Historic Southgate: Cohen House China, Limoges & a Faculty Library

A Southgate faculty household near Rice

This historic Southgate house belonged to retired Rice University professors of French and biochemistry. The rooms mix European antiques, university pieces, and a large academic library built over a long teaching career.

Rice memorabilia and the library

Place settings of 1931 Scammell Lamberton china carry the Rice University Cohen House crest. Doctoral regalia includes gowns, hoods, and caps. Floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves hold literature, reference works, history, and other academic texts.

China, flatware, and glass

Gold-trimmed Bernardaud et Pinet Limoges dinnerware comes with matching serving pieces. Vintage white-and-gold porcelain includes soup tureens, gravy boats, and tiered serving plates. A Gorham mid-century hammered flatware set is here, along with cut crystal stemware, glass candlesticks, Baccarat, Murano glass, and decorative trumpet vases.

Art and sculpture

Signed mid-century oil paintings include expressionist landscapes and European village scenes in heavy gallery frames. Watercolors and lithographs show European cityscapes. Sculpture includes hand-carved wooden figures, abstract stylized bronze statues, and wrought-iron silhouette pieces.

Furniture and the garden

A vintage full-size bed has turned posts. Antique drop-leaf side tables and a heavy primitive dark-wood storage cabinet are in the house. Outside, a Woodard three-piece wrought-iron set pairs chairs with a matching table. Planters include weathered terracotta, a 14-inch ribbed ceramic planter with English ivy, mid-century brutalist lava-rock planters, and aged metal climbing trellises.

House rules

Handbags and backpacks are not allowed. Children under 12 may not attend. Payment is cash only: credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payment apps are not accepted. Every item is sold as-is and where-is, with no warranty and no refunds, and all sales are final. Bring help or arrange your own movers for large pieces; staff can offer only limited help. The company is not responsible for accidents on the property. Do not block neighbors' driveways. Shopping starts at the posted hours and not before.