FEATURES ARCHIVE

For Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen Jr., tradition was a key aspect of life. His family first settled in New Jersey nearly half a century before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Generation after generation went into public service through politics, and Peter followed, joining a family legacy that includes four Senators, a Secretary of State and a Vice-Presidential candidate. He served 11 terms in the United States Congress, and his extensive travel over the years informed the development of his other passion – collecting.

Peter’s interest in this pursuit dated back to his boyhood stamp collection, but like his career in politics, it was a passion that was undoubtedly fueled by family tradition. His grandparents, Henry and Louisine Havemeyer, were well-known collectors whose generous gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art now stands as a cornerstone of that institution’s Impressionist art collection. His aunt, Electra Webb, formed the Shelburne Museum and his father was an American prints and paintings connoisseur.

This collection is remarkable not only for the exceptionally rare works that it presents but also for the insight that it provides into Peter’s collecting life. Collectors will discover porcelain made for American patriots early in the nation’s history, Dutch armorial works that reflect Peter’s family heritage, detailed shipping scenes once lovingly assembled in his elegant dining room and a range of special commissions whose subject matter make them highly sought-after treasures. His trips home after overseas travel were often accompanied with the arrival of a wooden crate yielding up delicate porcelain enveloped in wood shavings. His was a collection of discovery – and the individual works offered in this sale present an opportunity for that venerable collecting legacy to live on.