The much anticipated event will be spread over the course of several dates next month filling almost all of the galleries. The oak spring garden library is located in rural upperville, virginia, adjacent to the former mellon residence. But these possessions merely evoked tantalizing elements of her history, silent household props that had witnessed the drama of a remarkable. Gordon fills this books with too many names and not enough action. The sale of the estate of bunny mellon has been called the auction of the decade. She designed and planted a number of significant gardens, including the white house rose garden, and assembled one of the largest collections of rare horticultural books.
Objects of vertu and interiors collections go to auction at sothebys. Bunny s ardor for horticulture led to the creation of the oak springs garden library, a collection of art, artifacts, rare books and manuscripts on all things gardening. See pictures of the antiques, collectibles, art and furniture being auctioned off by sothebys at bunny mellons estate sale. This november, sothebys will devote three separate auctions to the bunny mellon collection, encompassing some 2,000 items, including paintings by the likes of picasso and rothko and a rare pearshaped blue diamond. Ever since rachel lambert mellon died in march at the age of 103, the art world has been wondering what would become of the vast treasures of art and objects that she and her husband, paul mellon, had collected and lived with on tuesday, sothebys announced that it had landed the sale of the estate of mrs. Meet the extraordinary art collectors behind the top lots heading to auction this week.
Aug 10, 2015 philanthropist and socialite rachel bunny mellon was known for designing the white house rose garden, breeding horses, owning one of the largest collections of rare horticultural books, and. Bunny mellons art collection up for auction at sothebys. The library houses mellons collection of rare books, manuscripts and works of art related to landscape design, horticulture and natural history. All 43 works from bunny mellons collection sell at sothebys. With the cooperation of bunny mellon s family, author meryl gordon received access to thousands of pages of her letters, diaries and appointment calendars and has interviewed more than 175 people to capture the spirit of this talented american original. You can read an interesting article about oak springs new owners here. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Revisiting bunny mellon decor kitchens and interiors.
Oct 07, 2017 the auction had made bunny mellon famous again. After marrying philanthropist paul mellon heir to the mellon bank fortune in 1948, bunny collected more than,000 gardening books, including rare volumes such as president george washingtons personal garden book. The life of an american style legend and the gardens of bunny mellon. The dark history behind the auction of bunny mellon s legendary collections. Bunny mellons breathtaking private collection on sale at sothebys. Paul mellon rachel lambert sothebys auction catalogue sale oak spring farm. Results the interiors auction offering fine art, furniture, porcelain, silver, glassware, decoration and more from mrs. Feb 17, 2015 this fall, sothebys invited wrj to design one of the largest exhibitions in the organizations history. Auctions often tell a story of a life well lived, one spent in beautiful rooms surrounded by beautiful things. Mellons interiors, driving the auction result to more than double its.
When mellon died six years later, the auction of her possessions was the. Mellon was the second wife of philanthropist and horse. The gardens and interiors of rachel lambert bunny mellon the. Here now, 20 shots from sothebys bunny mellon auction curbed. Books bunny mellon a new biography of bunny mellon, the style icon and american aristocrat who designed the white house rose garden for her friend jfk and served as a living witness to 20th century american history, operating in the highlevel arenas of politics, diplomacy, art and fashion. The dark history behind the auction of bunny mellon s legendary collections bunny mellon jacqueline kennedy onassis town and country chicano nantucket horse riding riding helmets the darkest auction interiors property from the collection of mrs. Oct 06, 2017 but mellon also made headlines late in life. Nov 24, 2014 eight months after bunny mellon, the horticulturalist and art collector known for redesigning the white house rose garden in the 1960s, passed away in march, sothebys launched a massive multiday. Bunny mellon might have been a fabulous gardener, but her personal life was a mess. Mellon s interiors, driving the auction result to more. Bunny mellons schlumberger goes on display the adventurine. Dec 08, 2016 bunny mellon, the late american heiress and art collector, worked to create breathtaking gardens and houses with interiors of soulful simplicity.
The gardens of bunny mellon by linda jane holden 2018. Earlier this month, sothebys sold all 43 pieces on offer from bunny mellon s art collectionrothko to picasso to diebenkornat its much. All 43 works from bunny mellons collection sell at. See pictures of the antiques, collectibles, art and furniture being auctioned off by sothebys at bunny mellon s estate sale. Apr 15, 2019 for more on bunny mellons storied life, i recommend bunny mellon. The library was a gift from paul mellon to his wife, bunny mellon, in order to contain her growing collection of rare books, manuscripts, illustrations and paintings. Designer picks from the sothebys bunny mellon auction. In 2014, sothebys offered up more than 2,000 of her possessions over the course of three curated events, raising. Sothebys will host an auction of the late, private heiresss most beautiful belongings next month, including custom pieces by duke fulco di verdura.
