GENEVA.- Piguet is unveiling at auction, for the first time, an exceptional collection from the families of the Barons de Reuter and James Gordon Bennett Jr., two names inextricably linked to the history of the international press. Preserved by their descendants for more than a century, works of art, fine jewellery, silverware and precious historical records tell the story of these families, who shaped European history in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Among the major discoveries are two sculptures by Auguste Rodin, including a cast of his iconic Thinker (est. CHF 4 to 7 million, USD 4.9 to 8.6 million, EUR 4.3 to 7.6 million, GBP 3.6 to 6.3 million), as well as an exceptional, unique and previously unseen imperial piece by the house of Fabergé. This extraordinary gift from the Tsar’s family is the largest elephant known to date to have been produced by the workshops of the celebrated goldsmith. It will be offered at auction by Piguet for the first time worldwide (est. CHF 200,000–300,000).

A selection of the collection’s highlights will be exhibited in a preview at the Hôtel d’Angleterre from 6 to 8 November, before the entire collection is presented to the public from 3 to 6 December at Piguet’s exhibition rooms. The collection, comprising approximately 300 lots, will be offered at auction from 26 November to 10 December 2026, with a special evening sale on Wednesday, 9 December at 6 pm in Geneva.

“This sale follows in the footsteps of the great historic and aristocratic collections brought to auction in recent years. The trust placed in us by the heirs of these families is both a tremendous honour and a great responsibility: that of preserving and passing on an exceptional heritage, steeped in history. The Baron de Reuter & Gordon Bennett Collection is a magnificent illustration of this,” notes Bernard Piguet, Director and Auctioneer.

Rodin’s The Thinker: the collection’s masterpiece

The Thinker is undoubtedly one of the most famous and iconic works by Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), a major figure in art history and a pioneer of modern sculpture. Initially conceived for The Gates of Hell, commissioned in 1880 for the future Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris, where the figure was notably associated with Dante, author of The Divine Comedy, this contemplative figure gradually transcended its original context to become an independent work of art and a universal symbol of thought and creativity.

The bronze sculpture to be auctioned by Piguet on 9 December retains the original dimensions of 71.6 cm, as conceived by Rodin for The Gates of Hell, and is a work of exceptional museum quality. Cast in 1919 by the prestigious Alexis Rudier art foundry, one of the most renowned of its time, it belongs to the same generation of early casts as those held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Musée Rodin in Paris, dated circa 1910 and 1917, respectively.

Its provenance is equally exceptional. The Thinker entered the collection of Baron Ronald de Reuter around 1930–1940, most likely through Eugène Rudier, Alexis’s son. Since its acquisition, it has remained in the de Reuter family, carefully preserved and passed down from generation to generation to the present day. At a time when the Pierre Gianadda Foundation is currently dedicating an exhibition to Auguste Rodin, the sculpture’s reappearance at auction in Geneva offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most iconic sculptures in art history (est. CHF 4 to 7 million, USD 4.9 to 8.6 million, EUR 4.3 to 7.6 million, GBP 3.6 to 6.3 million).

Two pioneering dynasties of the international press, an exceptional heritage

To understand how this previously unseen collection came together, it is worth delving into the history of the de Reuter baronial dynasty and James Gordon Bennett Jr.

· Paul Julius Reuter, a visionary who laid the foundations of an information empire

Paul Julius Reuter (1816–1899) founded the eponymous news agency, Reuters, in London in 1851, revolutionising the transmission of information through new communication technologies. Knighted in 1871, this visionary entrepreneur built a media empire and gained access to the most influential circles of British society. His son, George Julius de Reuter (1863–1909), the second Baron de Reuter, carried on this legacy. In April 1891, George married Maud Potter, who came from a wealthy American family, strengthening ties between the British and American elites. The couple had two sons, Oliver and Ronald.

