Christie's Live for this sale is opened for registration

Please note Christie’s new Buyer’s Premium schedule takes effect on 17 April 2023.

Visit the pages of the lots you wish to place an absentee bids.

Register with Christie's Live

Event Date8 June 01:00 PM BST | Live auction 21921

The Robin and Rupert Hambro Collection

The Robin and Rupert Hambro Collection

Sale Overview

Christie’s is delighted to present The Robin and Rupert Hambro Collection this June in London. The collection assembled by Robin and Rupert Hambro—at Ebury Street, Copse Farm and in Saint-Rémy in Provence—is a perfect self-portrait, weaving together all the rich strands of their dynamic and creative life together.

Their London home on Ebury Street was a hidden architectural gem: an early Georgian ‘country house’ in Mozart’s terrace, published in Architectural Digest in 1995, whose restrained façade belied the unique, bold and vibrant artistic vision within. In the 1960s in New York and then in London, Robin Hambro worked at Vogue, and the fashion editor’s eye is evident everywhere—both in how the works were juxtaposed, as well as how old favourites were given new life in renewed arrangements. There was an abiding love and loyalty to ‘old friends’ like painted furniture—she herself painted a collection for the celebrated French house of Jansen—and the wonderful group of Old Master drawings, which appeared in different incarnations at every move. There was also an Anglo-American ‘Nancy Lancaster’ inspired taste for blue and white porcelain and especially dogs, painted by everyone from de Dreux to Desportes, with Pekineses the overwhelming favourites.

Robin's profound knowledge of the art world and the act of creation as a painter led her to constantly refresh the collection and take it in an increasingly 20th-century Modernist direction. Modern British Art, including works by David Hockney, Ivon Hitchens and Craigie Aitchison, filled Ebury Street with vibrant colour. Sculpture became a particular focus, including important works by the female artists Barbara Hepworth and Emily Young, the latter commanding the focal point of the water garden at Copse Farm, alongside works by Antony Gormley and Sir Christopher Le Brun; whilst two playful Singes by François-Xavier Lalanne adorned the mantelpiece in London. The jewellery designer’s understanding of line and craftsmanship—she designed, created and sold a jewellery collection for Hennells of Bond Street—was also evident in her personal choice of jewels.

Their Collection bears witness to two extraordinary people — and celebrates their life-enhancing legacy.

Auction times
08 Jun 01:00 PM (BST) Lots 1-196

Our specialist’s selection

Brought to you by

Adrian Hume-Sayer

Adrian Hume-Sayer

Director, Specialist | Private & Iconic Collections

A Director of the Private Collections and Country House Sales department, Adrian specialises in furniture and works of art. Since joining the department in 2010 Adrian has been responsible for a number of notable collection sales including: Harewood, Collecting in the Royal Tradition, The Collection of Professor Sir Albert Richardson, and Works of Art from the Collection of the Marquesses of Londonderry as well as orchestrating the sales of the personal collections of Margaret Thatcher and Audrey Hepburn. Training as an auctioneer at the age of twenty-one, Adrian initially worked at Tennant’s Auctioneers in his native North Yorkshire before moving to Bonham’s in 2003 and joining Christie’s in 2009. With a particularly strong interest in all types of English furniture and works of art, Adrian sits on the Council of the Furniture History Society as well as on the Selection Committee for the Attingham Summer School. Adrian also has a strong interest in Architectural history.
Amelia Walker

Amelia Walker

Director, Specialist Head of Private Collections | Private & Iconic Collections

Amelia Walker is a Director of Christie’s and Specialist Head of the Private Collection and Country House Sales department, with over 13 years of experience in the organisation and sale of Private Collections at Christie’s. Amelia specialises primarily in English and European furniture and works of art, and is interested in all aspects of collecting and country house furnishing, both ‘fine’ and decorative. She has overseen a number of landmark collections sold at Christie’s, including The Althorp Attic sale (2010), Lyons Demesne (2011), Mount Congreve: The London Sale (2012), The Riahi Collection (2012), Michael Inchbald (2014), The Raglan Collection (2014), Taste of the Royal Court (2015), A Surreal Legacy (2016), Robert de Balkany: Rome and the Cote d’Azur (2017), and Rooms as Portraits: Michael S. Smith (2018), as well as many others. Amelia joined Christie’s in January 2006 after graduating from Lincoln College, Oxford with an MA in History.

How to find us

Location image

Address

Viewing

Launchpad

Related features

Related auctions & events