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American & Southern | November 10, 2026

Tue, Nov 10, 2026 10:00AM EST
  2026-11-10 10:00:00 2026-11-10 10:00:00 America/New_York Brunk Auctions Brunk Auctions : American & Southern | November 10, 2026 https://live.brunkauctions.com/auctions/brunk/american-southern-november-10-2026-23802
Paintings by WM Chase, G. Stuart, EL Weeks, W. Irvine, E. Daingerfield, C. Burchfield, F. Voss, AH Hutty and E. Beyer, among others; sculpture by A. Weinman and A. Galt; important American silver includes Kentucky Agricultural pitcher, Railroad trophy, Paul Revere spoon, Kirk Repousse, a tea service from the Jefferson family; selection of furniture, paintings, and decorative arts from the collection of Rob & Jane Hicklin, American furniture from the George Manger collection; first editions; autographed letters by John Marshall, Samuel Clemens, Franklin Roosevelt; Chinese export porcelain
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Lot 206

Varina Howell (Mrs. Jefferson) Davis Personal Objects and Ephemera

Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000
Starting Bid
$1,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $25
$100 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$3,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000

"First Lady of the Confederacy"

Provenance: Descended through Jefferson and Varina Davis family, later Hayes and Webb families by marriage (see note)

December 1884 dated letter to Jefferson Davis from his wife at Beauvoir home, 7-3/4 x 9-3/4 in., with outer envelope; 1906 check to “Miss V. D. Howell“ signed by "V. Jefferson Davis" (endorsement on back); portrait of Varina Howell Davis in period oval-shaped frame, 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 in.; small locket worn by Mrs. Jefferson Davis containing a picture of daughter "Winnie"; three cabinet cards of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Varina Anne Davis “Winnie”, each 6-1/2 x 4-1/4 in.

Note: Joel Addison Hayes married Margaret Howell Davis and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1885. They had a daughter Varina Hayes Davis who married Dr. Gerald B. Webb. Their son Joel, married Barbara A. Palmer. Upon Barbara's passing these objects were offered through a Webb family estate sale circa 2012.

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Descended through Jefferson and Varina Davis family, later Hayes and Webb families by marriage (see note)

good overall; letter with fold and mild toning; envelope with period end tear to open contents; check hammer canceled and some paper loss at center, ink smear; locket hinge fully separated; cabinet cards with some handling wear, minor surface marks, fading, and occasional staining Note - Brunk Auctions makes every effort to offer accurate and thorough information, but encourages prospective bidders to inspect items in person whenever possible. Condition statements are provided as a courtesy for general guidance and should not be considered complete or definitive. They do not represent a warranty or assumption of liability by Brunk Auctions. Certain condition issues may not be specifically noted in the report but may be visible in the accompanying photographs, which are considered part of the overall condition report. Please refer to our Terms of Sale for complete information and contact us for additional photos or information as needed.