· James Gordon Bennett Jr., magnat de la presse et personnalité flamboyante de la Belle Époque

En 1914, Maud Potter (1865-1946), veuve de George Julius de Reuter, épouse James Gordon Bennett Jr. (1841-1918), propriétaire du New York Herald, unissant ainsi deux grandes dynasties de la presse internationale. Pionnier des communications transatlantiques, mécène de grandes expéditions et fondateur des célèbres Coupes Gordon Bennett, ce personnage extravagant et affranchi des conventions évolue dans les plus hautes sphères de la société. Entre New York, Saint-Pétersbourg, Paris et la Côte d’Azur, il reçoit à bord de ses yachts souverains et personnalités influentes, dont le Grand-Duc Alexis de Russie, l’Impératrice Eugénie et Winston Churchill. Cet art de vivre fastueux se reflète dans les œuvres d’art et objets précieux transmis au sein de la famille.

· Ronald de Reuter, heir to an exceptional artistic heritage

The grandson of the founder of Reuters and son-in-law of James Gordon Bennett Jr., Ronald Carl George de Reuter (1899–1964) grew up in this cosmopolitan world, where leading figures from political, artistic and high society circles mingled. Like his ancestors, he upheld a lifestyle defined by luxury and refinement, surrounded by works of art and precious objects inherited from previous generations or acquired by him personally. In 1953, Ronald de Reuter married Wladyslawa Ocipska. The couple settled in Geneva, where they led a more discreet life, surrounded by an exceptional family heritage.

Artistic and historical treasures revealed at auction

The collection discovered in Geneva by Piguet brings together a remarkable ensemble of works of art and precious objects, some of which have been preserved for more than a century by the heirs of these two dynasties. Today, they are being exhibited to the public and offered at auction for the very first time.

Alongside Rodin’s The Thinker is a unique and previously unseen piece by Fabergé, an imperial gift from the family of the Tsars to James Gordon Bennett Jr. (est. CHF 200,000–300,000, see separate Fabergé press release). The collection also includes another bronze by Auguste Rodin never before offered at auction - One of the Burghers of Calais (est. CHF 150,000–250,000) - as well as a sculpture by Antoine Bourdelle (est. CHF 100,000–150,000). These are complemented by a rare Art Deco screen by Jean Dunand, silverware bearing the family coat of arms, and fine jewellery, all evocative of the lavish aristocratic receptions of the era.

The personality of James Gordon Bennett Jr. shines through in several distinctive pieces. A passionate sportsman and yachting enthusiast, he contributed to the development of the automobile, aviation, yachting and ballooning. His passion for sailing is illustrated in particular by The Victory of the Propeller over Sail, a spectacular composition in silver-gilt and rock crystal created by André Aucoc (1856–1911), a leading Parisian goldsmith. This masterpiece of goldsmithing was crafted after a model by Jean-Paul Aubé (1837–1916) and exhibited at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle (est. CHF 20,000–30,000).

His commitment to technological innovation is reflected in a remarkable case of transatlantic cable samples, made for him by the London-based firm Siemens Brothers (est. CHF 10,000–15,000). These samples are identical to the submarine cables laid across the Atlantic Ocean to connect Europe and America, as part of the development of the Commercial Cable Company, founded in 1883 by Gordon Bennett and John W. Mackay. The company helped revolutionise transatlantic communications by considerably accelerating the transmission of information, while strengthening Gordon Bennett’s position in the world of journalism.

More unusually, his fascination with the owl, which he regarded as a talisman against misfortune, is reflected in numerous personal objects, seals and silverware, accompanied by his motto: “The night brings counsel.”

Finally, the influence of the de Reuter dynasty on the international stage is illustrated by a complete series of proofs of the first banknotes of the Imperial Bank of Persia, established in 1889 following a concession granted by the Shah to Julius and George de Reuter (est. CHF 15,000–20,000). These valuable documents bear witness to the history of international finance and to the geopolitical relations between Persia and the United Kingdom in the late 19th century. They, too, will be offered at auction.