The Estate of Richard Mellon Scaife (philanthropist, newspaper publisher and heir to the Mellon fortune) will share his Sailor’s Valentine Collection at Rafael Osona’s Columbus Weekend Auction held on October 11, 2014 on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.

Featuring over 50 shell-works including Sailor’s Valentines, folk art shell boxes, bouquets and trinkets spanning the 19th to 21st centuries, as well as limited furnishings from Scaife’s Nantucket Island residence. SCROLL DOWN THE THUMBNAIL PAGE TO VIEW OFFERINGS.

Coveted by today’s collectors of Folk Art, Sailor’s Valentines originated during the 19th Century heyday of maritime trade. These shell-works were made in Barbados between 1830 and 1880 during which time Barbados was a port-of-call for British and American vessels. Sailors purchased these souvenirs and trinkets for their wives, mothers, sisters and friends as tokens of love upon their return from months and years at sea. The Richard Mellon Scaife collection contains many fine examples featuring phrases such as “A Gift from Barbados”, “Love to the Giver”, “Remember Me”, “With Love”, “Forget Me Not”, “Love”, “I Think of Thee”, “Home Again”, “Truly Thine”. The collection also includes a dozen fine works by contemporary artists such as Bernard Woodman, Sandy Moran, S.G. Blanda and Myra Frank.

The auction will also include important Nantucket Art from various consignors to include works by Ralph Cahoon, Wendell Macy, J.B. Reid, D. & R. Beer, John Austin, Robert Stark, Jan Munro, Jan Pawlowski, William Lowe, Yasemin Tomakan, Fine Marine Art by Tim Thompson, William R. Davis, Michael Keane, DeWitt Lobrano and fine antique furnishings, décor, estate jewelry and carpets.

The Collection may be viewed on Osona’s website at RafaelOsonaAuctions.com. Preview: October 9 & 10 from 10-5pm; Auction: October 11 at 9:30am at the American Legion Hall, 21 Washington St., Nantucket, MA. Absentee and telephone bids may be submitted online, or by phoning the office at 508-228-3942.