On 24 and 25 September at Sotheby's New York, many works of art (900 lots) were auctioned that furnished two American residences of the legendary American multi-millionaire Brooke Astor (1902-2007): the Park Avenue apartment in New York City and the country house in Holly Hill (Westchester county), finally completing the catalogue, numerous jewels owned by him. The auction "Property from the Estate of Brooke Astorended up with a total of 18,828,109 Millions of dollars.
Brooke Astor was born in 1902 with the name of Brooke Russell, daughter of a senior officer in the Marine Corps, married three times became one of the richest women in America. In 1959, after the death of her third husband Vincent Astor, she became involved in philanthropy, managing her husband's foundation and supporting various New York institutions. During her lifetime, she gave more than $200 million in philanthropic work to institutions in New York City. After her death in 2007 at the age of 105, her remaining estate still amounted to $45 million.
Observing the catalog, one immediately understands what Astor's passions were, porcelain manufactured in China for export, drawings by Italian authors of the 700th century, bronzes, paintings of dogs and important jewels. Among the different objects in bronze: a Tibetan bronze sculpture depicting Buddha from the 14th/15th century - 17,1 cm - (estimate 8,000-12,000 USD) 170,500 USD; a pair of silver-gilt boxes and jade from the Quialong period (Qing Dynasty) -4,4×8,2cm – (estimate: USD 20,000-30,000) auctioned to 134,500 USD; in the furnishings: A pair of Chinese painted mirrors -65,4×83,2cm - (estimate 70,000-100,000), awarded to 194,500 USD. Two unusual Chinese boxes Famille-Gilt Rose of the Quialong period which from an estimate of 10,000-15,000 USD reached the 494,500 USD.
Finally, among the many objects and paintings depicting dogs of all breeds, the painting by Ean Leon Gerome entitled The Attentive (estimate $4,000-6,000) Awarded to 23,750 USD.
Top Lots:
An orientalist work by John Frederick Levis (1804-1876) A Memlook Bey, Egypt -35,5x24cm-(est. USD 300,000-500,000) sold to 1,594,500 USD, along with others two Italian works: a drawing of Giovanni Antonio Canal known as Canaletto Capriccio with the Loggetta of sansovino or fan imaginary gothic tower 3,1×46,4cm (estimate 300,000-500,000) sold at 1,202,500 USD and another drawing by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo The deer and the lady, with Punchinello -29,2×41,3cm – (estimate 300,000-400,000) sold at 722,500 USD.
Finally, the two jewels most awaited by collectors: a ring in platinum, diamonds and a large 90-carat emerald from 1930 with box signed Van Cleef & Arpels, Inc. (estimate: 100,000-150000 USD) sold to 1,202,500 USD and the eagerly awaited lot n.900, which completed the auction: a necklace in platinum, gold, emeralds and diamonds by Bulgari from 1959 (estimate 250,000-350,000) awarded for 686,500 USD.
