Elizabeth Jackson has been a premier name in the Fairfield County fine art and antique business for over twelve years now. The renowned Elizabeth Jackson Estate Sales has yielded prime results for hundreds of private clients, often outdoing major New York auction houses. Jackson and her fifteen full and part-time employees—among them, a Christie’s art historian and researcher, a museum curator, and furniture and fine arts restorer—have made names for themselves handling the appraisal and sale of: fine art (paintings, prints, sculptures), furniture, silver, porcelain and crystal, jewelry, books, and other specialized collectibles (including sports memorabilia and musical instruments). At a recent sale Moffly Media attended, held at Bella Vista in Southport—the superb Georgian style home built for the Auchincloss family in 1927—we sat down with Elizabeth to glean some knowledge on hosting a sale, and how to find treasures at them, too.
When considering an estate sale, what are a couple of things homeowners should do or know?
While the role of the broker is commonly understood when it’s time to move or downsize, the high-end homeowner doesn’t always appreciate the added profitability of dealing with an estate sale professional for their prized possessions. Pieces viewed “in context” very often yield better prices than at auction when an item is seen isolated and for less than a minute on the podium. Plus, having a private sale at your home allows everything you want to be sold, not just your furnishings or antiques: linens, out-grown children’s toys, seasonal decorations, garden tools, etc. A great sale has every price point for every type of buyer. But, most importantly, the entire proceeds from the sale is tax free income to the seller. And, as my grandmother would say, it’s “found money.” EJ Estate Sales handles all the details: appraising and pricing, marketing, security, parking, delivery and everything to ensure your home is left in perfect condition.
What is the ideal time to schedule sales?
The traditional and easiest time to schedule sales is in the 6-8 week period when your house is under contract. You know when you’re closing and you know where you’re going and when. There’s a real impetus to wrap it up – invite the kids to put claim on what they want, determine the things you want to keep, for sentimental, or other reasons. That said, great sales can happen any time of year – and in any weather. We have had wonderful sales the week before Christmas, in severe snowstorms when every school and even Wall Street closed down and in the wake of Sandy, when roads were impassable and everyone came on foot.
In the recent challenging real estate market, I’ve increasingly had requests from realtors to stage a sale event in a home to attract potential buyers. Because the extensive online target marketing and advertising we do for a three-day estate sale is going to a wide audience throughout the tri-state area, we’ve had people come to buy content and then come back repeatedly to look at a house with contractor, architect and broker in tow.
When attending an estate sale, what should buyers look for?
A good estate sale can be a similar experience to going to a decorator show house. It allows you to see rare and unusual character pieces just the way the homeowner creatively used them. You will get great takeaway ideas for your own home, plus you can buy the object and recreate the look quickly and less expensively than buying new.
Buyers should look for uniqueness and quality. To give your space that “collected over time” decorator look is always more stylish than rooms that look like they could have been purchased from one store. Recent EJ sale finds have included a 19th century camphor wood campaign chest to be used as a coffee table; an early French railroad lantern converted to a lamp and a three-dimensional patined copper weathervane showing Gabriel blowing his horn that could be used as a wall sculpture. These are the wonderful, one-of-a-kind originals which are so much better (and better priced) than the catalog and retail knock-offs.
In 2012, you handled the estate of Andy Rooney. What was that like, did you find any treasures?
A wonderful old Victorian home in Rowayton, which had been home to the Rooney family for 60 years was chock full of Americana, modern art and memorabilia from Andy Rooney’s incredible career in journalism and television, including Andy’s iconic antique 1921 Underwood typewriter. Who knew that Andy Rooney’s wife was a collector of early-to-mid 20th century paintings, photographs and etchings? Or that Andy was a woodworker of substantial skill and we could offer pieces of furniture he made?
Andy’s prominence was the key ingredient at that sale but I make sure that there are pieces of remarkable character and quality, or something out of the ordinary, at every EJ estate sale. Rare book titles, an interesting little footstool, a shot glass with an Eisenhower silver dollar. Nearly every family’s home has something that’s quirky, fun and collectible.
You also opened a showroom in South Norwalk. Why there? Open to the public? What can shoppers expect to find?
For many years, I’d been searching for a vintage-looking space to showcase the hundreds of items from high end individual home owners, interior decorators, and fabulous estate sale pieces still looking for an owner. When the Nat Levy Glass Company decided to close after 80 years in business, their turn-of-the-century space seemed to be the ideal location.
Right over the drawbridge at the base of Sono’s lively restaurant and shopping and Maritime Aquarium, the Liberty Square showroom is over 2,000 square feet of home furnishings, fine art and lighting, from period 19th century antiques to mid-century modern. Right now, in our inventory is a large Trumeau mirror with exceptional carving, a signed half model of the “Endeavor,” a sterling art deco silver service by famed Italian Fratelli Cuccioni, and much more!
How do I consign items for sale or find out if an estate sale is possible for me?
If you’re interested in consigning items, you can email photos or bring smaller items for consideration to the showroom during our public hours on Wednesday afternoons and all day Saturday.
For homeowners interested in an estate sale, go to EJ Estate Sales website ejacksonllc.com or call 203-857-4009 to make an appointment for a home visit.