BONHAMS CHOSEN TO AUCTION THE ESTATE OF RENOWNED ACTRESS LAUREN BACALL Our Coverage Sponsored by Bergen Linen
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Lauren Bacall
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700-piece collection includes works by Henry Moore, Hockney, Picasso, Miro, Calder, as well as tribal art and jewelry
Acclaimed actress of stage and screen, Lauren Bacall, who passed away in August 2014, had formed an astonishing art collection which included works by some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. The Bacall Collection, estimated at $3m, will be sold at Bonhams, New York – 580 Madison Avenue – in March 2015.
Highlighting the Bacall collection are eight sculptures by Henry Moore, Britain’s greatest 20th century sculptor, two of which will be sold in November’s Impressionist and Modern sale at Bonhams, New York. Bacall’s deep admiration of Moore began in the 1950s while she was living in Los Angeles, but it was not until 1975 that the actress was introduced to the sculptor by Robert Lewis of the Brook Street Gallery in London.
Bacall recalled the first conversation she shared with the artist: ‘The operator said Henry Moore was on the phone. I could not believe it. I said, ‘Is that really Henry Moore?’ and he said, ‘Is that really Lauren Bacall?’’ When she finally visited the artist at his studio in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, the Hollywood star was herself star-struck: ‘It was and will be ever a high point of my life ... [it was the] realization of a dream.’
Maquette for Mother and Child: Arms employs a subject to which Moore returned throughout his career. ‘The “Mother and Child” idea is one of my two or three obsessions, one of my inexhaustible subjects,’ Moore said, and this 1980 sculpture is a culmination of that long and fruitful exploration. Working Model for Reclining Figure, Bone Skirt, too, is a wonderful iteration of a favorite theme in the artist’s work, and Moore asserted that this method of reusing subjects left him free from having to find a ‘reason’ or a ‘meaning’: ‘free to invent a completely new form-idea.’
The works by Henry Moore are among approximately 700 lots to be offered by Bonhams, which is the sole auction house dealing with the estate. Speaking on behalf of her family, Leslie Bogart said, "We felt and continue to feel that Bonhams is professional and inviting yet not intimidating. Perfect for us." Many of the lots graced the Los Angeles residence which Bacall shared with her first husband, Humphrey Bogart; her former country home in Amaganest, New York; and her final residence in New York’s famed The Dakota, overlooking Central Park, which she shared with second husband, Jason Robards until 1969.
Included in the estate auction, which will be held in March, are contemporary prints, modern and contemporary art, English and French 18th and 19th Century furniture, English Majolica, tribal works of art, jewelry, couture, and Louis Vuitton and Goyard luggage.
Bacall’s collection is a reflection of her extraordinary taste and remarkable life. She acquired pieces at galleries and auctions in California, New York and London, and also when in Paris and Rome. Her interest in African art developed as a result of being on location with Humphrey Bogart while he was filming African Queen (1951) with Katharine Hepburn.
Her collecting sense, in both the fine and decorative arts, was influenced by her close friends, Mildred Jaffe, the wife of Sam Jaffe, Humphrey Bogart’s agent; and antique dealers, J. Garvin Mecking and Freddy Victoria, both of whom were based in New York.
Jon King, Bonhams’ Director of Business Development, notes: "Bonhams is extremely honored to represent the estate of Lauren Bacall at auction. Ms. Bacall has been not only an international treasure to the public at large, but also a longtime friend to Bonhams over the years. We are looking forward to providing the public with a rare glimpse into Ms. Bacall’s formidable collecting sense and intuitive style."
Tributes to Lauren Bacall
Barbra Streisand, who starred with Bacall in The Mirror Has Two Faces in 1996, said in a statement: ‘It was my privilege to have known her, to have acted with her, and, most of all, to have had her as a wise and loving friend.’ She added: ‘Lauren's special beauty is the reflection of her elegance, her intelligence and her invigorating will.’
