November 3, 2016

The Kennedy Mystique Continues

Although it’s been nearly 60 years since John F. Kennedy died, and more than 20 years since Jackie Kennedy died, there’s still such a mystique about them and their lives.

Potomack Auctions, in Alexandria, Virginia is aucitoning some Kennedy pieces, complete with impeccable provenance, this weekend. Let’s take a look.

Set of two lanterns from the Kennedy’s Georgetown house on N Street.  imageimage

Deed to the house in Georgetown, signed by both Kennedysimage

Brass Chandelier/Hall Lantern from the Georgetown House.image

Letter to the new owner of the house, asking for the return of the lantern.image

Reply to the owner’s letter from JBKOimage

Garden fountain from the Georgetown Houseimage

Bottle of “Jacqueline” signature perfume, which JBKO thought was in bad taste.image

French Provincial bedstand from Glen Ora, Virginia Kennedy retreatimage

Louis XV Commode from JBKO’s bedroom at Glen Oraimage

Napoleon III Ebonized and Brass Table from Glen Oraimage

Small French coffeepot, marked and with a turned wood handle, from Glen Oraimage

Three George III English silver pieces, from Glen Oraimage

For more details about the auction, or to place a bid, contact Potomack Auctions.

24 comments:

  1. What kind of jerkwaffles would not give Jackie Kennedy back her damn lantern? Jeez, people can be such tools.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe they liked it. There's actually a letter saying that they would look for another light but were worried about installation, etc. And then the snotty letter from JBKO.

      Delete
    2. Imagine you move out of your house and forget something that was dear to you. The people that just moved in can't have formed a great attachment to it, why can't they just give it back? And I don't think it was snotty of her to say she would pay for the installation or purchase of a new lantern.... she just wanted her things back! I'm with Jackie on this one.

      Delete
  2. Hello Meg, I guess that is one of the advantages of the modern trend of house staging--all beloved fixtures come out now, and potential buyers don't even see them. Naturally, no matter how much the buyers hated the fixture, once you ask for it back post-sale, it becomes the very piece whose charm attracted them in the first place.
    --Jim
    P.S. My choice here would be the small ebonized table. I do like the contested lantern, but not enough to have Jackie's ghost come back to reclaim it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had thought there was a Maison Jansen piece in the auction, but can't find it now.

      Delete
  3. She was poorly represented by her real estate agent. The fixture should have been excluded from the sale. Once the sale is complete all exisiting fixtures not excluded are the new owners property, even if the previous owner was JBK

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She said it was because she had a new baby and then the election... And things were probably a lot different then!

      Delete
  4. I apologize in advance for being pedantic, but that is a Louis XV bedstead, not bedstand (probably an autocorrect error), and French Provincial is a style made up in the USA in the 1960s. There is a French Provençal style, however. And the handled silver item is a chocolate pot, or chocolatière, which has that distinctive side handle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just writing what was in the catalogue. and bad typing.

      Delete
    2. Right. I'm amazed at what cataloguers these days don't know. Interesting post, though.

      Delete
  5. This is why I tell all clients to save their crap lighting and reinstall it. When the house is shown people will just think you have poor taste in lighting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I say leave the lighting that looks great, and have a caveat in the sale paperwork that says it's not included in the sale. Like Jackie should have done.

      Delete
    2. Most contracts specify "all things attached". Even with the disclaimer invariably you will get an offer contingent on ????. If the lighting, draperies , garden sculpture are not there, there will not be that contingency in the contract.

      Delete
  6. What shocks me is that these people wanted THE FIRST LADY to search around for a replacement? If I had pearls around my neck right now, I would be clutching them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What if they were Jackie's pearls? Would you give them back?

      Delete
    2. Pearls wouldn't convey with the house.

      Delete
  7. Do we know who the items came from? They had moved out of Glen Ora and into Wexford when he was killed. So wonder where the Glen Ora stuff was since it was a lease...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I wonder what the next chapter in the lighting story was. I kind of admire the JBK response....lady like but unmistakeable distain.....

    ceci

    ReplyDelete
  9. I would love to hear how the Experts from Antiques roadshow would describe and price the flea market find.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm genuinely shocked there is anything Kennedy left to auction.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I grew up in Washington DC, and played in the house in Georgetown with one of the Ausbrook children, who was a classmate of mine in school. I remember my mother speaking with Mrs. Ausbrook, who was a very nice lady, about the ceiling fixture contre-temp, with a "get her" exasperation. How funny to see these letters about it all these years later! Reggie

    ReplyDelete
  12. RD I am confused. Funny to see the letters? What do you mean by a "get her" exasperation. Your mother had the "get her" exasperation? Mrs. Ausbrook had the "get her" exasperation? She was a very nice lady overall or she was a very nice lady about the ceiling fixture contre-temp? Honestly, it seems it was an honest mistake for Mrs Kennedys surrogates to overlook the fixture but that is how the cookie crumbles and the legality of the contract and what it stipulates should be the point of negotiation. A city of lawyers and public administrators doing what needs to be done bending the rules for the 1% it is soooo DC. And they can't get their own life straight how are they to run the country. Wait it is called negotiation and being diplomatic. I'm good, I'm good with that.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading and commenting on Pigtown*Design. I read each and every comment and try to reply if I have your e-mail address.