovery Leonardo Da Vinci Goes Up for Auction

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:33:14 +0000

Salvador Mundi by Leonardo Da Vinci

A painting of Jesus titled Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) that was attributed to one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s students Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio is now believed to be an original by Da Vinci. It was found in an estate sale and is expected to go up for auction. It is owned by a consortium of dealers who reportedly have turned down offers of 100 million dollars. It is currently being exhibited in a Leonardo exhibit at the National Gallery in London.

Cy Twombly, American Artist, Is Dead at 83 – NYTimes.com

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:13:42 +0000

Cy Twombly in front of his work in the Renzo Piano designed Menil Museum in Houston

One of our favorite artists Cy Twombly is gone. Here, he is standing in the Renzo Piano designed gallery that is dedicated to his work. It is on the Menil Museum campus in Houston, Texas. I have stood in front of the piece in this photo several times with feelings that range from “this is childish work” to “this is amazing”. If you are ever near Houston like to be challenged by contemporary modern art be sure to visit the Menil Cy Twombly Gallery and while you are there I’d also recommend the Rothko Chapel which is a few blocks away.

Cy Twombly, American Artist, Is Dead at 83 – NYTimes.com. << More photos of his work are after this link.

$722,500 Signature from Coastal Georgia

admin — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 18:23:23 +0000

Button Gwinnett

Two hundred twenty five years ago today (July 4th, 1776) Georgia had three signers of the Declaration of Independence George Walton, Lyman Hall, and Button Gwinnett. This event and a lingering lust for power culminated in the death Button Gwinnett when he was mortally wounded by Lachlan McIntosh ten months after the signing. Today Button Gwinnett’s signature is one of the most valuable in the world along with William Shakespeare and Julius Cesar.

Button Gwinnett was a long time rival to the McIntosh Clan (for whom McIntosh County Georgia is named and is where we are located). After signing the declaration, Gwinnett returned to Georgia with aspirations to be the leader of Georgia’s military however Lachlan McIntosh got the appointment by Georgia’s Provisional Congress. Embittered but resolute Button Gwinnett refocused his attentions to politics becoming the first Speaker of the Georgia Assembly. They adjourned in February. While the legislature was not in session, power was in the hands of the Council of Safety. The council’s president (effectively governor) was Archibald Bulloch. Tragically, Bulloch died (some say by poisoning) one month later in Savannah. Button Gwinnett assumed the president’s leadership position where he began a campaign to undermine the political power of the McIntoshes.

Lachlan McIntosh

First he purged the military of those who did not fully support the revolution, conveniently these were the same supporters of the McIntoshs’. One of these was Lachlan’s brother George McIntosh whom he had arrested and imprisoned for treason. Then he ordered the military (led by Lachlan McIntosh) to attack the British East Florida colony St. Augustine. The McIntoshs’ suspected political motivation instead of military security and refused to cooperate. The attack was still attempted and was a complete disaster even after Lachlan was called in to assist. The legislature reconvened (May 1777) to dutifully elect a new governor and conduct an inquiry into the failed St. Augustine campaign. As a result the legislature did not reelect Gwinnett as governor but did clear him of wrongdoing in the failed attack. Lachlan used this embarrassing defeat to humiliate Button and publicly called Gwinnett “a scoundrell and lying rascal.” Button Gwinnett challenged him to a duel. On May 16, 1777 they met in Thunderbolt Georgia; both men were struck by bullets; yet they both survived the encounter. However three days later Button Gwinnett died of gangrene.

Gwinnett’s death shortly after signing the Declaration of Independence makes his signature the rarest of all the signers of the declaration. In April of 2010 a letter with his signature was auctioned at Sotheby’s for $722,500.

We collect historical items and are especially interested in McIntosh County history. If you have things we would like to talk to you. If you are interested in McIntosh come by the shop and we’ll show you what we have.

Picking Sisters Weekly

admin — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 22:22:57 +0000

The Picking Sisters came into the shop today and asked about Nanny our rescue dog; also mentioning that they had a picture on their picking blog Picking Sisters Weekly. Of course I had to go look at their blog. I recognized one of my favorite things that the picking sisters had picked in the shop. It’s always nice seeing our picks in the wild. They sell their picks at Etsy.com.

Be Nurtured By Art by Melissa Pope-Scott

JSLittlefield — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:59:31 +0000

Palm Beach Portrait of the South by Melissa Pope-Scott

The Shaded Porch from the series Portrait of the Deep South by Melissa Pope-Scott

We always enjoy seeing what customers do with the treasures they find at Southern Picker Antique Outlet. Melissa Pope-Scott buys antique frames which in-turn inspire a subject for her painting. She is currently doing a series on the south titled Portrait of the Deep South. It is always exciting to see what she creates. She was recently accepted to a prestigious juried art competition based on her recent work (BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART’S 75TH MIDYEAR EXHIBITION). Check out her blog at The Daily Fridge Report and be sure to see the section “Be Nurtured by Art”

Robert Isabell a Collector and Designer

JSLittlefield — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:11:51 +0000

Robert Isabell was mentioned in the New York Times today. I’d never heard of him so I googled him. He was the top event designer in the country so I thought I share what I found for those that love design, art and collecting like we do. Sadly he died in 2009 from a heart attack. He was a frequent companion to Rachel “Bunny” Mellon. Who is quite a remarkable person too.

2THEWALLS has his collection in his home interleaved with the obituary from the NYT

Maine Antique Digest has the auction results of his collection at Sotheby’s

His obituary in the New York Times

John

Albert M. Sack, Antiques Dealer and Author, Dies at 96 – NYTimes.com

admin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:38:11 +0000

Albert M Sack

Today while reading the New York Times online I saw the obituary for Albert Sack. I had the honor of knowing Albert and being with him many times while he and Deanne Levison inspected furniture before bidding at auction. Albert epitomizes what I strive for in the trade of antiques. Albert and Deanne would spend an entire day inspecting a single piece of furniture at an auction. From Albert and Deanne I learned not only skills of reading a piece of furniture but also that reaching the top required accepting nothing less that %100 confidence that a piece of furniture is right before presenting it to a customer for sale.

Albert M. Sack, Antiques Dealer and Author, Dies at 96 – NYTimes.com.

CDC Origins in Coastal Georgia

admin — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:03:59 +0000

A Colorado woman came into the shop today she told me the CDC has origins in Savannah (where she was born) which I did not know. While her father, an entomologist, was in Savannah he worked to kill disease carrying mosquitoes. This work resulted in the widespread use DDT. I did a search and found some interesting coastal history.

He probably worked at what is today the Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Pooler, GA. Not only does it look like a great place to visit today it has an interesting history.

Its story starts as a cotton plantation which is not that unusual in coastal Georgia, however from 1926 to 1940, it was a retirement home for train conductors for a group called Order of the Railway. Then from 1941 to 1945, it was a hospital for studying STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). Then for a long stretch, 1945 to 1973 a group originally called (MCWA) Malaria Control in War Areas used the property to study mosquito control with DDT. MCWA eventually became the CDC. Once the problems with DDT were discovered the CDC group moved to Atlanta in 1973 and the land was dormant until the pollution cleanup started in 1998. And now the property is:

a Zoo! The pictures look amazing.

Panther

Nice Make Do Collection Featured in New York Times

admin — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:28:12 +0000

This slide show from the NYT has some great photography of a nice make do collection.
Make Do Collection