NEW YORK, NY.- Fine jewelry, extraordinary handbags, and exquisite textiles from The Ann & Gordon Getty Collection are being presented by Christie’s across six online sales open for bidding October 10 – 25, 2022. The nearly one thousand objects collected by Mrs. Getty reflect her remarkable taste, curiosity, and adventure as well as the embodiment of her magnificent style and beauty. The online sales will be sold with no reserve and feature lots with bids beginning at $100, welcoming more collectors to bid on fascinating objects from one of the true icons of style and timeless grace.

Rachel Koffsky, Christie’s International Head of Handbags and Accessories, comments: “The six online sales are an opportunity to acquire luxury objects from the historical legacy of Mrs. Getty and a fantastic entry point for collectors across all generations. Mrs. Getty’s impeccable taste, style, and unmatched aesthetic sensibilities surface in each sale’s offerings, many displaying her favorite motifs. From her table setting to her handbags, Mrs. Getty crafted a beautiful and thoughtful narrative, curating her daily life with the finest in art and objects from around the world. It has been a thrill to have the honor of stewarding this collection, contextualizing each lot within this once-in-a-lifetime auction series.”

Jonathan Rendell, Christie's Deputy Chairman, Head of Sales Curation – Americas, comments: "Ann and Gordon Getty brought exquisite taste and a genius for combining objects, layers, and textures to every aspect of their lives. The quality and variety of the jewelry, textiles, handbags, table settings, and other objects in these sales show that the Gettys defined luxury as the ability to infuse every moment of the day with beauty and creativity. Christie's is thrilled that this extraordinary collection can be appreciated as a whole for the first time and then find its way to a wide range of collectors who share the Getty's passion for elegance in all things."

Mrs. Getty had a talent for discovering superb, unexpected pieces with rich histories. The objects are whimsical and often display flora and fauna motifs, a reflection of her expertise in botany and her love of the natural world.

Textiles




Christie's will present Mrs. Getty's unmatched collection of textiles, including more than 200 lots of luxurious fabrics. Mrs. Getty assembled a library of ancient and contemporary textiles throughout her life, acquiring pieces throughout her travels in Asia and the Subcontinent. There are three extraordinary examples of fabrics in the collection: an early Charles II Silk 'Table Carpet' (estimate: $80,000-100,000), a refined Chinese Silk Imperial Yellow-Ground Kesi Throne Seat Cover (estimate: $6,000-9,000), and A Central Asian Velvet Ikat Chapan, or robe (estimate: $2,500-3,500).

Handbags and Jewelry

Mrs. Getty’s refined sensibility and commitment to layering luxury in every aspect of her life carried over to her style, contributing to her status as a style icon pictured regularly in the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country and other leading publications. The online Jewelry and Handbags sale highlights include: A Shiny Black & Orange H Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 30 With Ruthenium Hardware (estimate: $10,000-12,000) and A Limited Edition Black Leather & Embroidered Animals Medium Lady Dior With Gold Hardware (estimate: $1,000-2,000).

Complementing her elevated selection of handbags, Christie’s will offer a selection of Mrs. Getty’s jewelry. Her collection of jewels was varied and international, as evidenced by pieces from Asia, including An Indian Five-Row Diamond Necklace (estimate: $15,000-20,000), from Europe such as an Ilias Lalaounis Gold Necklace (estimate: $6,000-8,000), and from the United States, exemplified by a pair of Tiffany & Co. Black Jade and Gold Earrings (estimate: $1,000-1,500).

Lifestyle and Table Decorations

Mr. and Mrs. Getty welcomed presidents, foreign dignitaries, and movie stars into their San Francisco house; every event reflected Mrs. Getty’s exquisite taste. The Art of the Table: Ceramics, Silver, and Table Decorations online sale will offer A Large Assembled Meissen Porcelain Part Dinner Service in the 'Gelber Löwe' Pattern formerly in the Collection of T.R.H., The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (estimate: $120,000-180,000).