A specialist’s look inside the silver collection of Selim and Mary Zilkha, where every object is bursting with character

In the 1980s and 1990s, the California collectors Selim and Mary Zilkha assembled one of the world’s most important silver collections, with masterpieces spanning the Renaissance to 19th century. ‘Everything was lovingly selected with a curious eye. Everything they acquired was filled with character,’ says Jill Waddell, Senior Specialist in Silver at Christie’s. ‘I don’t think they thought of the major works in their collection as “silver” so much as sculpture in precious metal.’

On 6 February 2025, Christie’s will present Global Treasury: The Life and Collection of Selim & Mary Zilkha as part of Classics Week in New York. Waddell calls the sale ‘an absolute dream’ opportunity: ‘I’ve been wanting to sell a collection like this my entire career. This type of property is especially rare to see at auction in the United States. We’ve never had a sale here with so many wonderful works of Renaissance silver.’

Waddell shares that beyond the objects’ illustrious craftsmanship and provenance, what makes them unique is the way the Zilkhas lived with them at their Mediterranean-style home in the Bel-Air Hills. ‘Many of these works were made in Germany, where for centuries they were kept in grand palaces,’ she says. ‘It’s incredible they wound up in a California residence with the sun streaming through the skylights. The Zilkhas displayed these objects in a way that begged for interaction. Everything was accessible and inviting.’

Below, Waddell walks us through some of her favourite works from the collection.

A remarkably rare 16th-century tazza

‘This tazza is the first to be offered at auction since the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s groundbreaking exhibition The Silver Caesars: A Renaissance Mystery (2017), where it was one 12 silver-gilt standing cups and dishes, known collectively as the Aldobrandini Tazze, reunited and displayed together for the first time since the mid-19th century. Each depicts complex scenes relating to the lives of one of the 12 Caesars.

‘There’s been speculation for the last 200 years about where and for whom the tazze were made because they’re not signed or marked. Thanks to the Met, we’re narrowing in on the fascinating story. We now believe these are Southern Netherlandish works, likely made for a member of the Hapsburg family. These tazze are held in some of the most eminent museums and private collections around the globe. The majority are probably living behind glass. But at the Zilkha house, this tazza was on the dining room table. You could see it as soon as you walked inside. It was incredible to have this figure of Nero presiding over every meal.’

A 17th-century ostrich with Rothschild provenance

‘You cannot walk into a room and see this ostrich and not walk right to it. It’s absolutely magnetic. It has so much charm and personality, and it’s quite large. Some silver ostriches that were produced at this time feature a body composed of an actual ostrich egg, which could have been the case here. However, I believe this one always had a silver body because it would have provided a vessel for an engraving of a coat of arms, as is the case here.

‘The horseshoe in the mouth of the ostrich we are offering is a bit curious. For hundreds of years, the ostrich was thought to be able to eat anything. It’s often depicted with a horseshoe in its mouth to represent virtue and perseverance. The horseshoe also became an emblem of the steel industry.’

A complete set of 52 playing cards dating to 1616

‘This is the only known extant set of 52 silver playing cards from the 17th century. The engraving is crisp and full of life. It’s impossible to pick a favourite card because they are all so beautifully and extraordinarily worked.

‘Aside from their rarity, the playing cards have a really interesting relationship to Selim Zilkha, who loved card games. When his family relocated to the United States when he was a boy, they came on a multi-week boat journey across the Atlantic from South Africa, and on the ship he learned to play bridge, which became a big part of his life.’

A 14th-century beaker from the Lingenfeld Treasure

‘This is the oldest lot in the sale, and it’s also my favourite. It had been buried underground from the mid-14th century until nearly 1970. It was likely owned by a member of the Jewish community in Germany, which was wrongly accused of spreading the Black Plague. Before the Jewish people fled, they buried their valuables. In the 20th century, several hoards were unearthed, This cup is from the Lingenfeld Treasure, which was discovered in 1969.

‘This cup has a great weight to it. The proportions are lovely, and it has these very delicate wrapped bands that make it look at once ancient and modern. It’s powerful. When you hold it, it feels transportive.’