Christie’s sale of the Ann and Gordon Getty collection will occupy four days of live evening and daytime auctions in its New York rooms from October 20-23 plus a further six online sales.
On offer will be a rich mix of works from Ann and Gordon Getty’s San Francisco residence: paintings and drawings spanning Old Master, 19th century, Impressionist and Modern works, English and Continental furniture and decorative arts, silver and ceramics as well as Asian works of art, textiles and jewellery.
In total nearly 1500 lots will be offered with proceeds from the sale benefiting the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation for the Arts.
Highlights from the collection are currently on a world tour that takes in Shanghai, London, Los Angeles, Paris and finally New York.
Attributed to Grendy
A George II green and giltjapanned and parcel gilt bureau cabinet and matching chest of drawers attributed to Giles Grendy c.1740 – estimated at $300,000-500,000 and $200,000-300,000.
Among the English furniture highlights from the collection to be offered in the first, evening sale will be this imposing George II green and gilt-japanned and parcel gilt 8ft 10in (2.7m) high bureau cabinet and matching black and green giltjapanned 3ft 6in (1.1m) wide chest of drawers.
Attributed to the cabinetmaker Giles Grendy c.1740, it is the only surviving set of its type known to exist. The rich decoration on these pieces featuring animals, floral sprays, figures and landscape vignettes, is matched by the lavish hardware with elaborate cartouche shaped handles.
The pieces are thought to have possibly been commissioned by a member of the Pallavicini family, passing down by descent until sold by Christie’s, Rome in 1979.
The Gettys acquired the bureau cabinet from Mallett in 1980 and the chest of drawers from P & D Colnaghi in 1981.
They will be offered as two separate lots in the New York evening sale on October 20 with the bureau estimated at $300,000-500,000 and the chest of drawers at $200,000-300,000.
