A SWEDISH PORPHYRY BLYBERG VASE AND COVER

Specified lots (sold and unsold) marked with a fil… Read more

'Having been a close friend of Robert and his family for a number of years, it is a great honour to beentrusted by the family with this magnifcent sale of the contents of two of his beautiful houses.Christie’s has long-admired the collecting vision of Robert de Balkany. His homes efortlessly combinerefnement and luxury and we are pleased to ofer this collection, which gives all those who wereinspired by his life the opportunity to see how he lived with art.'Pedro Girao, Chairman of European Advisory Board, Christie’sRobert de Balkany was unique. A personality, a force of nature, a born entrepreneur.I met him in the 60s in Spain at partridge hunts, and later knew him as the husband of my first cousin,Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy. I’m not certain if our friendship was born from affinity because hewas from Eastern Europe, or because we were both hunters or perhaps because he also knew exileto a certain extent. The fact is, despite the variations in our respective lives, we became and remainedgood friends.In addition to his charisma and his charm, Robert was, in my opinion, gifted with uncommonintelligence and a highly developed business intuition. A man of sport, a polo player and very dynamic,he travelled the world and, as a result, lived between his many homes, each more beautiful than thenext: the château of Ste. Mesme and Eze, the rue de Varennes, and the Palazzo Lancellotti, to saynothing of his superb yacht. Robert de Balkany appreciated beautiful things, the works of art whichgradually filled his homes. He had breath-taking bibelots, patiently collected. All were reflections of hispersonality, from his legendary hospitality to his refined dinners and receptions. His yacht “Marala” is,itself, an elegant gem of the 1930s, with a singular style and infinitely more chic than the floating eyecatching mastodons of today.It is obviously difficult to evoke a man like Robert without writing a panegyric. As humans, we all haveour faults and flaws, which are too underlined, and often more commented upon because they arebawdier. As a friend of Robert, I leave this amusing task to others.Wherever you are, Robert, on a celestial polo field perhaps, know that you left behind a friend whoalways admired you.Simeon of BulgariaHM King Simeon II of BulgariaI shall always remember the profound sense of friendship and loyalty of Robert de Balkany.My memory takes me back to the 1960s when I was introduced to Robert by the Princess MariaGabriella of Savoy before their wedding.I was struck both with admiration and joy when I saw what effect the beauties of Rome had on him.He seemed to bathe in the city’s wonderful light, intoxicating atmosphere and the grandeur of itsbuildings.He then told me that should he one day own a residence in this city, he would entrust me completelywith its decoration.Many years went by, he being ever more committed to his many business interests.Then, about ten years ago, I received a phone call from Robert. I was struck by the happiness that Iheard in his voice as he explained with great emotion that his wish was about to become a reality.He now had a professional reason which allowed him to enjoy many Roman holidays!had also found a magnificent palazzo in the centro storico which he asked medecorate.Forty years had passed proved his extraordinary loyalty as a friend by showing me that he hadnever forgotten our by then conversation.I intend on remembering him as he was, always happy and affectionate, surrounded by stunningfrescoes and marbles of all kinds, with the youthful enthusiasm he always felt in the Eternal City.Federico ForquetTo Robert,What wonderful experiences you allowed me to live.When I was younger, our meeting taught me the idea that a sense of grandeur is indispensable. This has travelled with me throughmy life as it has yours. What a wonderful example you were for others of permanent success often achieved through difficultmoments. With regards to us, whether at Eze, Sainte-Mesme or on the in architectural design there was always a communion of efficiency. Your vision, which wasn’t always by all, perhaps wrongly, was first and foremost a method ofexpression which I respected.This was a mixture of objects, often exceptional, worthy of a museum, you combined with your favourite pieces. Was it life? Openness? Spontaneity? Or simply a form of generosity which you offered to others.This was the case for me.Thank you,Jacques GarciaOnly great personalities leave profound impressions on us and Robert de Balkany was certainly one of them.Loyal and generous to the extreme in his friendship, implacable with those who created conflict.A man of the world and contradictions, a true entrepreneur, a visionary, a seducer, a collector, a man of taste. Pater Familias frst and foremost. Ours was a perfect partnership of thirty-six years with absolute confidence, rich in experience, in sharing and in meetings.His absence leaves a great void.Afsaneh Djahanbani Santi-WeilROBERT DE BALKANY’S VISIONRobert de Balkany was an energetic and passionate collector of European and English pictures, sculpture and furniture, clocks and silver. He amassed exquisite works of art with a discerning eye to create sumptuous interiors. The collection unites works he inherited from his father, Aladar Zellinger de Balkany, with pieces he acquired over a period of more than 50 years. The collection reflects deBalkany’s passion for a range of periods and styles – from the Renaissance and the Baroque to Neoclassical, the Empire and Regency periods – as well as precious materials including hardstones, marble, bronze and Boulle marquetry.De Balkany decorated his houses with richly-worked textiles and materials of the highest quality, which he combined with works of art to great effect, creating an atmosphere of both luxury and comfort. A generous and charming host, his exquisite homes were the setting for entertaining glamorous friends from the worlds of business, polo, yachting and European royalty. Royalty who frequented Ezeand de Balkany’s yacht included HSH Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco, HM King Leopold III and Princess Lilian of Belgium, and HM Constantine II and HM Anne-Marie of Greece; guests hosted by de Balkany also included Marella Agnelli (Princess Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto), Stavros Spyros Niarchos and Eugenia Livanos, and Patricia Kennedy Lawford, as well as the famed English actors and writers David Niven, Sir Peter Ustinov and Sir Roger Moore.The interiors reflected his own unique and eclectic tastes; he was also influenced by the distinctive style of his friend Charles de Beistegui, from whom he acquired numerous works of art from the latter’s Parisian hôtel on rue Constantine and the château de Groussay (lots 20, 150 and 323).CHATEAU BALSANRobert de Balkany inherited château Balsan in 1983 from his father Aladar Zellinger de Balkany, who had previously purchased the house – also named Lou Seuil – and its magnificent gardens from the grandson of Consuelo Balsan, of the American Vanderbilt family. Renowned as a society beauty, Consuelo’s marriage in 1895 to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, was regarded at the time as a symbol of the Gilded Age. She later went on to marry Lt. Col. Jacques Balsan, a French record-breaking pioneer balloon, aircraft, and hydroplane pilot who once worked with the Wright Brothers.In the early 1920s, Colonel and Madame Balsan acquired 150 acres close to the fortified village of Eze on the French Riviera midway between Nice and Monte Carlo, overlooking Cap Ferrat. In her autobiography, The Glitter and the Gold, Consuelo Balsan portrayed the protracted negotiations required to acquire the land, and the building of the chateâu, which was designed by the fashionable architect and landscape garden designer, Achille Duchêne. The rooms were comfortable as well as handsome, well-appointed with18th century French art and furniture in the grand manner. Consuelo Balsan described the Lou Seuil interiors as follows, ‘Deep sofas heaped with cushions abounded, lamps placed near easy chairs made pleasant seats for reading, and there were writing tables in every room… the house was gay with flowers. The scent of tuberoses, lilac and lilies filled the air’.The house and garden were a social magnet during the winter months, in a period when the Côte d’Azur was at its most chic and alluring. It appealed to the couple’s friends and visitors from all walks of life; Winston and Clementine Churchill, the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, Edith Wharton and Charlie Chaplin all stayed or dined. Other guests might telephone impromptu from Monte Carlo andbe persuaded by Colonel Balsan to climb the arduous uphill five mile path to the almost daily lunch parties at Lou Seuil.Clementine Churchill praised the hosts, ‘Both [Consuelo] and her husband were persons of culture and distinction, and their friends reflected their tastes and characters’. In an era of Riviera gardening when enthusiasts went plant-hunting by Bentley and Rolls-Royce, the gardens of Lou Seuil were an added attraction, with sublime terraces ‘like the hanging gardens of Babylon’ and cypress trees, eucalyptus and mimosa, and ‘under the olive trees the grass was carpeted with hyacinths and bluebells’.Robert de Balkany was as much inspired by the rooms and grounds created by Consuelo Balsan at Lou Seuil as he was by those of his friend Charles de Beistegui at château de Groussay (lots previously owned by Consuelo include 175, 425 and 451). Similar to the Balsans, he revelled in creating sumptuous interiors to entertain and delight his many friends and enlisted the help of the much heralded decorator Jacques Garcia to achieve his vision.ROME AND THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAVOYPrincess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, daughter of King Umberto II of Italy, and Princess Marie-José of Belgium, married Robert de Balkany in 1969. The marriage was blessed with a religious ceremony in the chapel at château Balsan. A number of works of art in this auction were previously in the collection of the Royal House of Savoy and adorned the grandest Italian palazzos, including the palace of Racconigi in Piedmont (lots 53, 151, 426, 466 and 575-577). With origins in the 12th century, the palace became a Savoy-Carignano property in 1605 and was transformed into a princely residence. It was retained as a private residence of the Royal House of Savoy throughout the unification of Italy. In 1930 the private property of the Royal House of Savoy was gifted by Maria Gabriella’sgrandfather, King Vittorio Emmanuele III (d. 1947), to her father, Umberto (d. 1983), Prince of Piedmont (later King Umberto II), following his marriage to her mother, Princess Marie-José of Belgium.King Umberto II was the last King of Italy. Born Prince of Piedmont in 1904, Umberto became commander in chief of the Army early in his military career. In 1943, King Victor Emmanuel III handed over his constitutional functions to his son, Umberto, who was made Lieutenant-General of the Realm and earned widespread praise for his role in the following three years. Umberto succeeded his father in 1946, but was only King for 33 days. He left in exile for Portugal and was not allowed to return to Italy. When Umberto II, nicknamed ‘Europe’s grandfather’, died in 1983, the 999-year reign of the House of Savoy came to an end.Robert de Balkany’s intimate connection with the Royal House of Savoy influenced his collection, as he pursued works of art previously in the collection of his father-in-law, King Umberto II. While de Balkany’s passion for French and English fine and decorative works of art from the Neoclassical, Empire and Regency periods prevailed, he was also deeply inspired by the drama and theatre of the Italian Baroque. De Balkany’s palazzo was one of the few remaining baroque palaces in Rome and one of the most beautiful nobiliar buildings in the centro storico near the Tiber. With the help of the talented decorator Federico Forquet, de Balkany’s grand and dramatic vision for his Roman palazzo came to life with over life-size marbles, statues and torchère set against theatrical frescos anddamask-lined interiors as illustrated in the coming pages

A SWEDISH PORPHYRY BLYBERG VASE AND COVER

MID-20TH CENTURY

Details

A SWEDISH PORPHYRY BLYBERG VASE AND COVER
MID-20TH CENTURY
Of squat baluster form, the cover with ball finial
22 ½ in. (57 cm.) high; 16 in. (41 cm.) diameter

Provenance

Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 16 April 2007, lot 226.

Special notice

Specified lots (sold and unsold) marked with a filled square not collected from Christie’s by 5.00 pm on the day of the sale will, at our option, be removed to Cadogan Tate. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Cadogan Tate Ltd. All collections will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.

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Alexandra Cruden

acruden@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2566

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