"Micaela Almonester de Pontalba visits Creole New Orleans in 1830"

"Micaela Almonester de Pontalba visits Creole New Orleans in 1830"

My latest Masterpiece is tilted "Micaela Almonester de Pontalba visits Creole New Orleans in 1830". It depicts Micaela Leonarda Antonia Almonester y Rojas, Baroness de Pontalba (November 6, 1795- April 20, 1874) a wealthy New Orleans-born Creole aristocrat, businesswoman, and real estate developer, and one of the most dynamic personalities of that city's history. Micaela is depicted in the latest fashion from Paris, walking down the flagstone sidewalk in front of a New Orleans Greek Revival house of a New Orleans mix race couple and child. On the flagstone sidewalk is a small a French Olive jar next to a miniature banana tree. And a Neoclassical wrought iron gated carriage passage known as a porte-cochère in New Orleans, connected the street to a rear courtyard. Over her head on a Neoclassical cast iron balcony, a white Creole father holding a Times-Picayune newspaper next to his mix race son with potted lemon and orange trees on the balcony. Below the Free woman of color mother looks out a open window holding a palm fan. 

Micaela Almonester de Pontalba visited New Orleans two times after her arranged marriage in 1811 to her 20-year-old cousin, Xavier Célestin Delfau de Pontalba, known as Celestin or "Tin Tin". Micaela was 15 at the time of her marriage. She traveled to New Orleans in 1830 and 1848, both years of Revolutions in France as well as with her husband family with a series of lawsuits against her.  In 1830, without her husband's permission, she went to New Orleans for an extended visit, taking the opportunity to travel around other parts of the United States. She stopped in Washington DC where President Andrew Jackson sent his own carriage and secretary of state Martin Van Buren to bring her to the White House as his guest. The celebrated Battle of New Orleans in which Jackson had defeated the invading British on 8 January 1815 had been fought on the grounds of the Chalmette Plantation belonging to her uncle and aunt. Upon her return to France the baron accused her of deserting Célestin; as a result she became a "virtual prisoner" of the de Pontalbas. In frustration, she took her children and transferred back to Paris where she began a series of lawsuits to obtain a separation from Célestin, but lost them due to the strict French marriage laws.

Micaela Baroness de Pontalba was perhaps the most interesting historical woman from New Orleans and one of the most dynamic personalities of that city's history. My association with the Micaela Baroness de Pontalba is I worked in the 1850 House Museum on Jackson Square. Two Summers ago I visited Mont-l'Évêque the moated, medieval de Pontalba chateau outside Senlis which was about 50 miles from Paris, still lived in by the Pontalba family. Micaela was born in New Orleans in November 6, 1795. Her mother a French Creole was Louise Denis de la Ronde a member of one of the most illustrious Creole families in Louisiana.. Her Spanish father, Andrés Almonester y Rojas was a Spanish civil servant of New Orleans.

 "an office rich in salary, perquisites, and business opportunities. He soon acquired wealth in it, or through it." Among his investments was a large tract of land downtown, purchased from Governor O'Reilly on perpetual lease. Upon the death of her Spanish father, Andrés Almonester y Rojas in 1798, Micaela, as his only surviving child, inherited a considerable fortune; although the estate was controlled by her mother, Louise Denis de la Ronde. Being the sole heiress to a considerable fortune, Micaela was likely the richest girl in the city of New Orleans if not the state of Louisiana. Following her marriage in 1811 to her French cousin, Xavier Célestin Delfau de Pontalba, she moved to France. The marriage was not successful and she became a virtual prisoner at the de Pontalba chateau near Senlis. 

