Seller Story: Melissa Galt, Atlanta, GA
“My great grandfather was Frank Lloyd Wright. I never met him, but from him I got the expression for how I live my life, which is ‘Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities.’ I’ve been a designer for 23 years.
My mother knew him quite well. She was an actress, Anne Baxter; she’s probably best known for being Eve in All About Eve with Bette Davis, and then she was in Ten Commandments. Mother would send Frank unedited versions of her films, and he would make his own versions. That’s how he rolled.
Mother was real big on museums and travel. She would take off 30 days every summer and take us on a trip. The house we grew up in was very international. Mother traveled widely, and she collected on her travels. She picked things up and just found places for them. She also collected when she was on the sets of films, so, for example, there’s a little Spanish hand organ that came from one of mother’s film sets. Quite possibly it came from when she did a murder mystery filmed in Spain.
She gave me the travel bug and she gave me the collecting bug. A lot of the pieces in that sale are from travels I’ve taken, and I just decided that I’m at a point where less is more. I’m still keeping some treasures that I have, but I have a lot more of the memories now, and I need fewer treasures. I’d rather share them with people.”
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K 0.38 CT Diamond Solitaire Necklace
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hermès Early Issue "Skyros" Silk Twill Scarf 90
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
William Shatner Signed "Star Trek" Print
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K Pearl Drop Earrings
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Waterford "Prentiss" Crystal Candlesticks With Rectangular Waterford Clock
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
P. Fioritto Floral Oil Painting, 2012
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Christian Dior Navy Trotter Jacquard Zip Pouch
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Czech Barolac Style Frosted Glass Vase with Cherub and Grapes Motif
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Walter Stomps Abstract Geometric Acrylic Painting "Galactic Border No. 1"
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Farmside Amish Parcel-Ebonized and Elm Queen Bed Frame
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mike Trout, Nolan Ryan, and More Graded Baseball Cards, 1990s-2010s
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Grey Iron Casting Co. "Queen" Cast Iron Miniature Reproduction Toy Stove
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
7'1 x 10'9 Hand-Knotted Persian Tabriz Area Rug
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Mahogany-Stained X-Back Armchair, Manner of Barbara Barry
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Chanel Faux Pearl Rope Length Necklace
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Don Hatfield Serigraph "The Sailboat," Late 20th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Francine Wrap Shirt in Leather and Paolo Santini Leather Shirt with Siena Skirt
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
N. Ming Stylized Oil Portrait, 21st Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Fendi Zucca Logo Pattern Umbrella
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Death NYC Pop Art Graphic Print of Mickey Mouse, 2022
What were some of the first things you started collecting?
In my twenties, it was powerful female imagery, and Pegge Hopper has a lot of that. I have about 5 Pegge Hopper lithographs in the sale, all signed. My father owned originals, but when he became born again — before I started collecting mine— he gave them away! You have no idea how painful it is for me to say that.
There’s a wonderful John Lennon piece. It’s a John, Julian and Yoko, done by John, published post-mortem and signed by Yoko with a stamp signature. I bought two of his pieces at a gallery in Chicago many years ago because I was so captivated by his style.
Any other treasure from your mother’s collection?
There are several of mother’s movie posters. The reason I let those go is because I’ve got the ones that are near and dear to me. And because, as a designer, there’s only certain colors I live with, and those colors aren’t in the ones I’m letting go.
I also included a Carrera marble polar bear. He was a gift to my mother from her late and last husband, a treasured piece.
What’s one of your favorite pieces from your design career?
There is a very large collection of black amethyst glass in the sale from a 20-year collection that started with my first show home. I scoured obscure antique places, backyard sales, everywhere. A lot of people overlook black amethyst because it looks black, but when you hold it up to the light, it turns purple.