Astor's Animals

When we first posted about acquiring a dog portrait from Brooke Astor’s famous collection we hinted it wasn’t the only one of her animal treasures to find a home with us.

Among our favorite acquisitions from the Stair Galleries sale was a charming collection of frog figures including these carved malachite, jade, and cloisonné enamel pieces happily clustered here atop a green marble topped table between a pair of nautilus shells, one clad in sterling silver by legendary jeweler Verdura. The vintage green and white porcelain vase turned table lamp makes for a nice alternative to the traditional blue and white china while lending the green themed vignette a dose of Chinoiserie.

Birds were another animal beloved by Mrs. Astor, and we were pleased to procure a number of her bird figures in porcelain and stone, especially a beautiful carved pair of lapis lazuli bluebirds perched atop pertrified wood, which are now the centerpiece of the mineral collection in our eclectic cabinet of curiosities. On the shelf above between a collection of Asian ceramics and carved wooden folk art figures sit two of Mrs. Astor’s Vista Allegra porcelain bird figures flanking the laughing Buddha statue, before which sits an antique Royal Vienna tea bowl also from the Astor estate.

Here in a shot from the Sotheby’s auction catalogue is the same Vista Allegra owl pair seen on Mrs. Astor’s red lacquer table next to a gilt-metal Tiffany & Co. tortoise clock.

We also acquired a large lot of small English and Continental European porcelain articles including the lovely antique Meissen bird dish seen keeping company with our floral Chinese famille rose vase and a turquoise bird on a giltwood base also from Astor’s bird collection.

The main reason we purchased this lot was the four, though the catalogue only claimed two, leaf dishes by Herend. Included among them was the one seen here in the intricately hand painted Rothschild Bird pattern, first created in the 1860’s for a Rothschild Baroness after she lost her pearls in the garden only to have the gardener discover birds playing with them in a tree.

Here the same Rothschild Bird dish can be seen in another shot from the Sotheby’s catalogue, atop Astor’s Louis XV bureau plat, along with a smaller Herend leaf dish we displayed among the frogs in the first image. Brooke Astor truly was a great animal lover as evidenced not only by the things she chose to collect but also by her Statement of Faith,

“I want the creatures, the animals, and the birds to be a little less afraid of human beings because I have blessed them and loved them, and far from doing them any harm, I have done them good.”

*While the Astor estate pieces are not currently for sale much of the surrounding decor and accessories are available for purchase HERE in our online shop.

Photos 1, 2, 4, & 5 by KS&D.

Photos 3 & 6 via Sotheby's.

Brooke Astor's Collections at Auction

When we first moved to the loft and found ourselves really considering what went into designing a great gallery wall along a staircase, there was one example we returned to time and again…

Brooke Astor’s famous collection of dog paintings seen above and below marching up the elegant floating staircase of her country estate Holly Hilly overlooking the Hudson River, before being auctioned September 24^th and 25^th at Sotheby’s along with the rest of Mrs. Astor’s estate in a media frenzied sale that more than doubled high estimates and totaled nearly $19 million.

Of course even though it was stretched over two days, Sotheby’s couldn’t possibly divest the entire contents of both Holly Hilly as well her Park Avenue duplex decorated by Sister Parrish and Albert Hadley. The remaining mementos of Mrs. Astor’s privileged life turned up at auction October 5th at Stair Galleries of Hudson, New York in an anonymous sale simply titled “Property of a Lady”. A close inspection of the contents clearly identified the anonymous ‘Lady’ as none other than Brooke Astor, and while the sale received little media attention was written up by must-read style blogger and Architectural Digest contributor Mitchell Owens on the magazine’s blog.

Anyone with the time and inclination could easily peruse the catalogue and recognize several pieces from photographed interiors of the country estate and Park Avenue duplex. For example a quick Google images search for Brooke Astor’s Holly Hilly will most likely turn up the image of the curving staircase at the beginning of this post as taken by Sotheby’s. Those with a keen eye might notice the oval portrait in the lower left corner just behind the wrought iron railing as similar to one we’ve added to our own staircase gallery wall above. Those with an especially keen eye might even recognize the wooden farm basket Mrs. Astor used to hold books under her stairs as identical to the one seen above under our own far humbler flight.

It is in fact Mrs. Astor’s dog group portrait, or 20^th Century School: “The Hunt Dogs” formerly Lot 251 of Stair Galleries Property of a Lady sale. While the bulk of Astor’s antique dog paintings went for nearly a million dollars in the Sotheby’s auction this piece being a newer reproduction was sent to the anonymous sale where we were delighted to acquire it at an exceptional price especially given the exceptional provenance. Legendary philanthropist and socialite Roberta Brooke Russell Kuser Marshall Astor who died in 2007 at the age of 105 was the widow of Vincent Astor, the last heir to the great Astor fortune who’s father John Jacob Astor IV went down in history as the richest man to die in the sinking of the Titanic and who’s grandmother Caroline literally defined American High Society in the Gilded Age.

