The Collection of Mr & Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue totalled $8,764,875 across a two-day live sale and three online sales. The collection outperformed its high estimate and demonstrated strong global demand with participation from 29 countries and an average sell-through rate of 96%.
Jonathan Rendell, Christie’s Deputy Chairman, Head of Sales Curation, comments, “It has been a distinct honour for all of us at Christie’s to work with Mrs Gutfreund on this series of sales. Her deep knowledge of historical precedent and her flair for style proved to be irresistible to our clients across the globe who competed strongly in both the live sales and online sales to take home a part of this legendary interior.”
SALE RESULTS
The Collection of Mr & Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue
LIVE | January 26-27
TOTAL: $6,223,875
91% SOLD BY LOT | 95% SOLD BY VALUE
BIDDERS FROM 29 COUNTRIES
Christie’s two-day live auction of The Collection of Mr & Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue totalled $6,223,875 and was 91% sold by lot and 95% sold by value, with bidders participating from 29 countries and 5 continents.
The top price of the auction was Jan Massys’ painting Mary Magdalene, which achieved $537,500, exceeding the estimate of $120,000-180,000. Many lots surpassed their estimates including a pair of Italian (Trapani) gilt-copper and coral mounted pricket sticks circa 1720, which sold for $243,750, and a pair of Italian gilt-metal, cobalt and etched glass mirrors which realized $200,000 (both estimates: $60,000-100,000).
Will Strafford, Senior International Specialist, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, comments, “Ever since they were created in the 1980s, the interiors of the Gutfreund apartment at 834 Fifth Avenue have achieved almost mythical status. The fruits of a creative partnership between Susan Gutfreund and Henri Samuel, each space in the apartment formed a compelling visual experience, none more so than the legendary Winter Garden, one of the most famous rooms in America. Buyers from 29 countries responded with extraordinary enthusiasm to the sale as they vied to acquire a piece of the Gutfreund magic, with a series of bidding duels propelling many lots far beyond their estimate.”
The Art of Entertaining: The Collection of Mr & Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue
ONLINE | January 14-28
TOTAL: $1,244,875
100% SOLD BY LOT | 198% HAMMER AGAINST LOW ESTIMATE
The Art of Entertaining: The Collection of Mr & Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue totalled $1,244,875 and was 100% sold by lot and by value, and 198% hammer above the low estimate.
The top lot of the sale was a set of nineteen Chinese moulded blue and white ‘Lotus Dishes’, Kangxi Period (1662-1722), which sold for $93,750, against the estimate of $5,000-8,000.
Carleigh Queenth, Head of Sale, remarks, “The incredible results in The Art of Entertaining were a testament to Mrs Gutfreund’s infallible eye for a chic table. Exceptional prices were achieved for European and Chinese porcelain services, glass stemware and flatware. A host of buyers will soon be creating their own glamourous tablescapes at home.”
Selections from The Library of Mr And Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue
ONLINE | January 14-29
TOTAL: $940,000
98% SOLD BY LOT | 206% HAMMER AGAINST LOW ESTIMATE
Selections from The Library of Mr And Mrs John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue totaled $940,000, and was 98% sold by lot, 100% sold by value and 206% hammer against low estimate; together with 48 lots of books in the live Collection sale sold earlier in the week, the total was $1,489,875.
Leading the books were a hand-colored copy of the 1719 edition of Maria Sibylla Merian’s Dissertatio de generatione et metamorphosibus insectorum Surinamensium interleaved with a calligraphic English translation, with a price realized of $137,500; Cartari’s Le imagini de i dei de gli antichi in a binding from the famed Pillone library, which achieved $81,250, and the Duke of Newcastle copy of Drevnosti Rossiiskago Gosudarstva, which achieved $68,750.
Rhiannon Knol, Head of Sale, comments, “It was a pleasure to be able to present to the public the books of the Gutfreund library, which so well represent the taste for beauty and pleasure which suffused their entire collection, and to see what new collections these will now add to, inspire, and begin.”
Susan and Karl: Important Chanel Fashion Jewelry from The Collection of Mrs. John H. Gutfreund
ONLINE | January 14-29
TOTAL: $356,123
100% SOLD BY LOT | 262% HAMMER AGAINST LOW ESTIMATE
52% NEW BIDDERS | PARTICIPATION FROM 23 COUNTRIES
Susan and Karl: Important Chanel Fashion Jewelry from The Collection of Mrs. John H. Gutfreund achieved a total of $356,123 with 100% sold by lot, 262% hammer against low estimate.
The top lot of the sale was an important Chanel oversized glass and stone set bird brooch, which realized ten-times its low estimate selling for $30,000. Other notable highlights included an important Chanel set of Gripoix glass and faux pearl jewelry that sold for $16,250 against its low estimate of $4,000 and a Chanel Gripoix glass necklace and brooch that achieved $13,750 against its low estimate of $3,000. Spanning over 100 intricate creations, the Chanel jewels featured in this online auction provided a glimpse into the golden era of Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel.
Claibourne Poindexter, Specialist for Christie’s Jewels, comments, “Since the passing of Karl Lagerfeld in 2019, the demand for jewels created under his watchful eye while at the helm of Chanel has only grown. The spectacular results for Mrs. Gutfreund’s Chanel jewelry collection attest to the desirability of these rare creations which are part of fashion history. With over 29,000 visitors to the sale page, 52% first-time registrants, and bidders from 23 countries, the online auction was fiercely competitive. It has been a tremendous honour for Christie’s to handle the sale of this exceptional collection on Mrs Gutfreund’s behalf.”
ADDITIONAL NOTABLE LOTS
A PAIR OF ITALIAN (TRAPANI) GILT-COPPER AND CORAL-MOUNTED PRICKET STICKS, circa 1720. Estimate: $60,000 – 100,000 | Price Realized: $243,750 A LATE GEORGE III WHITE-PAINTED, GILTWOOD AND GILT-COMPOSITION SETTEE IN THE MANNER OF JAMES WYATT, circa 1790. Estimate: $8,000 – 12,000 | Price Realized: $77,500
