The collection of late banking heir Rupert Hambro and his wife Robin, a former Vogue editor, will be auctioned off this summer, Christie's announced today (May 9).
Nearly 200 lots of paintings, sculptures, furniture and jewellery collected by the Hambros and displayed in their homes across England and France will be sold in a London sale on June 8.
Two bronze monkey sculptures by Francois-Xavier Lalanne, Singe Alternatif SIII and Singe Alternatif SIV, top the offerings with an estimate of £1.2 million ($1.5 million) each.
The Hambros’ London home on Ebury Street, an early Georgian country house, was filled with Old Master drawings, fine porcelain and paintings of dogs by artists from Alfred de Dreux to Alexandre-Francois Desportes.
Robin Hambro later pivoted in her choices for the home’s decor to Modern British pieces from David Hockney, Ivon Hitchens and Craige Aitchison, focusing particularly on sculpture.
A self-portrait of the Hambros’ lives
The works provide a “perfect self-portrait of this remarkable couple, weaving together all the rich strands of their dynamic and creative life together, which spanned art, fashion, finance and business,” according to Christie’s.
Robin, who died in 2022, started her career as a model before becoming a fashion editor and, later, the London editor of Vogue. She was also an artist, and held various positions at Christie’s, Christian Dior Couture and the Royal Opera House.
Meanwhile, Rupert Hambro was the great-grandson of Carl Joachim Hambro, the Danish founder of banking house C.J. Hambro. He co-founded the investment firm Hambro Perks and to chair the board search and advisory firm Robinson Hambro.
Rupert, who died in 2021, was also on the board of the Telegraph Group and worked as a financial advisor to the Royal Family, acting as a trustee of the fund managing the divorce settlement of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
“If variety is the spice of life, then between us we’ve worked it out pretty well,” Rupert said of his marriage to Robin in a 2009 interview with The London Times.
The Hambros’ collection will offer sculpture from female artists, including Barbara Hepworth’s Head (Ra) and Emily Young’s Time Boy, which are estimated to sell for £500,000 ($630,000) and £300,000 ($378,000) respectively.
In addition to Modern British artwork, the lots include works by Marino Marini, Andre Brasilier and Alexander Calder, whose 1970 Pontiac painting has an estimate of £60,000 ($75,000).
The upcoming Christie’s auction also consists of jewelry owned by Robin, who designed and sold a collection for jeweler Hennells. Among other items, the sale will include her Marina B diamond and lacquer collar necklace, which contains a 2.95 carat diamond and is estimated to sell for £8,000 ($10,000), and her Verdura cuff bangles, which have an estimate of £12,000 ($15,000).