While Brooke Astor was regarded as the defacto Queen of New York during her lifetime she was more than a last living bridge to the Gilded Age, spending half her life giving nearly $200 million of the Astor fortune back to the city that had created it. Aside from her philanthropic works and glittering social life Mrs. Astor had an eye for beauty and design working at House and Garden and as well as a stint with Dorothy Draper before becoming Mrs. Astor, and in 1982 writing a lovely piece on collecting for Architectural Digest discussing her dog portraits as well as the illusive subject of taste. At the end the author ponders her collection hitting the auction block hoping one day they’ll be loved as much as she’s loved them. Brooke Astor clearly loved this charming pack of pups enough to not only mix with her antique originals but to give such prominent placement, and we'd gladly assure her they’ve found a very loving home along with some of her other animal collections, but we’ll have to save those treasures for a future post.

Click HERE to read the next post on the Astor auction!

*While “The Hunt Dogs” are not for sale many of the surrounding art and accessories are available for purchase HERE in our online boutique Knickerbocker Antiques and Vintage.

Photos 1 & 2 via Sotheby's and photos 3 - 5 by KS&D.

Ultimate Heraldry

It’s no secret at Knickerbocker we have a major obsession with crests, coats of arms, and all things heraldic. Among the most sought after items in our shop, we’re sure to pick them up whenever we can find them and always love working them into our vignettes, so you can imagine our excitement at seeing this amazing collection of heraldic art up for auction at Christie’s next week.


The January 10th Christie’s Interiors sale includes an amazing collection of fourteen massive sculpted plaster panels originally crafted by Gilbert Bayes to adorn the British pavilion of the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Here Edward, Prince of Wales, The Black Prince is depicted resplendent in blue and crimson generously accented with gold gilding.


Gerald Cobb, Herald painter at the College of Arms, designed the panels to represent fourteen great individuals in the history of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, including Owen Glendower, Prince of Wales shown here in regal gold and crimson.


Due to the onset of World War II by the fairs end it was decided safer for the panels to remain in the U.S., where they were purchased in 1973 by philanthropist Eric Lafferty Harvie for installation in the military history gallery of the Glenbow Museum of Alberta, Canada. With its intricate coat of arms and bold use of black on white the crest representing William Cecil, Baron of Burghley, Knight of the Garter, is especially striking.


With each panel measuring in at around a whopping 100 inches square these grand works of art must have made for a spectacular display in the British pavilion. Crowned gold gilt lions and a fearsome winged dragon support the crest of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland.


Choosing a favorite among these bold yet romantic artworks would be difficult to say the least but especially charming is the coat of arms of Horatio Nelson, Viscount Nelson, Knight of the Bath, which includes a sailor among other nautical references to his numerous victories at sea.

All images via Christies.

Fins and Feathers

The 500 Years: Decorative Arts Europe sale to be held this week at Christie’s is packed with amazing treasures, but these whimsical pieces inspired by creatures of the sky and sea really caught our imagination.


This fantastical late 19th century Venetian turtle-form chair is designed with a hinged back that reveals a silk upholstered seat. The sculptural base is charmingly detailed with starfish and shells scattered among the rocks.


This spectacular set of 18th century Chinese wallpaper panels depict a variety of winged creatures including caged birds, peacocks, hawks, butterflies, and insects all among a background of flowering branches.


Lastly this wildly playful Victorian porcelain fish service by Bodley, with an almost Disney-like whimsy, is resplendent with seriously lavish gilt detailing.

All photos via Christie’s.

Nautical Novelties at Auction

Later this month Christies is set to auction off the treasures of a London collector with truly breathtaking taste.


In the piles of rare art and antiques it was these romantic nautically themed pieces that really caught our imagination. This show-stopping mirror frame assembled from 17th century carvings includes a whimsical lobster at the base surrounded by shells and dolphins as if sprung from the mind of Tony Duquette.


Always obsessed with naturally distressed patina we envied the selection of pottery and other items pulled directly from centuries old shipwrecks. Still encrusted from hundreds of years at the bottom of the sea these unique pieces have to be the ultimate in nautical accessories.


Or perhaps the ultimate nautical accessory would be Venetian grotto furniture for its wildly whimsical flair? The Gothick Pavilion sale features an impressive collection of Venetian grotto furniture including side chairs, armchairs, and even a sofa.


The fairy-tale fantasy climbs right up the walls with these matching Venetian grotto wall brackets playfully designed as opened scallops perched on conch shells.


Even this wonderful Scandinavian cabinet with its fantastic aged patina injects a nod to the nautical with a crowning crest that features an eye-catching anchor motif.

All images via Christies

Architectural Treasures at Auction

When England’s greatest country estate cleans house no ordinary tag sale will do, which is why October 5 – 7 Sotheby’s will be hosting a sale of over 1,000 lots containing 20,000 objects removed from the store rooms of Chatsworth House.


