George Dury Paintings & Artwork for Sale | George Dury Art Value Price Guide

Jul. 06, 2024
Portrait of Civil War Col. Randal McGavock by Geo. Dury
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
George Dury (American/Tennessee, 1817-1894) oil on canvas painting depicting Colonel Randal William McGavock, CSA, in uniform, half-length, against a dark, indistinct background. Unsigned. The oval canvas is housed in a heavily carved antique giltwood and composition Louis XV frame with swept edges, rocaille carved corners and centers, and carved spandrels. Sight - 30"H x 25"W. Frame - 46 12"H x 41 1/2"W. Note: Randal McGavock (1826-1863) was one of the most colorful figures in Nashville history. A descendant of one of Nashville's prominent founding Scotch Irish families, he attended Harvard Law School and traveled extensively in Europe as a young man (sending back regular articles for the Nashville Union Newspaper, which were eventually re-published under the title "A Tennesseean Abroad"). He settled back home in Nashville, where he opened a law practice, became active in politics, and enjoyed life as one of the city's most eligible bachelors. In 1853 McGavock surprised his friends and family by eloping with Seraphine Deery - a union that produced considerable personal drama, but no children. In 1856, "Randy Mac," as he became known, was elected Mayor of Nashville at the age of 30, and he served as a delegate to the 1860 Democratic Convention. The Civil War cut short his promising political career. McGavock formed his own regiment made up largely of the Irish-American citizens who had helped elect him as mayor, paying for their fine grey and scarlet uniforms with his own money. His regiment, D Company, Tennessee Home Guards (State Militia), also known as the Rebel Sons of Erin, was sent to Forts Henry and Donelson and eventually designated as the Tenth Tennessee Infantry, Irish, Company H; McGavock was elected Lt. Colonel, second in command under Adolphus Heiman. McGavock was extremely popular with his men, paying for moonshine and fine food from his own pocket. The Confederate defeat at the Battle of Fort Donelson resulted in McGavock being taken prisoner and sent to Camp Chase and then to an officer's prison at Camp Warren outside Boston (where McGavock used the opportunity to have some clothes made by his old tailor from his Harvard days). Following his release, the 10th was reorganized and McGavock and his men were sent to Snyder's Bluff, Chickasaw Bluff, then on to Port Hudson, Mississippi, and, in May of 1863, to the small town of Raymond, MS, to stop Grant's advance on Vicksburg. While engaged with General Gregg and his 2,730 soldiers against General MacPherson and his army of 5,500, Col. McGavock led a daring advance and was fatally struck by a Union mini ball directly in the heart. After the War, McGavock's remains were moved to Nashville's Mt. Olivet Cemetery, where he was buried in a large public ceremony on St. Patrick's Day, 1866. This portrait has long been attributed to George Dury, who painted many members of the McGavock family, including Randal McGavock's younger brother Hugh, who died at the age of 12. According to family history, the visible damage to this portrait occurred during the latter part of the Civil War when a Union soldier entered the McGavock family's Union-occupied Nashville home and slashed the painting with a sword. Exhibited, Two Rivers Mansion, Nashville, c. 1990, and Carnton Plantation, Franklin, c. 2000. This painting was the cover image for the book, "Pen and Sword: The Life of Randal McGavock," based on McGavock's extensive lifetime writings and diaries and published by the Tennessee Historical Commission in 1960. It is one of only two known oil portraits of McGavock. The other, picturing him at about age 21, is in the collection of the Nashville Public Library. A cameo brooch portrait of McGavock, which he commissioned from the Saulini Workshop in Rome during his Grand Tour of Europe circa 1851, was sold by Case in 2008 for $8,731. PROVENANCE: By descent in the family of Randal McGavock.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 27, 2024
George Dury O/C Portrait of Alicia Mary McCready Baxter
Est: $400 - $500
George Dury (Tennessee, 1817-1894) oil on canvas portrait of Alicia Mary McCready Baxter (1831-1908), wife of John George Baxter, Jr. (1826-1885, former Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky). The sitter is slightly angled towards the left in a red chair and attired in a black dress with with lace collar. Her brunette hair is upswept and she wears a suite of cameo and gold jewelry. Unsigned. Housed in a period carved giltwood frame with oval aperture, large projecting foliate corners and textured or pebbled surface. Sight: 29" H x 24" W. Framed: 39 3/4" H x 34 1/2" W. 2nd Half 19th century. Note: This portrait is a companion portrait to the John George Baxter Jr. portrait in this sale signed by George Dury, offered in the preceding lot.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 27, 2024
George Dury O/C Portrait of Louisville Mayor John George Baxter, Jr.
