Hindman is pleased to present Property from the Estate of Celestia B. Smithgall, a distinguished Atlanta philanthropist in its Spring auctions. Smithgall and her husband, Charles Smithgall, Jr., cofounded the Gainesville Times in 1974, and became known for their patronage of many arts and culture causes throughout Georgia. Smithgall and her husband, who was also known for being a conservationist, are particularly known for the Smithgall Woods Conservation area in Helen, Georgia, as well as the Smithgall Arts Center in Gainesville and the North Georgia Community Foundation. Her passion for the arts was also demonstrated through her strong support of arts organizations including Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors and the Woodruff Arts Alliance Board of Trustees. Additionally, she also established the botanical garden in Gainesville and upon her death, her home and outbuildings became part of the 186 acres she had already donated for the Atlanta Botanical Garden Smithgall Woodland Legacy.
Bidders will have the opportunity to acquire fine art and decorative arts from this renowned Georgia name in Hindman’s April 26th and 27th Atlanta Collections auction and the May 10th American and European Art auction.
Headlining the collection will be Le Pho’s 1974 oil on canvas Les Dahlias Blanches (estimate: $60,000 – $80,000), which will be offered in the May 10th auction. Another work from the Smithgall collection that will be offered in this sale is Heywood Hardy’s A Parting Lord (estimate: $6,000-8,000).
The April 26th and 27thAtlanta Collections auction will feature outstanding fine art by artists such as Thomas Baker, Herbert Davis Richter and Albertus Verhoesen. Decorative art highlights include a contemporary rosewood and brass console table, a George III oak serving table, a William IV mahogany dining table and a pair of empire style gilt and patinated bronze and marble candelabra.
Bidding will be available online through Hindman’s Digital Bid Room.
About Hindman
Hindman is one of the nation’s leading fine art auction houses connecting cities nationwide to the global art market and providing expertise across all categories, sales channels and price points. Hindman will celebrate its 40th anniversary this October. Since its founding, Hindman has come to operate more salerooms in the United States than any other auction house and conducts over 140 auctions a year in categories such as fine art, jewelry and watches, modern design, books and manuscripts, couture, furniture and decorative arts, Asian art, Western art, antiquities, and more. Hindman was formed through the acquisition of two premier auction houses, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers (est.1982) and Cowan’s Auctions (est. 1995). Headquartered in Chicago, Hindman is home to over 160 employees, with additional offices in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Milwaukee, Naples, Palm Beach, San Diego, Scottsdale, St. Louis and Washington D.C. Visit HindmanAuctions.com for more information.