This magnificent estate in Derbyshire has served for centuries as the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, including the famous Georgiana as portrayed by Keira Knightly in the 2008 film The Duchess. Chatsworth House itself is no stranger to the silver screen having appeared in numerous films, most notably as Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice also staring Ms. Knightly.


While the sale includes mountains of furniture, china, glass, and fine art the most eagerly anticipated items are rare antique architectural elements salvaged from among the many castles, manors, and estates owned by the family over the centuries, including this eclectic grab bag of beautiful gilt-gesso architectural fragments dating from the late 17th and 18th centuries.


Among the rare fixtures and fittings are many long forgotten elements salvaged from Devonshire House, the palatial London residence designed for the family in 1733 by the great English architect William Kent. Once the epicenter of English society this “lost palace of London” was demolished in 1925 with many of the finest interior flourishes, including this pair of Kent designed brackets, making their way to the attics of Chatsworth where they lay forgotten and collecting dust for nearly a century.


The rediscovery of these artifacts provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of England’s architectural heritage as Kent’s work is now only to be seen in important preserved historical buildings. Aside from the 18th century a broad scope of historical English design periods are represented including this beautiful collection of 15th century carved oak Gothic tracery fragments that would look incredibly chic and romantic simply displayed and enjoyed as works of art.


Among all the grand and imposing antiques we were especially taken with this unusual little pair of charming late 17th century carved oak candle wall sconces in the form of flowering crocuses with beautifully aged patina.

Photos via Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s Hosts Kluge Sale at Albemarle House

Beginning tomorrow Sotheby's will host an historic two-day sale of the contents of Albemarle House, the sprawling Virginia estate of billionaire philanthropist and vintner Patricia Kluge.
This house sale will be the first in over twenty years to take place on site, with the 23,538 sq ft mansion itself offered at $48 million. Located in Charlottesville near Jefferson’s Monticello, the estate encompasses not only the 45 room red brick mansion, but also 300 surrounding acres of pristine Virginia countryside and formal gardens.
Completed in 1985 by architect David Easton, Albemarle House was by far one of the grandest country estates built in America since the Gilded Age, representing the height of 80’s luxury and excess. Described as “a livable palace” the home was built for America’s one-time wealthiest individual, media tycoon John Kluge, and filled with only the finest in antique furniture and decorative arts.
Mrs. Kluge received the estate along with the largest divorce settlement in history when the couple split in 1990; a story overshadowed by the heavily publicized divorce of Donald and Ivanka Trump simultaneously taking place. Mrs. Kluge was no stranger to scandal however, having stepped down from hosting Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1985 after tabloids uncovered nude photos and an adult film she’d made in the 70’s.
Looking to downsize after twenty-five years in residence Mrs. Kluge is now opening the doors of Albemarle House to the general public, with everything from the patio furniture to her couture gowns available to the highest bidder. Among the lavish interiors to be dissected are the rich wood paneled library and sumptuous yellow drawing room with its columned Palladian arch framing one of the homes pair of gracefully sweeping staircases.
Always enamored by the nautical I’m especially drawn to the huge antique silver gilt nef of a three-masted ship complete with sails, rigging, and over forty miniature sailor figures estimated at $40,000.00 to $60,000.00.

Images by Sothey's

Click HERE for a closer look at the interiors of Albemarle House.

Architectural Accessories

You may have noticed in previous posts we have a penchant at Knickerbocker Antiques & Vintage for elaborate birdcages as decorative accessories. People often assume we must keep birds as pets, which isn’t the case at all, my interest in these fanciful structures is purely an aesthetic one. The miniature domes, columns, and arches utilized on these thoughtfully designed pieces make them something like a classical architectural model.

Pictured here is a lovely example crafted of Indian rosewood and iron with gilded details featuring a wealth of classic architectural design elements including a row of columns surmounted by urns and an intricate copula atop the dome. This beautiful piece including the elegant stand is to be auctioned tomorrow at the Christie’s Interiors sale in London.

Also up for sale in the Christie’s auction is what may very well be the ultimate architecturally inspired home accessory. This show-stopping conversation piece is actually a cupboard designed in the form of an English Palladian townhouse complete with brick detailing, fluted pilasters, individual window mullions, and a columned entry beneath an arched fanlight.

Images courtesy of christies.com

Whispering Cherubs

Browsing the catalog for Christie’s Jewels: The New York Sale I came across this incredible little pair of gold ear clips by legendary jeweler Paul Flato. Titled the “Whispering Cherubs” these imaginative jewels are designed to resemble the backs of a pair of heavenly cherubs as they whisper secrets into the wearer’s ears. I really love the humor and originality of these beautiful vintage gems right down to those wild curly ponytails. With an estimate of $1500 to $2000 these conversation starters are among the most affordable pieces to hit the block in the April 22nd auction. Those only intrigued by the most jaw dropping jewels might be interested in the spectacular emerald brooch once purchased by Catherine the Great and estimated at a cool one to one and a half million.

Photo from Christie’s website