Having failed to gain possession of her entire inheritance, her father-in-law, Baron de Pontalba shot her four times at point-blank range with a pair of dueling pistols and then committed suicide. She survived the attack, although her left breast and two of her fingers were mutilated by gunfire. Her husband, Cèlestin succeeded his father as baron, and Micaela was henceforth styled Baroness de Pontalba. She eventually obtained a legal separation from him. Micaela was responsible for the design and construction of the famous Pontalba Buildings in Jackson Square, in the heart of the French Quarter. In 1855, she built the Hôtel de Pontalba in Paris, where she lived until her death in 1874. Her life was worthy of an operatic plot, and eventually became one: Pontalba: a Louisiana Legacy, composed by Thea Musgrave. A play by Diana E.H. Shortes entitled The Baroness Undressed, and several novels, are also based on her dramatic life.

 14 x 18 Available  https://squareup.com/store/andrew-hopkins/item/micaela-almonester-de-pontalba-visits-creole-new-orleans-in

Today's Purchases

This is just some of the goodies I bought at the estate sale 

It has been some time since I wrote a "Today's Purchases" Post. Since the last Today's' Purchases almost 2 years ago. I have moved from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana  a year and a half ago. The last estate sale I went to was about a year ago. I was in Mobile a few weeks ago and was convinced to come down for the June estate sale. I'm very happy I did, as you will see.  

This month’s estate sale was a fabulous sale. I got everything I wanted on the first day and the things I waited for on 60% off day Sunday.  Each month this sale have over twenty thousand items to look at. I try to look at each table twice or more so that I don’t miss anything but sometimes I still do only to discover it on Sunday the last day of the sale and best day of the sale because the items are 60% off the marked price. 

This is just some of the goodies I bought at the estate sale

Perhaps the rarest and most sought after piece of Early Louisiana furniture by Early Louisiana furniture collectors is the Louisiana made cabriole leg table. Under 30 good cabriole leg tables are known to survive. I'm lucky to own a original 18th century one. I bought a very good reproduction of a Early Louisiana table in Mobile, Alabama a few weeks before the estate sale. The owner had this table copied from a original that he sold to the LSU Museum of Art. 

The original is considered one of the most beautiful of early Louisiana tables.  Early Louisiana cabriole leg tables are a unique regional style that blends French and Spanish refinement with country simplicity. They were used as tea tables, dressing table and could be found in just about every room in a 18th early 19th c, Louisiana home. This Louisiana-style table features delicate cabriole legs and a fancy scalloped aprons while the lack of carvings, inlays, or other complex details lends a rustic feel. The table legs are joined to the aprons with pegged mortise-and-tenons.

The original owner of this cabriole leg table is a Alabamian, who moved to Louisiana and embrace the unique culture, furniture, decorative arts and architecture of Historic Louisiana. I'm proud that this fine copy is now in my collection.  I latter found out that most of the pieces that I latter bought at the estate sale also came from his wonderful collection out of New Orleans and would be returning back to New Orleans with me. 

French Charles X  double handled Paris porcelain soup bowl $5.

Since my astrological sign is Leo. I decided at this sale to start to collecting Lion related antiques and decorative arts.  I was happy to find this circa 1820 period Charles X Paris porcelain broth bowl in good condition for $5. This type of two handled bowl is extremely rare and were custom made like this one for Noble family's. Most have lids. But this one most likely did not as anything that had a cover the rims were not glazed. This bowl has a glazed gilt rim.  It has a beautiful crowned Noble family shield painted on the front with standing lion. 

18th century Italian  Engraving of Hercules $10.

18th century Italian engraving of of Hercules, from the book "Le Pitture Antiche D'Ercolano" and was produced over the years 1757 to 1771 in Naples and illustrated the art works found in the excavations of Herculaneum.  The book was commissioned by Charles III, the King of the two Sicilies.

I was happy to grab this fine 18th century engraving of a  nude Hercules wrestling a Lion. I have a few gold leaf 18th century French frames that have got from this estate sale in the past that I can have this framed in. 

Crystal etched lion mug by  Ward, Rowland $5.

London, England & Nairobi, Kenya (1880 to present) 

The Rowland Ward company made its name in the late 19th & early 20th Centuries as taxidermists, specializing in African big game animals. Responding to demand, the company expanded into actually arranging safaris & retailing all kinds of goods connected with them, including crystal vases & drinking-glasses, engraved with African animals, usually made in Bohemia & Germany 

My beer will taste divine out of this hand cut and etched vintage mug with lion by The Rowland Ward company.  