In 2014, sothebys offered up more than 2,000 of her possessions over the course of. The incredible jewelry, furniture, and art available at bunny mellons sothebys auction. Absolutely beautiful book on the gardens of bunny mellon. Paul bunny mellon exhibit incorporated 6 stories of the sothebys auction. Mellons celebrated collection of rare books, manuscripts, works. Bunny mellon, who died in 2014 at age 103, was pressshy during her lifetime. Nov 27, 2015 paul, a major benefactor of the national gallery of art, died in 1999.
An upcoming sothebys sale featuring items from the homes of the late rachel bunny lambert mellon not only does that, it also captures the heiresss downtoearth fondness for simplicity and her romantic sense of beauty. The mrs paul bunny mellon exhibition at sothebys youtube. I knew that bunny mellon had designed the white house rose garden but i didnt know how close she was to jackie and president kennedy. Jul 01, 2014 on tuesday, sothebys announced that it would auction contents from the estate of rachel lambert mellon, known as bunny, who died in march. For more on bunny mellon s storied life, i recommend bunny mellon. She was famous, firstly, for being rich, with familial links to a duo of gilded age fortunes. Sothebys to auction mellons treasures the new york times. Author meryl gordon goes inside the auction of the decade in her new book bunny mellon. Ive just finished the chapters that delve into this friendship in the book bunny mellon. Collectors competed feverishly across the threeday, fivesession sale of mrs. Bunny mellon, the wife of the financier and philanthropist paul mellon. I highly recommend this lovely book to any gardener or to a garden lover. Collectors eagerly vied for pieces evocative of mrs. According to the sothebys catalogue for the auction of their estate, they owned, among so many other valuable pieces, nine paintings by rothko one of the most expensive rothko in a private sale, no.
Elaine whitmire, head of single owner sales at sothebys, poses for a portrait in front of a piece of bunny mellon s estates auction exhibit. The life of an american style legend, i found the genesis of my mothers coat, and, as i read the book, i began to think differently about my mother. Nov 14, 2017 meet the extraordinary art collectors behind the top lots heading to auction this week. She and her husband, paul mellon, one of the wealthiest men in america, maintained homes in new york, cape cod, nantucket, antigua, and upperville, virginia, and she designed the gardens at all of them. Auction of new york socialite bunny mellons estate nets. Designer picks from the sothebys bunny mellon auction several designer friends pick their favorites from a few of the items in the sothebys bunny mellon auction. New york property from the estate of noted horticulturist, philanthropist and heir to the listerine fortune rachel bunny mellon is going on the auction block this fall. Step inside bunny mellon s glorious gardens the designermastermind behind iconic projects at the white house and versaillesis the subject of a stunning new book by kathleen quigle y. Lambert foundation to maintain the building and the collection it houses. Bunny might have been an interesting person but the book is poorly written.
The book s juiciest scandal arrives near the end, when, at the age of ninetyfive, mellon took a shine to a north carolina senator named john edwards. All of these gardens are featured in the gardens of bunny mellon, illustrated with mellon s own garden plans, sketches, and watercolors, as well as with archival photographs and specially commissioned photographs of oak spring, the mellon estate in upperville. Paul bunny mellon exhibit incorporated 6 stories of the sothebys auction house. The interiors auction will offer fine art, furniture, porcelain, silver, glassware, decoration and more from mrs. The life of an american style legend hardcover september 26, 2017. The gardens of bunny mellon vendome press publisher of. Rachel bunny mellon was known for many thingsa fortune so vast. Bunny mellons breathtaking private collection on sale at sothebys in november, sothebys will auction a jawdropping selection of famous artworks, rare porcelains, and fine furnishings once. Here now, 20 shots from sothebys bunny mellon auction. You have no doubt by now read about the upcoming sothebys bunny mellon auction. Bunny mellon had peerless taste and a penchant for scandal. The gardens and interiors of rachel lambert bunny mellon. Sep 10, 2014 bunnys ardor for horticulture led to the creation of the oak springs garden library, a collection of art, artifacts, rare books and manuscripts on all things gardening.
