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A SELECTION OF AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
THE ESTATE OF DOROTHY 'DODA' DEWOLF OF WASHINGTON, DC
Princess Dorota Drucka Lubecka
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Doyle New York is honored to offer property from the Estate of Dorothy
'Doda' deWolf of Washington, DC. She was born Princess Dorota Drucka
Lubecka, the daughter of Countess Hegwige Opersdorff and Prince Francis
Xavier Drucki Lubecki, a member of one of the oldest princely families
of Europe. When the family's ancestral estate in Baltow, Poland was
occupied by the Nazis at the beginning of World War II and later taken
by the Russians, they fled to Paris, and in 1952, emigrated to the
United States. Princess Dorota, known simply as 'Doda,' found employment
in Wisconsin as an au pair, and later moved to Washington, DC where she
worked for Elizabeth Arden. She eventually embarked on a very
successful, 30-year real estate career at Begg - now Long & Foster -
winning numerous awards in her field, as well as remaining very active
in Polish affairs, including spearheading a Polish Cultural Center in
Washington.
In 1960, Doda married Francis Colt deWolf, Jr., known as 'Colt,' and for
34 years, Doda and Colt deWolf were a prominent couple in Washington
Society, known for their constant hospitality and infectious vitality.
Colt was a direct descendent of Chris Colt, a wealthy textile
industrialist whose brother, Sam Colt, invented the Colt 45 revolver.
Chris Colt's grandson, Bradford deWolf, was a purchaser at the great
sales of the contents of the Borghese Palace, which took place in Italy
in the 1890s. The property that Bradford deWolf purchased from the
Borghese Palace passed down to his son, Francis Colt deWolf, I, who came
to Washington in 1922 to work for the State Department as one of the
first heads of the newly created Communications Department. The deWolfs,
with their impressive Borghese furniture, moved into the largest private
residence in Georgetown, the Bodisco House. Colt and Doda deWolf
inherited these historic objects, including lot 427 - a Sevres porcelain
partial dessert service made for Prince Borghese by the French Royal
factory in 1808.
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Lot 65
Neapolitan School
17th Century
Little Boy in Fancy Dress with a Spaniel
Oil on canvas
38 x 30 1/4 inches (96.5 x 76.8 cm)
Sold for $96,000
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Lot 235
Pair of Italian Neoclassical Marquetry Inlaid Walnut Commodes
Late 18th/early 19th century
Each mottled rectangular marble top above a conforming case enclosing two full drawers, raised on later tapering straight legs, the whole decorated with scrolling leafage.
Height 35 inches (89 cm), width 61 1/2 inches (1.56 m), depth 27 inches (69 cm).
Provenance:
By family repute, these commodes were purchased in Rome by Bradford deWolf during the time of the Borghese sale, hence by descent in the family.
Sold for $57,000
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Lot 236
Sèvres Porcelain Partial Dessert Service
Dated 1808
Comprising a pair of monteiths, four oval serving plates and twelve deep plates, the oval monteith with further polychrome floral decoration flanked by stylized leafage handles, each plate with a central rosette and green border with gilt leafage highlight border, iron red stamped factory mark and underglaze green decorators and gilders mark. Length of monteith 15 inches (38 cm), length of serving plates 11 1/2 inches (29 cm), diameter of plates 9 1/4 inches (23.5 cm).
Provenance:
This partial service is part of a large service produced by Sèvres in 1808-9 for Prince Borghese and refered to by the Sèvres factory as the Service d’Italie’. It was sold in the Catalogue Des Objects d’Art et d’Ameublement qui Garnissent le Grand Appartement au Premier Étage du Palais du Prince Borghese in Rome in 1892.
Tres Beau Service de Table en Vieux - Sevres comprising trente-six assiettes a soupe, cent vingt-six assiettes, dont vingt-et-une sans couronne, quatre rafraichissoirs en forme de vase a pied et a anses, quatre seaux a vin de champagne, quatre seaux idem plus petits, huit verrieres a bords creneles, quatre fruitieres ajourees, huit fruitieres ajourees plus petites, quatre plats a glace ovales, quatre saladiers, quatre idem plus petits, seize fruitieres, quatre saucieres, quatre sucriers a plateau adherent, onze raviers a plateau adherent, and vingt-sept petits pots a creme.
Purchased by Bradford deWolf at this auction, then by descent in the deWolf family.
Sold for $13,200
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THE ESTATE OF RONALD GRIMALDI (1942-2006)
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Doyle New York is honored to offer at auction property from the Estate
of Ronald Grimaldi, noted designer and President of Rose Cumming.
Founded in New York in 1918 by Australian decorator Rose Cumming, the
establishment that bore her name is a full-service decorating firm,
antique store and fabric house whose early clients included Mary
Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and Gloria Swanson. By the time Mr. Grimaldi
joined the firm in 1968, Rose Cumming had discontinued their fabric
line. It was during his years at Rose Cumming that Mr. Grimaldi
initiated and oversaw the reintroduction of the firm's enormously
successful line of extravagant floral chintzes and silks. Until his
retirement in 2005, Mr. Grimaldi kept the legacy of the venerable Rose
Cumming intact with his keen eye for unusual antiques and sumptuous
fabrics.
Ronald Grimaldi's rooms were never banal. His confident use of color and
proportion, combined with his keen sensibility for the placement of
furniture, made for unexpected yet timeless interiors. His bold designs
showcased Coromandel screens, Chinese art, Venetian and French
furniture, and an array of unique objects. The designer included Gloria
Vanderbilt and Marife Hernandez among his circle of well-known clients
and friends. Mr. Grimaldi's own apartment, whose contents are comprise
lots 97 though 227 in the auction, was profiled by House & Garden in
April 1999.
"In well-bred rooms, nothing should look cheated or skimpy," Mr.
Grimaldi told Carol Vogel of The New York Times in a 1986 interview.
"Rooms should have an ample quality to them, and they should look lived
in."
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Lot 226
Pair of Continental Gilt-Metal and Cut and Colored Glass Sconces
Late 19th century
Each of flowering basket form, issuing scrolling sprays. Height 21 inches (53 cm).
Provenance:
Rose Cumming personal collection
Sold for $27,000
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Lot 113
Continental Silvered-Metal and Cut Glass Chandelier
Having two graduated tiers, each with beaded feather sprays. Height 31
inches (79 cm), diameter 24 inches (61 cm).
Provenance:
Private collection of Rose Cumming
Sold for $16,800
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FURNITURE FROM OTHER OWNERS
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RUGS AND CARPETS
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OLD MASTER PAINTINGS
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