Est: $700 - $800
George Dury (Tennessee, 1817-1894) signed oil on canvas elbow-length portrait of John George Baxter, Jr. (1826-1885) former Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky. The sitter is slightly angled towards the left, is seated in a red chair, is attired in a white collared shirt with a black coat and a black tie, and has receding hairline and a long gray beard. Signed and dated verso lower right corner: G Dury 1871. Housed in a period carved giltwood frame with oval aperture, large projecting foliate corners and beaded decoration throughout. Sight: 29 1/4" H x 24 1/4" W. Framed: 42 1/2" H x 37" W. Note: John George Baxter Jr. was the twentieth (1870-1872) and twenty-second (1879-1881) mayor of Louisville, Kentucky. This portrait has been documented by the Tennessee Portrait Project; the portrait of Baxter's wife is offered in the next lot.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 27, 2024
Attrib. George Dury, Large Oil on Canvas Portrait of the Rhea Sisters, ca. 1887
Est: $1,000 - $1,200
Attributed to George Dury (Tennessee, 1817-1894), "The Rhea Sisters," large full-length oil on canvas portrait painting depicting three young girls standing against an abstract mottled brown background. The three sisters, identified as Byrd Rhea Robinson, Ann Rhea and Sara Rhea Hallowes, are wearing green, white, and pink dresses with wide sashes.The center child has pink flowers in her hair and is holding a straw hat with additional flowers, the young girl in the pink dress is also holding a pink flower and the young girl in the green dress holds onto the center sister's hand and arm. Unsigned. Housed in a period carved and stenciled gilt wood frame. Sight: 57 3/4" H x 44" W. Framed: 72 1/4" H x 57 1/2" W x 5" D. Circa 1887. Note: The sitters are believed to be the daughters of William D. Rhea and Lucy Ransom Rhea of Nashville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Mr. Rhea's father, Col. Byrd Smith Rhea, was a drygoods merchant in Nashville. This painting has been documented by the TN Portrait Project (with outdated paternal information). The likely artist George Dury, studied art in Bavaria before immigrating to Tennessee, and was one of Nashville's most important 19th century portrait painters.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 28, 2023
GEORGE DURY LARGE O/C PORTRAIT OF ANNE DALLAS DUDLEY
Est: $1,000 - $1,200
George Dury (Tennessee, 1817-1894) oil on canvas laid down on board full-length portrait painting of a young girl attired in a white dress with blue shoes and a matching blue ribbon in her hair. She is depicted leaning against a red chair with red drapery hung from above and children's toys in the bottom left corner. The sitter is identified as young Anne Dallas Dudley (Tennessee, 1876-1955) who became a prominent women's activist, founding the Nashville Equal Suffrage League, serving as the President of the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association, and Third Vice President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association noted for her successful effort in getting the Nineteenth Amendment ratified in the state of Tennessee, the final state needed to ratify the amendment nationwide. The painting is unsigned. A biography of the sitter, artist attribution and additional information about the work is affixed en verso. Housed in a period American giltwood fame with double wood filets. Sight: 49" H x 37" W. Framed: 59 1/2" H x 47" W. Circa 1880.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jul. 14, 2018
George Dury O/C, Mary Carroll Donelson, plus Wm. Carroll Signed
Est: $500 - $600
Hudson River Landscape, manner of Victor de Grailly (France/New York, 1804-1889). Oil on canvas landscape depicting figures on a bridge overlooking the river, with sailboats and a steamship passing below. 14" x 20", unframed. Late 19th century. (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com.)
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Mar. 03, 2018
George Dury (Nashville, Tennessee 19th Century Artist) Portrait Painting of Pauline Giers (Nashville) by
Est: $2,500 - $5,000
Beautiful Historic Oil Painting by Famous 19th Century listed Tennessee artist George Dury (1817-1894) | Oil on Canvas | Painting depicts portrait of Pauline Giers, the wife of Nashville photographer C. C. Giers, in costume attire. This Painting was identified in previous publication(s), where the subject is identified as Pauline Giers, wife of Nashville photographer C. C. Giers | Housed in a beautiful period gilt frame with gold mat and oval shaped opening | Dimensions: Sight – 28″ H x 22 1/4″ W; with frame – Large 40 1/2″ H x 35 1/4″ W. This painting can be seen in an article discussing the art and furnishings of Historic Devon Farm Plantation that appeared in The Tennessean newspaper on Sunday, October 2, 1977. The subject is identified in Sarah Hunter Hicks Greens’ notes as Pauline Giers, wife of Nashville photographer C. C. Giers. Provenance: Acquired from the Estate of Sarah Hunter Hicks Green, formerly of Historic Devon Farm, Nashville, Tennessee; Pauline Giers was a long time friend of the historic Hicks family. Sarah Hunter Hicks Green descended from one of Nashville’s 18th century settlers and original surveyors, John Davis (1770-1853), who went on to amass a property in the area now known as Belle Meade and Bellevue. His daughter Fanny married David Morris Harding (kin to the Hardings of Belle Meade Plantation). Another daughter married Edward Hicks and birthed Edward Dickson Hicks II, who went to the Gold Rush as a young man, served in the Confederate Army, and later ran the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad. Hicks inherited the Devon Farm property and developed it into an internationally known breeding site for Devon cattle. Hicks’ grandson, Edward Dickson Hicks IV, founded the Dobson-Hicks Seed Company in 1926 and served on the commission that created Nashville’s Metropolitan Government. Devon Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2002, the property was sold and now is the site of Ensworth High School. Dury’s Portraits are owned and/or displayed at numerous important galleries and museums, including the Tennessee State Museum (See photograph).