A portrait of bunny mellon with her son, stacy far right. Bunny mellons breathtaking private collection on sale at. The life of an american style legend, by meryl gordon, is an astute and intriguing portrait of a celebrity who wasnt famous outside her own milieu. Schlumbergers most devoted client was the very private bunny mellon, otherwise known as rachel lambert mellon. She had gardeners rake leaves and return the prettiest to the ground. Throughout her long and storied life, rachel bunny mellons greatest passion was garden design. Bunny mellon s breathtaking private collection on sale at sothebys in november, sothebys will auction a jawdropping selection of famous. An inspiring new book for the gardener in your life katie considers. Library, which houses a vast collection of rare books on horticulture. Bunny mellon collection and auction bunny mellon biography. The incredible jewelry, furniture, and art available.
Oct 20, 2014 you have no doubt by now read about the upcoming sothebys bunny mellon auction. The 7,000 square foot, nine bedroom, nine bathroom home is located on a 26acre waterfront property in osterville. Its been a long while since bunny mellon 19102014 was a household name, but, even then, those households were limitedand mostly very expensive. Earlier this month, sothebys sold all 43 pieces on offer from bunny mellons art collectionrothko. Inside bunny mellon s oak spring farm estate take a look inside the private estate and see some of the items up for bid at sothebys three separate auctions of the mellon collection view as slideshow. The story arc of biographies hews naturally to the contours of life, with a subjects golden years generally making for sedate reading. The listerine heiress and horticulturist passed away in march aged 103 after a 15. Bunny mellon had peerless taste and a penchant for scandal the. Eight months after bunny mellon, the horticulturalist and art collector known for redesigning the white house rose garden in the 1960s, passed away in march, sothebys launched a massive multiday.
The true story bunny mellon s extraordinary collections and the legendary auction of the decade author meryl gordon chronicles the life of the society icon in her new book bunny mellon. Bunny mellon jacqueline kennedy onassis town and country chicano nantucket horse riding riding helmets the darkest auction. While it has long been common knowledge in jewelry circles, she had a substantial collection of schlumbergers work, exactly what or how many pieces she owned, has had the air of an urban jewelry myth. Bunny mellon s jasmine necklace, bees ring and jellyfish brooch by schlumberger from the exhibit at the virginia museum of fine arts photo courtesy. Jul 30, 2010 within these lie 3,500 rare historical manuscripts and books, some dating from the 15th century, and 10,000 modern reference works, items bunny began collecting decades ago. Revisiting mellon s greatest horticultural hits and a few, more humble triumphs the gardens of bunny mellon is part guidewith gorgeous photographs by roger foley that could make even the least inclined go hunting for a trowelpart biography, and part social history. Books how heiress bunny mellon got a thrill funding naughty candidate john edwards while he hid pregnant mistress how heiress bunny mellon. Rachel bunny mellons collection will be up for grabs at sothebys beginning november 10 with her masterworks, and continuing november 20 to 23, with over 2,000 items of furniture, silver, linens, and decorations, mostly from her storied estate, oak spring farm, in upperville, virginia. Rachel lambert mellon august 9, 1910 march 17, 2014, often known as bunny mellon, was an american horticulturalist, gardener, philanthropist, and art collector. Bunny mellon s beloved gardens provided another source of solace for the very private woman. See more ideas about bunny mellon, bunny and outdoor gardens.
If youve got it, dont flaunt it bunny mellon favored a natural look. It had adorned bunny mellon s virginia dining room. Bunny mellons jewelry collection at sothebys bunny mellon. Nov 08, 2017 the sale of the estate of bunny mellon has been called the auction of the decade. Meet the extraordinary art collectors behind the top lots. Auction catalogues for this sale are difficult to find, but here is a set currently being offered via ebay. Beautiful photographs and outstanding writing and descriptions of the gardens. Get lost in mellon s story and captivating photography. Author linda holdens text is based on extensive interviews with mellon before. Oct 30, 2014 the design world is in a tizzy right now. Nov 07, 2014 bunny mellons gardeninspired jewelry designed by verdura.
1651 1322 1080 18 737 1137 1151 676 1044 1403 512 1020 1045 1069 1537 830 800 1175 1317 1370 1241 1443 718 317 130 1653 1066 1089 780 1645 813 543 273 199 288 667 876 76 283 546 312 394 321 1040 445 601