THE VELVET SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

Alexis von Roseburg, Baron de Redé (1922-2004) was a man of Redé, impeccable taste. In 1947 he moved into the 17th century Hôtel Lambert in Paris, which he restored and then used to host glittering extravaganzas. He was described as 'the Eugène de Rastignac of modern Paris' by Sir Henry 'Chips' Channon and as the greatest host in Europe - his parties were famous. A painting by Alexandre Serebriakoff depicting the Salle des Muses at Hôtel Lambert exemplifies the opulence of the Baron de Redé's taste in interior design (ill. in H. Vickers, Alexis: The Memoirs of the Baron de Redé, Wimborne, 2005, p. 57). The Baron's collection of furniture, objets d'art and lavish furnishings was sold at Sotheby's, Paris, 17 March 2005. Two virtually identical pairs of occasional tables covered in silk purchased from the Baron de Redé's 2005 sale, were sold at Christie's, London, 26 January 2007, lot 1176 and 24 January 2008, lot 187 (£3,840 and £4,000 respectively).