Worthington Galleries
Oct. 21, 2017
19th Century Tennessee Oil Painting of Portrait by George Dury
Est: $2,500 - $5,000
Beautiful Historic Oil Painting by Famous 19th Century listed Tennessee artist George Dury (1817-1894) | Oil on Canvas |Painting depicts portrait of a dark haired lady holding a fan; The subject is identified in published literature as Pauline Giers, wife of Nashville photographer C. C. Giers, in costume ball attire| Housed in a gilt frame with gold mat and oval shaped opening | Dimensions: Sight – 28″ H x 22 1/4″ W; with frame – Large 40 1/2″ H x 35 1/4″ W Note: This painting can be seen in an article discussing the art and furnishings of Historic Devon Farm Plantation that appeared in The Tennessean newspaper on Sunday, October 2, 1977. The subject is identified in Sarah Hunter Hicks Greens’ notes as Pauline Giers, wife of Nashville photographer C. C. Giers, in costume ball attire. Provenance: Acquired from the Estate of Sarah Hunter Hicks Green, formerly of Historic Devon Farm, Nashville, Tennessee; Pauline Giers was a long time friend of the historic Hicks family. Condition: Craquelure, four patches to back, scattered accretions. Blacklight reveals numerous areas of overpainting, including a 4″ x 4″ area on shoulder, 6″ area on left far side background, and 1″ repaired tear to right side background – see blacklight photo. Sarah Hunter Hicks Green descended from one of Nashville’s 18th century settlers and original surveyors, John Davis (1770-1853), who went on to amass a property in the area now known as Belle Meade and Bellevue. His daughter Fanny married David Morris Harding (kin to the Hardings of Belle Meade Plantation). Another daughter married Edward Hicks and birthed Edward Dickson Hicks II, who went to the Gold Rush as a young man, served in the Confederate Army, and later ran the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad. Hicks inherited the Devon Farm property and developed it into an internationally known breeding site for Devon cattle. Hicks’ grandson, Edward Dickson Hicks IV, founded the Dobson-Hicks Seed Company in 1926 and served on the commission that created Nashville’s Metropolitan Government. Devon Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2002, the property was sold and now is the site of Ensworth High School. Dury’s Portraits are owned and/or displayed at numerous important galleries and museums. His works have also sold well at auction, including but not limited to the following: A Self-Portrait sold for $1,549 (not including premium) in December 2012 via Hugo Ruef Auction House in München, Germany; A Portrait of Daniel Smith Donelson sold for $7,590 in May 2011 via Case Antiques; and Portrait of Dury’s Son (Henry Dury) sold for $1,488 in July 2016 at Case Antiques, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Worthington Galleries
Jul. 30, 2016
Portrait of George Dury's Son
Est: $900 - $1,200
George Dury (Tennessee, 1817-1894) oval portrait of the artist's son, Heinrich (Henry) Dury, at about age 7, brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a red velvet coat with white shirt and lace collar. Unsigned, Circa 1860. Housed in oval giltwood frame. Sight -19 1/2" H x 15 1/2" W. Framed - 20" H x 24" W. Note: a very similar, but larger portrait is in the collection at Cheekwood Museum of Art in Nashville. Dury was known to have painted his children's portraits, and likely painted two images of Henry, displaying one as an advertisement. Provenance: descended in the family of the artist and subject to present consignor. A file of photocopied family information accompanies this lot, including copies of transcriptions of entries from the journal of George Dury's wife (Henry's mother) extending from the couple's arrival in America to the births of their children, the death of Heinrich in 1891, and death of George Dury in 1893, and copies of a detailed 1950s biographical article about the artist. (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com)
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jul. 30, 2016
Attr. Geo. Dury, portrait of woman with fan
Est: $700 - $900
Oil on Canvas portrait of a dark haired lady holding a fan, unsigned, attributed to George Dury (Tennessee, 1817-1894). Subject's dark hair is upswept with a rose, a string of pearls and a mantilla, and she is clothed in an off the shoulder dark dress with lace trim. Subject is holding a closed gold colored fan in her right hand, and is set against a dark brown curtain. Housed in a gilt frame with gold mat and oval shaped opening. Sight - 28" H x 22 1/4" W. Framed - 40 1/2" H x 35 1/4" W. Note: This painting can be seen in an article discussing the art and furnishings of Historic Devon Farm Plantation that appeared in The Tennessean newspaper on Sunday, October 2, 1977. The subject is identified in Sarah Hunter Hicks Greens' notes as Pauline Giers, wife of Nashville photographer C. C. Giers, in costume ball attire. Provenance: the estate of Sarah Hunter Hicks Green, formerly of Historic Devon Farm, Nashville, Tennessee. (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com)
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
May. 21, 2011
Portrait of Daniel Smith Donelson (1801-1863), oil
Est: $3,500 - $4,500
Portrait of Daniel Smith Donelson (1801-1863), oil on canvas in original giltwood frame, signed lower right and on back G. Dury (George Dury, Germany/Tennessee, 1817-1894). Daniel Smith Donelson, nephew of President Andrew Jackson, was one of three sons b
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals