A CLASSICAL GILTWOOD AND ÉGLOMISÉ MIRROR

This lot is offered without reserve.

THE JOHN W. KLUGE MORVEN COLLECTION Friday, 16 December 2005 MORVEN A HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP 1730-1796 John Carter, Secretary of the Colony In 1730 Carter purchased 9,350 acres of land known as 'Indian Camp' Thence by descent to William Champe and Maria Carter 1796-1813 Colonel William Short, Thomas Jefferson's Charge des Affairs in France Acquired through Thomas Jefferson On 25 May 1795, Thomas Jefferson wrote to Short: "I bought the Indian camp for you because you have expressed some partiality for our neighborhood and climate, because there are no lands in this state of equal fertility and equal advantages as cheap as ours...There is not a gulley in the whole tract". The deed was signed in 1796 with Jefferson as witness. The purchase price was £1,567 9 s for 1,334 acres. Short never lived in the house. 1813-1853 David Higginbotham Acquired through Thomas Jefferson A three-way transaction was executed in February 1813. Higginbotham purchased the land for a sum in excess of $10,000. The sale of the property allowed Jefferson to transfer his debt from Higginbotham's business at Robert Rives & Co. to his friend, Short. The Main House was built in 1820, attributed to master builder Martin Thacker (1770-1838) who also designed and built neighboring Redlands. Jefferson prepared two drawings but these bear no relation to the current house. Morven (meaning 'ridge of hills') acquired its name at this time. 1853-1906 Daniel G. Smith Thence by descent 1906-1923 Samuel H. Marshall and Josephine P. Marshall The Marshalls refurbished the gardens. In an account written by Mrs. Marshall in 1923, the property's overseer, Uncle Lee Jones, walked into the garden and exclaimed: "Praise god, I lives to see Morven bloom again". 1923-1926 The Pattersons 1926-1988 Charles A. and Mary L. Stone Thence to Whitney Stone In 1926, Morven was folded into the Stone Farm Association. The house was renovated in the 1930s which included the addition of dormers, the construction of the two-story wing and the rear terrace. The Stones established a thoroughbred stud farm at this time. The gardens were restored to their original design in 1950. In 1972, Morven was selected for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. The designation encompasses some 640 acres of the farm and includes the Main House, the Claim House, the Old Kitchen, and the Executive Office. Morven's most famous horse, "Shuve", was the winner of the Triple Crown for Fillies in 1969 and is a member of the Racing Hall of Fame. 1988-2001 John W. Kluge Mr. Kluge refurbished Morven in a manner befitting the historical character of the house, a project he embarked upon with designer David Anthony Easton. Mr. Kluge also added multiple gardens, outdoor sculpture, extensive horse and cattle activities, and even a Japanese tea house to the farm. 2001 University of Virginia Morven was gifted to the University in 2001 and included 7,379 acres. The 749-acre core property will be held by the UVA Foundation in perpetuity and used to support the University's educational programs. The John W. Kluge Morven Collection Morven, like many of the lots listed in this catalogue, has a history of distinguished owners and important associations. The site of Morven was a part of the 9,350 acres purchased in 1730 by John Carter. His grandson asked Thomas Jefferson to negotiate the sale of the property in 1796 to Col. William Short, Jefferson's "Charge des Affairs" in 1790 in Paris. John Kluge bought the property in 1988 from the Anne and Whitney Stone Trust. Whitney Stone together with his wife Anne had taken over the property in 1941 from Charles and Mary Stone. Mary had restored the gardens in consultation with Annette Flanders. Whitney concentrated on stud operations and together with his wife Anne founded the United States Equestrian Team. Charles A. Stone was a founder of Stone & Webster. During the Kluges's residency many significant changes were made: adding new gardens, sculpture, and extensive horses and cattle activities. In 2001 he donated Morven Estate, part of his 7,379 acres in Albemarle County, to the University of Virginia. The 749 acre core property of Morven will be held by the UVA Foundation in perpetuity and used to support the University of Virginia Educational Programs. John Kluge was born with genes that created an intensive and compelling urge to learn. His determination to acquire a college education resulted in his leaving home to live with one of his teachers, when his father insisted he leave high school and go to work. After graduating he first entered Wayne State University but then transferred to Columbia after he was successful in negotiating a scholarship at Columbia for twice the amount originally offered. After graduating from Columbia University, John Kluge became engaged in an increasing number of successful enterprises. In this way he acquired the means to pursue a lifestyle that may be characterized as representing the epitome of eclecticism, which can also best describe each of his many activities; business, friends, travel and especially his collecting of art which include items which range from Greek and Egyptian antiquities to Henry Moore sculptures, and such diverse categories as Australian Aboriginal Art and furniture from Baroque to Biedermeier. His collection of paintings represents diverse ages, styles and origin. Those who know him well never cease to marvel at his ability to accomplish so much, so well, so quickly. The intellectual itinerary of his mind dictates daily agendas far into the future that reflect a Jeffersonian insatiable curiosity to explore and utilize every opportunity that appears in his daily life. As a result, John has participated to the utmost within the full spectrum of what life has to offer; the satisfaction of success in business, the exhilarating nature of collecting art, and the contentment that comes from his munificent benefaction in carefully chosen areas so as to bring joy and opportunity to literally thousand of appreciative beneficiaries of his philanthropy. I too have benefited enormously from our ever ripening friendship of more than fifty years. It has resulted in a profound enhancement of my life. Ralph Carpenter International Representative Christie's Morning Session The Main House and Old Kitchen Lots 1 - 253

A CLASSICAL GILTWOOD AND ÉGLOMISÉ MIRROR

NEW YORK, 1810-1820

Details

A CLASSICAL GILTWOOD AND ÉGLOMISÉ MIRROR
New York, 1810-1820
The stepped cornice with acorn drops above a central sunflower applique over an églomisé panel with a landscape flanked by turned columns with foliate capitals.
59 in. (150 cm.) high, 33½ in. (85 cm.) wide

Provenance

Acquired from David Anthony Easton, New York

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve.

Sale room notice

Second line of the catalogue description should read "New York" rather than "Boston".

More from THE JOHN W. KLUGE MORVEN COLLECTION

View All