The result is an enviable collection of prints, porcelain, silver and works of art from the 16th to the 20th centuries – and now, nearly 100 of them are going up for auction at Christie’s as part of their spring bi-annual online sales series. Collections, Paris, London and New York, Which runs from 20th March to 23rd April.
‘I’ve loved and enjoyed these pieces for years, finding them around the world and bringing them home,’ explains Serena, who is known to sidestep convention by avoiding buying pairs or very matching items. ‘I bought what caught my eye, what I couldn’t get out of my head and never cared whether 17th century artwork could occupy the same space as contemporary sculpture, because it could!’
The collection at Christie’s is a thoughtfully curated mix of English and Irish decorative arts from Ardbracken House that gives an insight into Serena’s ethos. Notable pieces include: an Irish George II mahogany side table from the mid-18th century (estimate: £40,000-60,000) and a set of George III leather fire buckets (also mid-18th century) which were part of the Dukes of Leinster collection of Carton House in Maynooth, Ireland. Also featured are works by Dutch Golden Age painter Gerrit van Honthorst, as well as works by Sophia Southwell, née Campbell, later Lady de Clifford (1743-1828), Sir Joshua Reynolds (estimate: £30,000-£50,000 painting range including John Art). Fernelli Sr. (1781-1860).
