In December 2022, Brown Button hosted an in-home moving sale on behalf of Dr. Michael Frost in his historic Mission Hills, Kansas home. An avid collector, Dr. Frost had spent the two previous decades filling the home with beautiful and unique treasures from his travels both nationally and around the globe. Built in 1929 by physician Sam Roberts, the 10,000+ sqft home is a piece of Kansas City history and is featured in the book of historic KC homes, Kansas City Houses:1885 –1938.
The estate sale was unusual due to its size and the volume of items with significant interest. The sale featured 18th and 19th century European furniture, a sculpture garden filled with bronzes, antique oil paintings, a significant collection of sterling and antique hallmarked silver plate, fine and designer jewelry, designer furniture, European decorative arts, rugs, and two grand pianos. Dr Frost purchased his collection from notable antique dealers and shops, both in the US and abroad, including: M.S. Rau Antiques, Doyles auction house, Hillard Gallery, Cjr Fine Art, The French Connection, Ark Antiques, Harrods, James Hendy, Regal Palace NYC, R. Feldman, The Silver Vault, Wiesner Antiques, Duncan McClellan, Atena-Louvres Antiques, Rules Antique and Fine Books, J.M. Porters, Harpers Antiques, Maroufi, and Tomlinson Antiques.
The sale garnered national attention with over 75,000 views of the online advertising and more than 20,000 views of the sale video walkthrough. With the size of this home and the City of Mission Hills two day estate sale limitation, the Brown Button team had to get creative and opened the sale to phone only buyers for a day prior to the in-person sale opening. The one day of phone only sales brought in over $150,000 with the total estate sale setting an all time record for the company. Additionally, there were dozens of significant items that went to Brown Button’s sister company, Circle Auction, to insure that they would achieve their highest market price through national bidders and international bidders. One of the more interesting items that went to auction was a signed letter written by George Washington that sold for over $10,000.
Dr. Michael Frost is a notable Kansas City business owner and philanthropist. He founded and owned Educational Resources Inc, a nursing publishing house, for 45 years before selling it in 2008. He went on to buy two steel companies in 2011. With strong interest in genealogical research Dr. Frost chaired or participated in numerous boards and committees focused on Revolutionary era ancestry. For a time he was a member of the Board of Directors of both The Lyric Opera and Kansas City Ballet. Due to their generosity, he and his wife are named on The Michael & Ginger Frost Production Arts Building at the Lyric Opera.