Tom Brokaw, the television journalist, said: ‘Bacall filled a room when she walked in … We met 40 years ago, and I still count it one of the most entertaining and enjoyable experiences of my life.’
Liza Minnelli said in a statement: ‘She was a great friend to my family and especially to me. We all loved her, as she was one of a kind. I’ll miss her very much.’
Kirk Douglas, who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts with Bacall, said: ‘It's hard to lose a friend, especially one with whom you have shared your dreams and your journey. In the case of Betty Bacall, I also lost my lucky charm - the girl who believed in me enough to talk Hal Wallis into giving me a Hollywood career. That was my first lesson in helping others without looking for thanks. I will continue to think about her whenever I put it into practice.’
Nicole Kidman, who became close with Bacall on the set of their 2003 film, Dogville, said: ‘Lauren was a dear friend, mentor and wonderful actress.’
Vanessa Redgrave wrote in a statement: ‘Glorious Betty … I got to know just how remarkable a woman you have been and were. Loyalty, integrity, and such a lover of good theatre and filmmaking ... Thank you for every single hour I spent with you, or watching you, Vanessa.’
For further information and images call Vyoma Venkataraman +1 917 206 1692,vyoma.venkataraman@bonhams.com (New York);
Julian Roup on +44 (0) 20 7468 8259, julian.roup@bonhams.com (London); Joalien Johnson on +415 503 3348, joalien.johnson@bonhams.com (San Francisco)
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Lauren Bacall was 19 when she made her screen debut in To Have and Have Not opposite Humphrey Bogart. The actress was born Betty Joan Perske in Brooklyn in 1924. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (alongside fellow pupil, Kirk Douglas), supporting herself by working as an usherette and model. It was the latter that led to her breakthrough. She was spotted by Diana Vreeland, then fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar, whose cover featuring a besuited Bacall was in turn seen by the director Howard Hawks.
It was Hawks who changed Bacall’s first name to Lauren, and cast the inexperienced starlet in his adaption of Hemingway’s tale of deep sea fishermen in the Caribbean. She was so nervous in her first film role that her head shook, so she tilted her chin down to steady herself, with the result that she looked up from under at the camera. Her unusual style of delivery, combined with the script’s innuendo, was to prove a winning combination. The public was hooked on Bacall’s on-screen and real chemistry with Humphrey Bogart, of which the studio took advantage by casting them together in Key Largo, The Big Sleep andDark Passage. The couple married in 1945. They had two children and remained married until Bogart’s death in 1957. Bacall later had a third child with her second husband, Jason Robards.
Bacall also became an accomplished stage actress, receiving great acclaim for her work inCactus Flower, Applause, and Woman of the Year. She continued acting in movies as well, and appeared in more than 30, including How to Marry a Millionaire and Murder on the Orient Express. The Mirror Has Two Faces, 1996, directed, produced and also starring Barbra Streisand, earned Bacall a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination. In 2009, Bacall collected an Oscar in recognition of ‘her central place in the golden age of motion pictures.’
Lauren Bacall died in August 2014, aged 89.
SALE ITEMS INCLUDE:
Included in Impressionist and Modern Art Sale, 4 November, Bonhams New York
HENRY MOORE O.M., C.H. (1898-1986)
Maquette for Mother and Child: Arms (LH697)
signed and numbered 'Moore 1/9' (on the side of the base)
bronze with brown patina
8 in (20 cm) (length including base)
Cast in 1976
Estimate: US$150,000 - 200,000
HENRY MOORE O.M., C.H. (1898-1986)
Working Model for Reclining Figure: Bone Skirt (LH723)
signed and numbered 'Moore 1/9' (on the top of the base)
bronze with dark brown and green patina
27 in. (69 cm.) (length, including base)
Cast in 1977-79
Estimate: US$600,000 - 800,000
Lots in Lauren Bacall Sale in March 2015 at Bonhams New York include:
Audubon White Pelican
After John James Audubon
By Robert Havell
American White Pelican (Plate CCCXI)
Pelicanus americanus
engraving with etching, aquatint and hand-coloring
Estimate: $50,000-75,000
The pelican was Bacall’s favorite bird - she admired its majestic peculiarity. Besides the White Pelican, she also prized the Brown Pelican (estimate $40,000-60,000). Both Audubon prints were prominently displayed in the living room of her New York residence.
