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1 quart per lot
Details
The Liberty Hall Collection of historic Madeira’s and Spirits
‘History in a Bottle’
It’s not often that one is notified of a re-discovered wine collection. In the days when Michael Broadbent was running the Christie’s wine department, every now and then, the recovery of the wine cellar in an old castle made the highlights. To this day we remember and dream away over the exceptional collection that was discovered at Glamis Castle in the beginning of the seventies.
Discovered during a six month refurbishment project, almost three cases of Madeira wine from 1796 and approximately 40 demi johns from the mid-19th century, were unearthed from the wine cellar of the Liberty Hall Museum. During the wine cellar restoration, the museum discovered the original brick flooring that had been covered by a layer of concrete, and removed an extra wall, likely erected during the Prohibition era, to reveal numerous cases that had been nailed shut for nearly a century.
Upon first inspection of this collection in September 2017, Christie’s specialists were astonished by the rarity of the bottles and demi johns present in the cellar. Madeira bottles with handwritten labels from 1820 and the great 1808 vintage in one corner, but also a number of large hand-blown glass bottles of Robert Lenox from 1796. If this wasn’t exceptional and rare enough, a number of big glass 5 gallons sized bottles, dubbed demi johns, were found, some with handwritten neck labels, some just anonymous. Much of the discovered Madeira can be referenced in the thousands of Liberty Hall documents dating more than 200 years. It’s very rare to find demi johns of this age outside Madeira, let alone in this quantity and age.
During the late 18th century and early 19th century, the relationship between the US and Madeira was strong. Almost 90% of all wine produced went overseas to America. This collection gives a glimpse of bygone days and really takes you back in time. Entering the cellar of the Liberty Hall Museum really does make you feel like part of another world.
The discovery represents one of the largest known early collections of Madeira in the United States and one of the most extensive in the world.
Recorking of the Demi Johns
During the inspection of the bottles and demi johns, we noticed some of the corks were starting to lose its elasticity. Overall the quality of the corks were quite good given the time they had served as seals for these treasures. In October 2018, we replaced the corks of the eight demi johns in this auction. This was done in partnership with the APCOR, the Portuguese Cork Association, and under the expertise of Francisco Albuquerque, Winemaker for the Blandy’s Madeira Wine Company. Specially made corks of the highest quality were selected to form the closure of the large bottles. This provided us the opportunity to have a small taste of the contents. We were flabbergasted by the quality of these Madeira’s in demi john. Tasting notes are added to the specific lots in this auction.
Prior to the auction, we will have a small select number of these old wines and spirits available to taste for registered bidders.
Christie’s is honored to be entrusted with the sale of this incredibly rare selection of early Madeira and Whiskies and making these historic bottles and demi johns available to wine collectors the world over. This is your chance to acquire a piece of American history, just in time to celebrate the inauguration of George Washington 230 years ago in 2019. The first American president was a noted aficionado with a profound taste for good quality Madeira.
Best of luck with your bidding and please join me to raise a glass to Mr. John Kean and Family for sharing these rare historic bottles.
Edwin Vos
Director, Head of Wines Sales Continental Europe
Christie’s Wine Department
The following lots are believed to have been ordered by the Kean family to celebrate the presidency of John Adams, the second president, who took office in 1797, and by Robert Lenox, Esq., a banker and financier who was known to import Madeira in barrels or large bottles called demijohns, and then bottle and label it once it arrived.
Lenox Madeira
Imported by the late Robert Lenox Esq. via Philadelphia in 1796
Bottled in the Summer of 1798 Re-bottled in June 1888
Madeira
Damaged red wax capsule, Lenox shoulder button, bin-soiled and damaged label
Level top shoulder
1 quart per lot
‘History in a Bottle’
It’s not often that one is notified of a re-discovered wine collection. In the days when Michael Broadbent was running the Christie’s wine department, every now and then, the recovery of the wine cellar in an old castle made the highlights. To this day we remember and dream away over the exceptional collection that was discovered at Glamis Castle in the beginning of the seventies.
Discovered during a six month refurbishment project, almost three cases of Madeira wine from 1796 and approximately 40 demi johns from the mid-19th century, were unearthed from the wine cellar of the Liberty Hall Museum. During the wine cellar restoration, the museum discovered the original brick flooring that had been covered by a layer of concrete, and removed an extra wall, likely erected during the Prohibition era, to reveal numerous cases that had been nailed shut for nearly a century.
Upon first inspection of this collection in September 2017, Christie’s specialists were astonished by the rarity of the bottles and demi johns present in the cellar. Madeira bottles with handwritten labels from 1820 and the great 1808 vintage in one corner, but also a number of large hand-blown glass bottles of Robert Lenox from 1796. If this wasn’t exceptional and rare enough, a number of big glass 5 gallons sized bottles, dubbed demi johns, were found, some with handwritten neck labels, some just anonymous. Much of the discovered Madeira can be referenced in the thousands of Liberty Hall documents dating more than 200 years. It’s very rare to find demi johns of this age outside Madeira, let alone in this quantity and age.
During the late 18th century and early 19th century, the relationship between the US and Madeira was strong. Almost 90% of all wine produced went overseas to America. This collection gives a glimpse of bygone days and really takes you back in time. Entering the cellar of the Liberty Hall Museum really does make you feel like part of another world.
The discovery represents one of the largest known early collections of Madeira in the United States and one of the most extensive in the world.
Recorking of the Demi Johns
During the inspection of the bottles and demi johns, we noticed some of the corks were starting to lose its elasticity. Overall the quality of the corks were quite good given the time they had served as seals for these treasures. In October 2018, we replaced the corks of the eight demi johns in this auction. This was done in partnership with the APCOR, the Portuguese Cork Association, and under the expertise of Francisco Albuquerque, Winemaker for the Blandy’s Madeira Wine Company. Specially made corks of the highest quality were selected to form the closure of the large bottles. This provided us the opportunity to have a small taste of the contents. We were flabbergasted by the quality of these Madeira’s in demi john. Tasting notes are added to the specific lots in this auction.
Prior to the auction, we will have a small select number of these old wines and spirits available to taste for registered bidders.
Christie’s is honored to be entrusted with the sale of this incredibly rare selection of early Madeira and Whiskies and making these historic bottles and demi johns available to wine collectors the world over. This is your chance to acquire a piece of American history, just in time to celebrate the inauguration of George Washington 230 years ago in 2019. The first American president was a noted aficionado with a profound taste for good quality Madeira.
Best of luck with your bidding and please join me to raise a glass to Mr. John Kean and Family for sharing these rare historic bottles.
Edwin Vos
Director, Head of Wines Sales Continental Europe
Christie’s Wine Department
The following lots are believed to have been ordered by the Kean family to celebrate the presidency of John Adams, the second president, who took office in 1797, and by Robert Lenox, Esq., a banker and financier who was known to import Madeira in barrels or large bottles called demijohns, and then bottle and label it once it arrived.
Lenox Madeira
Imported by the late Robert Lenox Esq. via Philadelphia in 1796
Bottled in the Summer of 1798 Re-bottled in June 1888
Madeira
Damaged red wax capsule, Lenox shoulder button, bin-soiled and damaged label
Level top shoulder
1 quart per lot