A pair of 19th century wine glasses $3. I call these Peter Patout glasses. After my deer friend Peter Patout. Peter a French Louisiana Creole aristocracy! He is a great antiques dealer, collector and fabulous host. If you called upon Peter you might drink wine out of glasses like this.    

American Wine glass circa 1870. $1.

A late Georgian Dipped refined white earthenware mug with white sprig molding in a Hunt motif.  

Although unmarked, this mug was possibly made by English potters Turner or 

Spode, circa 1810. $15. 

The Mug has an applied handle finished with an acanthus type motif the top of the mug features a classical turned border and overall it is styled similarly to Mocha Ware pottery of the era. 

This Antique Cider Cup features what is called sprigged decoration which was the method of applying the cameo like details to the pottery in the manner of Wedgwood Jasper Stoneware.

This nice Old Paris porcelain platter was $25. Circa 1840-1860. 

I love pre 1860 books. This estate sale has been a great source for gilt tooled leather bound books. I got this box full priced $1-$15. 

1828 7 books about Jews priced at $1. a piece. 

Maryland armorial bookplate on 6 gold tooled books I got $5. each. 

18th century German book 

18th century German armorial engraved bookplate

French book 1830 

4 silt damask curtains panels 8 feet wide by 10 feet long, they have to be Scalamandre. $70. 

A Mahogany and gilt bronze ormolu Louis Philippe side chair that needs some TLC on cabriole legs terminating in scroll feet. Circa 1830, $75. With in min of doing research on this chair I discovered a French cabinetmaker that I could attribute it to.  

Joseph-Pierre-François Jeanselme was one of the founding members of the Jeanselme family furniture dynasty. The Jeanselme family firm was one of the foremost firms of cabinet makers in Paris, from its foundation in 1824 until its demise in 1930. During the forties and fifties of the 19th Century they received several commissions to furnish several palaces amongst which Fontainbleau and the Palais Royal.

Although my chair could be stamped Jeanselme, it was upholstered at a latter date with springs and dust cover that could be covering the stamp. I found these two lite blue chairs are exactly like my chair but they don't have the pricey hand chased ormolu   

Another stamped Jeanselme sikde chair 

A stamped Jeanselme arm chair 

My chair appears as tho it has been in a attic or basement for a 100 years. But for $75. it will be well worth the investment it would take to get this charming chair back in style. 

The hand chased ormolu features Classical winged griffin with lyre on the crest 

The profile of the chair is nice. 

The sides of the chair has ormolu in the shape of Classical anthemion palmettes.  

I was in love with this large Louis Philippe framed engraving, but at $245. I wanted to see if I could get it Sunday 60% off. 

The gilt 1831 Frame had nice NeoClassical molding 

Just to show you how big the framed print is it is shown next to the Louis Philippe side chair. 

The framed engraving is all original with original glass and backer on the frame that has never been open. 

The stamp on the back of the framer 

I got the date 1831 Louis Philippe engraving on Sunday 60% off at $98. 

I feel in love with this 18th century French Beechwood carved Louis XVI bergère circa 1780-1790. 

Priced at $110. I could have got it but wanted to see if I could get it 60% off. 

On nice stop-fluted tapering legs.

On Sunday I got the 18th century French Louis XVI bergère at 60% off priced at $44. 

I'm not crazy about the fabric on the bergère. I need to look thru my Lyon silk lampas. I like this pattern Lampas titled "Les quatres parties du monde", Lyon France, c. 1785, but maybe in a light blue for the bergère. 

I got this Petit  Decanter on Sunday 60% off of $25. It has a purplish tent to it. 

6 large English Mother of Pearl Handled Dinner Knives with hallmarks circa 1830. Were priced at $10 each but I got them on Sunday for $4. each. 

I love the carved Mother of Pearl Handles