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The Ellen Glasgow House in Richmond's Monroe Ward
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The entrance hall of the Glasgow house
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The front parlor
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The music room
Art Style Design Richmond’s first estate sale event since the beginning of the pandemic takes place in the rarefied setting of the nearly 180-year-old Ellen Glasgow House at 1 W. Main St., Thursday, April 8, through Sunday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Most recently home to preservationists and art collectors Jack and Tricia Pearsall, the early 19th-century mansion is currently on the market for the first time in more than 30 years. The house takes its name from writer Ellen Glasgow, who was recognized in 1942 with the Pulitzer Prize for her novel “In This Our Life.” Glasgow moved into the house at the age of 13, when her parents purchased it, and lived there until her death in 1945. Originally built for David Branch, a Richmond tobacco merchant, in 1841, the Greek Revival-style mansion was typical of the large homes that once lined the streets of Richmond’s Monroe Ward. Art Style Design offers a rare opportunity to tour the National Historic Landmark property before it is sold.
The Art Style Design sale features selections from the Pearsalls’ extensive collections of modern, Hollywood Regency and midcentury modern furnishings, paintings and decorative objects, as well as items from other estates. The couple recently downsized to a modern townhome in Manchester.
Look for furniture by renowned designers and manufacturers such as Charles Eames, Geoffrey Harcourt for Artifort, Dakota Jackson, Silas Seandel, Kittinger, Baker, Henredon, Maison Jansen, Paul Mayen, Leon Rosen for Pace, Charles Limbert and Arne Vodder, as well as an eclectic selection of traditional furnishings in the Federal, Queen Anne, Chippendale, Empire, Louis XV and Continental styles — including a set of six 18th-century Queen chairs and a set of 10 19th-century Chippendale dining chairs.
Fine-art offerings include pieces by local artists Steve Glass, A.B. Jackson, Ann Lyne, Alan Rosenbaum, Nancy Wit, Lou Deal and Tom Chenoweth.
The sale also features a curated collection of designer and vintage clothing by designers such as Prada, Versace, Dior, Yves St. Laurent, La Croix, Ungaro and Armani, along with jewelry and accessories.
New for Art Style Design is the Gertrude Stein Parisian-style flea market spilling out of the carriage house and basement into the garden, where savvy shoppers will find a treasure trove of decorative objects, mirrors, lamps, vintage textiles, Asian antiquities, books and more. (Fun fact: Gertrude Stein was among the many celebrities that Ellen Glasgow entertained in her home.)
Face masks are required for admittance, and all social distancing protocols will be observed. To view the major lots, visit estatesales.net.
