Sept. 4-12, highlights from “The Robert and Barbara Safford Collection” will be on display at Freeman’s in Wayne’s Eagle Village Shops before the more than 300 lots are available for auction on Sept. 25 at its headquarters in Philadelphia. Since 1991, Barbara Safford and her late husband, Robert, have owned the historic Vaux Hill mansion in Phoenixville. A Quaker from Philadelphia, James Vaux built the estate in 1776. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington stayed at the home due to its proximity to Valley Forge. The home underwent a complete renovation and expansion in 1843, when then-owner William Wetherill expanded it into a palatial 20-room estate.
The Saffords filled their mansion with a stunning array of European antiques. Notable pieces up for bids include a rare circa-1895 gilt bronze, mounted porcelain tall-case clock from Berlin’s Konigliche Porzellan Manufaktur, a Russian imperial hand- painted porcelain urn circa 1826, and a Louis XV-style commode designed after the celebrated model by Antoine-Robert Gaudreau. For more, visit freemansauction.com.
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