Barbara Walters’ Estate Heads to Auction at Bonhams
By Elizabeth Gillett
The past year has brought a number of celebrity art collections and estates to the auction block, including those of Paul Allen at Christie’s (achieving 1.5 billion US dollars), Freddie Mercury at Sotheby’s, (50.4 million US dollars) and, most recently, that of American journalist Barbara Walters.
Walters’ Upper East Side Apartment. Source: Bonhams
Barbara Walters (1929-2022) was a renowned American journalist and media figure recognised for her creation and co-hosting of popular American talk show, The View. In addition, she gained acclaim for her wide-ranging interviews, engaging with figures spanning from political leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Fidel Castro to entertainment icons including Michael Jackson and Barbra Streisand. In addition, Walters was praised for her extensive jewellery collection, often worn during interviews and media appearances, as well as her extensive collection of American art.
The sale, aptly titled “Barbara Walters: American Icon”, consists of a diverse collection ranging from Hermes and Chanel handbags to china and silverware used at Walters’ esteemed gatherings at her home overlooking Central Park.
In addition, Walters’ famed jewellery collection accounts for 120 pieces of the sale. She was an avid jewellery collector and, as Jean Ghika (Global Head of Jewellery at Bonhams) stated, utilised her jewellery “as a form of armour and feminine adornment in a male-dominated world.” Highlights from the collection include a ruby and diamond floral brooch worn in a photograph alongside Audrey Hepburn at the Eighth Annual Night of Stars Fashion Festival at the Waldorf Astoria in New York in 1991 as well as a white gold and diamond monogram pendant, handcrafted by Harry Winston. In addition, Walters’ Harry Winston 13.84 carat diamond engagement ring gifted to her from Merv Adelson is expected to fetch between 600,000 and 900,000 US dollars.
Finally, the sale features numerous works of American art, particularly that of American Impressionism and Beaux-Arts, which often reminded Walter’s of her childhood in Boston. John Whorf’s (1903-1959) Swan Boat, Boston Public Gardens (c. 1950s), for example, prompted memories of Walters’ mother and is estimated to sell for $10,000 to $15,000. In addition, works by William Merritt Chase and Childe Hassam will also be up for sale.
John Singer Sargent’s Egyptian Woman (Coin Necklace) hung in Walters’ home. Source: Bonhams
The most anticipated of the lot is John Singer Sargent’s (1856-1925) Egyptian Woman (Coin Necklace), painted in 1891, which is expected to fetch between 1.2 and 1.8 million US dollars. The oil on canvas work, created after Sargent’s trip to Egypt, Turkey, and Greece in 1890, recalls Sargent’s other paintings inspired by his trip, such as Egyptian Woman (c. 1890-1891) and Egyptian Woman with Earrings (c. 1890-1891), both of which currently reside at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Ahead of the sale, stand-out pieces will be displayed throughout showrooms across the globe, including those in Boston, Los Angeles, Paris, London, and Hong Kong. The charity auction features over 300 items from Walters’ Upper East Side home and consists of an online sale spanning from October 29 to November 7, accompanied by an in-person auction at Bonhams New York on November 6.
Bibliography
Bonhams. “The Estate of American Icon Barbara Walters at Bonhams”. Accessed 29 October 2023. https://www.bonhams.com/stories/37089/#/MR3_main_index_key=sale&m3=3
DeMarco, Anthony. “120 Important Jewels are Included in Barbara Walters’ Estate Auction”,
10 October 2023. Accessed 29 October 2023.
Grossman, Eric. “Barbara Walters’ Jewelry and Art Collections Head to Auction”, 6 October 2023. Accessed 29 October 2023. https://www.barrons.com/articles/barbara-walters-estate-sale-b6ebc0fd
Small, Zachary. “From Barbara Walters to Elton John, Celebrity Auctions May Lift the Season”, 28 September 2023. Accessed 29 October 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/arts/design/celebrity-memorabilia-auctions-barbara-walters.html