Robert Graham sculptures
Robert Graham (American, 1938-2008)
Gabrielle
Bronze
$40,000-60,000
Robert Graham (American, 1938-2008)
Christine
Bronze
$20,000-30,000
Robert Graham (American, 1938-2008)
Elisa
Bronze
$25,000-35,000
Three of a collection of approximately 15 works by Robert Graham found in the Bacall Collection. Lauren Bacall was fascinated by the precise realism and bold expression of the human form as seen in Graham’s work, and referred to these three sculptures as her “girls”. Robert Graham was married to Bacall’s close friend Anjelica Huston.
Living room
The immense living room was primarily a room for entertaining. In the far left corner is Humphrey Bogart’s wrought-iron and steel-inlaid slate games table, to the left is the Mason & Hamlin ebonized grand piano where Lauren Bacall rehearsed for Broadway musicals; frequent guests, including Leonard Bernstein, would play at the piano during lively cocktail parties.
Library
The library was the room where Ms. Bacall would receive guests. One wall was filled with photographs and memorabilia related to her career; other walls displayed needlework and paintings depicting dogs; Henry Moore bronze maquettes were placed of the fireplace mantel.
Dining Room
The immense dining room showcased extensive collections of English majolica and French and Dutch faience, as well as monumental French posters such artists as Jules Cheret and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, complemented by French and English provincial oak and walnut furniture.
Other lots in Lauren Bacall Sale in March 2015 at Bonhams New York include:
Henry Moore (British, 1898-1986)
Man and Woman: Bone Figures,
Patinated bronze, Height 7 inches
$40,000-60,000
Henry Moore (British, 1898-1986)
Interior Form
Patinated bronze, Height 7 7/8 inches
$30,000-50,000
Henry Moore (British, 1898-1986)
Three quarter Mother and Child
Patinated bronze, Height 7 inches
$25,000-35,000
Lynn Chadwick (British, 1914-2003)
Woman in wind, Numbered 2/9
Patinated bronze, Height 11 inches
$15,000-20,000
Robert Graham (American, 1926-2009)
Gabrielle, Bronze sculpture
$40,000-60,000
Robert Graham (American, 1926-2009)
Elisa, Bronze sculpture
$25,000-35,000
Robert Graham (American, 1926-2009)
Christine, Bronze sculpture
$20,000-30,000
The sale also includes works by Aaron Shikler, David Levine, Albert York and Noel Coward.
Prints
James J. Audubon
Brown Pelican,
$40,000-60,000
David Hockney
Black Tulips,
$7,000-9,000
David Hockney
Celia Amused, 1979,
Signed and numbered 66/100,
$6,000-8,000
Jim Dine
Self Portrait: The Landscape, 1969,
Signed and numbered, Color lithograph
$7,000-9,000
Pablo Picasso
Owl Jug, Ceramic pitcher
$6,000-8,000
The sale also includes prints by Max Ernst, Miro, Mark Chagall, Howard Hodgkin, Jules Cheret, Alexander Calder and Henry Moore.
Jewelry
Schlumberger gold and blue enamel bangle bracelet
$20,000-30,000
Schlumberger aquamarine and turquoise ring
$8,000-12,000
Pair of Schlumberger earrings
$7,000-9,000
Silver
Edwardian silver-gilt covered cup,
Sebastian Garrard, London, 1913
$3,000-5,000
American silver part flatware service,
Tuttle, in the Onslow pattern
$3,000-5,000
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com.
