Great Estates Auction Puts Rare Houston and Galveston Treasures Up for Bid

When highly-esteemed antiques collector and purveyor Carl Moore decided that it was time to downscale, he turned to his friend and auctioneer Vikki Vines. Nine exceptional pieces from his personal collection of  international antiques will go on the auction block June 22 along with items from two other colorful sources.

Dubbed The Great Estates Auction, this will not be your typical raise your paddle to bid experience. In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, this June 22 event conducted by Gallery Auctions is strictly online.

Among the offerings from Carl Moore personal cache are an 18th century walnut and oak chest on chest from England, a French trumeau from Paris and an Italian portrait cabinet from Venice, 1790.

Additional items come from the estates of Katherine and James Anthony Dibrell of the U.S. Diplomatic Service, and John Samuels III, a native Galvestonian who made millions in the commodity boom of 1974 and in February of 1979 was declared by Fortune magazine as one of the richest people in America.

While exploring Samuels’ three-story Victorian mansion in Galveston in her quest to select items for this auction, Vines, owner and auctioneer of Gallery Auctions, discovered three paintings by controversial artist Lee Knaster Lozano tucked away on the third floor. All three works were quickly purchased by an individual familiar with her work and with the relatively revived interest in the conceptual artist whose work has been shown in museums around the world including a current exhibit at MoMA.

The dashing Samuels was known for his active interest in the arts and lived much of the time early on in his art-filled townhouse in Manhattan. According to the New York Times, “In less than three years, he became the chairman of the New York City Opera, the New York City Ballet and, most recently, the Vivian Beaumont Theater.” His story alone would make any of the items from his estate of colorful interest.

P.S. — Samuels’ Victorian beauty from Galveston’s halcyon days is on the market for $1.2 million.