It's not often that you get the chance to represent the Life & Collections of someone that spanned almost every era of our country's history, or have the opportunity to own a piece of their history.
Dr. Stephens & his wife Ms. Thelma Stephens had been living at Braehead Manor his family's estate in Fredericksburg VA. Mr. Stephens being a descendant of The Howison clan which was granted the estate by the king of Scotland. As if the original Howison & House of Braehead didn't make history across the Atlantic Ocean, they made history here too! The Howison Clan built a home in Fredericksburg inspired by the original House of Braehead in Edinburgh Scotland. Robert Reed Howison was a well known & respected minister, lawyer & historian. Àn account of his life and history at Braehead can be read in Twice Forty Years, an autobiography, in Virginia historical records and the U.S. Department of Interior National Parks.
Braehead is also significant for the prominent role it played during the Civil War, in the Battles of Fredericksburg in 1862, 1863 & 1864. The house was a reference point for both Union and Confederate troop movements along the southern end of the battlefield, frequently mentioned in battle orders and after action reports. General Robert E. Lee's headquarters, known today as Lee's Hill, was located on the plantation property associated with Braehead. Today, Braehead is the only nineteenth-century house surviving at the southern end of the Fredericksburg Battlefield.
One day while out driving around Dr. Stephens & Ms. Thelma discovered Troutville, Virginia & fell in love. As fate would have it, Troutville was in need of a doctor. Dr. Stephens served the Roanoke Valley and retired from the emergency room at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Dr. Stephens was a lifetime Member of the Boy Scouts of America and started a troop in Troutville. He and Ms. Thelma also started the Roanoke Valley Figure Skating Club. Another first for the area.
Ms. Thelma was raised in Concordia, Missouri. Her family immigrated here in the late 1800s from Germany. Her Grandmother, Mother and Aunt had a passion for exquisite porcelain and glassware much of which came over with them after visiting Germany. The art of needle work and sewing was a talent surely shared by all the women. The collection of quilts inside this auction are breathtaking. Also you will find an extensive collection of embroidered sheets, pillowcases, table linens & more. There are hand beaded purses and a collection of hand made antique baby dresses, blankets, curtains and even sheets for the crib. There are beautiful handmade dresses made for Ms. Thelma when she attended Ole Miss. There is also the wedding dress worn by her grandmother in a shadowbox containing her veil and her grooms boutonniere. Thelma being the sole heir of her mother and aunt, she became the keeper of the family's treasures. You will find some of the most beautiful glass and porcelain imaginable including Dresden, RS Prussia, Meissen, Mt Washington, Staffordshire, Capodimonte, Bohemian Glass, Tiffin, Murano, Royal Doulton, Lefton, Nippon, Wedgwood & more!
There is a vast collection of Antique artwork & Furniture from Braehead as well as inherited from the Lentz & Krienkampf Families.
Rounding out the collection are two Victorian mourning wreaths, vintage antique toys, lots of Boy Scout patches, pins and more memorabilia, a collection of Lenox birds. Large camera collection.
This breathtaking auction represents generations of history.
It has definitely been an honor to assist Ms. Thelma Stephens in downsizing her collections and to share all of her memories. You will most certainly find a treasure inside!
