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Lot Essay
PIERRE ROUSSEL, MAîTRE IN 1745.
THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MARBLE OF THIS SECRéTAIRE IS INSCRIBED INDICATING IT WAS FORMERLY IN THE RENOWNED COLLECTION OF CONSUELO VANDERBILT BALSAN. THE DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM KISSAM VANDERBILT AND ALVA SMITH BELMONT, SHE BECAME A CELEBRATED DEBUTANTE AT HER PARENTS' NEWPORT RESIDENCE, MARBLE HOUSE, WHERE IN AUGUST OF 1895 SHE MET CHARLES SPENCER-CHURCHILL, 9TH DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH. CONSUELO MARRIED THE DUKE THAT AUTUMN AND RETURNED TO ENGLAND TO LIVE AT BLENHEIM PALACE.
CONSUELO WAS FIRST ABLE TO EXERCISE HER PASSION FOR FRENCH FURNITURE WHEN SHE CONSTRUCTED HER LONDON RESIDENCE, SUNDERLAND HOUSE ON CURZON STREET IN 1904. A GIFT FROM HER FATHER, THE HOUSE WAS RITUALLY DECORATED IN THE LOUIS XVI TASTE. THE DUCHESS MADE NUMEROUS TRIPS TO PARIS DURING THIS PERIOD BOTH TO FURNISH HER HOUSE AND VISIT HER FATHER WHO HAD TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN PARIS IN 1903 FOLLOWING HIS SECOND MARRIAGE TO ANNE RUTHERFORD.
SHE SEPARATED FROM THE 9TH DUKE IN 1905 AND WAS OFFICIALLY DIVORCED IN 1920. THE FOLLOWING SUMMER SHE MARRIED THE FRENCH AVIATOR AND HER CLOSE FRIEND, JACQUES BALSAN. CONSUELO HAPPILY SETTLED IN FRANCE WHERE SHE LIVED IN THE SPLENDID 17TH CENTURY SAINT-GEORGES-MOTEL NEAR EURE IN NORMANDY AND A HOUSE IN EZE OVERLOOKING THE MEDITERRANEAN UNTIL THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. FLEEING TO AMERICA IN 1940, COLONEL AND MADAME BALSAN CONTINUED TO SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS THEY COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS. HER PAINTINGS AND FURNITURE OFTEN FOLLOWED HER FROM HER HOUSE IN OYSTER BAY TO CASA ALVA, A TROPICAL RETREAT IN HYPOLUXO ISLAND, FLORIDA, WHICH SHE DECORATED WITH WALLS FROM HAMILTON PALACE. THE LABEL ON THIS SECRéTAIRE PLACES IT WITHIN THE COLLECTION KEPT AT EL VADADO, A SEPARATE VANDERBILT ESTATE IN PALM BEACH.
THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MARBLE OF THIS SECRéTAIRE IS INSCRIBED INDICATING IT WAS FORMERLY IN THE RENOWNED COLLECTION OF CONSUELO VANDERBILT BALSAN. THE DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM KISSAM VANDERBILT AND ALVA SMITH BELMONT, SHE BECAME A CELEBRATED DEBUTANTE AT HER PARENTS' NEWPORT RESIDENCE, MARBLE HOUSE, WHERE IN AUGUST OF 1895 SHE MET CHARLES SPENCER-CHURCHILL, 9TH DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH. CONSUELO MARRIED THE DUKE THAT AUTUMN AND RETURNED TO ENGLAND TO LIVE AT BLENHEIM PALACE.
CONSUELO WAS FIRST ABLE TO EXERCISE HER PASSION FOR FRENCH FURNITURE WHEN SHE CONSTRUCTED HER LONDON RESIDENCE, SUNDERLAND HOUSE ON CURZON STREET IN 1904. A GIFT FROM HER FATHER, THE HOUSE WAS RITUALLY DECORATED IN THE LOUIS XVI TASTE. THE DUCHESS MADE NUMEROUS TRIPS TO PARIS DURING THIS PERIOD BOTH TO FURNISH HER HOUSE AND VISIT HER FATHER WHO HAD TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN PARIS IN 1903 FOLLOWING HIS SECOND MARRIAGE TO ANNE RUTHERFORD.
SHE SEPARATED FROM THE 9TH DUKE IN 1905 AND WAS OFFICIALLY DIVORCED IN 1920. THE FOLLOWING SUMMER SHE MARRIED THE FRENCH AVIATOR AND HER CLOSE FRIEND, JACQUES BALSAN. CONSUELO HAPPILY SETTLED IN FRANCE WHERE SHE LIVED IN THE SPLENDID 17TH CENTURY SAINT-GEORGES-MOTEL NEAR EURE IN NORMANDY AND A HOUSE IN EZE OVERLOOKING THE MEDITERRANEAN UNTIL THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. FLEEING TO AMERICA IN 1940, COLONEL AND MADAME BALSAN CONTINUED TO SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS THEY COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS. HER PAINTINGS AND FURNITURE OFTEN FOLLOWED HER FROM HER HOUSE IN OYSTER BAY TO CASA ALVA, A TROPICAL RETREAT IN HYPOLUXO ISLAND, FLORIDA, WHICH SHE DECORATED WITH WALLS FROM HAMILTON PALACE. THE LABEL ON THIS SECRéTAIRE PLACES IT WITHIN THE COLLECTION KEPT AT EL VADADO, A SEPARATE VANDERBILT ESTATE IN PALM BEACH.