AUCTIONING HISTORY NEWHALLS' FURNITURE ON THE BLOCK.

Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Staff Writer

NORTH HILLS - Inside the doors of a nondescript Valley storefront is a trove of antique furniture and silverware, elaborate pieces collected by descendants of a pioneer family to match the opulence of their Victorian mansion.

These European and American antiques filled the turreted, castlelike Piru home of the late Scott and Ruth Newhall, whose mansion was bought by a distant relative and its furnishings - worth as much as $300,000 - are set to be auctioned next week.

``We can't divvy it up equitably, so we decided to do this as a family,'' said Tony Newhall, one of the couple's three sons. ``If someone in the family wants something, they can bid on it.''

Newhall said he will be at Ames Auctioneers for the sale. He was tight-lipped about items he might be interested in bidding on, but noted he didn't grow up in the mansion - his parents bought it after he and his brothers were grown - so he doesn't feel any strong attachments.

``There are some sentimental things, but nothing of huge consequence,'' said Newhall, who lives in Valencia. ``It's sad, but it's not as though I lived in Piru. Now none of us individually can afford to live in the mansion, and these pieces don't fit just anywhere.''

A walnut-carved Victorian poof - four upholstered seats that back together, commonly found in hotel lobbies a century ago - is among the high-profile items. Another is a custom-size bed made of mahogany, the headboard engraved with fish whose tails entwine and circle a miniature carved ketch, a tiny replica of the vessel the Newhalls sailed.

Velvet-upholstered Victorian salon sets and arm chairs in reds and golds draw the eye. Dainty grape sheers of gold vermeil over sterling silver take visitors to a century past where servants snipped the fruit to size.

Interest has come from as far away as New York, Minnesota and New Orleans, said Jeff Ames, whose grandfather founded the auction house. Ames expects the collection to go for as much as $300,000.

``This type of Victorian furniture is hard to find, especially on the West Coast,'' Ames said. The 150 auction lots, individual items or sets, will be on the block Monday and Tuesday at Ames, 16705 Roscoe Blvd, North Hills. Items can be viewed Friday through Sunday.

Scott Newhall was a great-grandson of the man who founded the Santa Clarita Valley town that bears the family name. In 1968 the Newhalls bought the historic Piru Mansion, built in 1886 to 1889 by David Caleb Cook, and lived there for 30 years.

The mansion burned to the ground in 1981 as crews were restoring it. The Newhalls rebuilt it, completing the job two years later, and set out to furnish it with Victorian masterpieces. Scott died in 1992; Ruth in 2003.

Among their collection are 19th-century Belter and Meeks furniture made of fine laminated woods. Carved settees, side chairs, marble tables, desks, commodes, bronze statuettes, a safe, wine pedestals, bookcases, game tables, lamps, bronze torchiers, antique silver and oil paintings are included in the catalog.

The tapered wine coolers, which date to the 1820s, have handles carved into the faces of bulldogs. The pieces are worth $4,000 to $6,000 each, Ames said. Photographs of many of the items can be viewed on the auctioneers' Web site: www.amesauctioneers.com.

Patricia Farrell Aidem, [phone]

pat.aidem(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

--Antiques from the estate of Scott and Ruth Newhall will be auctioned at 6:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Ames Auctioneers, 16705 Roscoe Blvd, North Hills. A preview will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Information: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color in SAC edition only) Jeffery Ames, a North Hills auctioneer, stands near some of the Newhalls' furniture from Piru Mansion up for sale.

(2 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) Ruth Newhall poses here in 1993 outside Piru Mansion. She died in 2003, and her children have now put Piru's furniture on the auction block.

(3 -- ran in SAC edition only) Among the Newhalls' items for sale are pieces of antique silver.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

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IF YOU GO (see text)