“When James Buchanan Duke died in 1925, his 12-year-old daughter Doris inherited the bulk of his estate and was dubbed ‘the richest girl in the world.’ Adventurous, intelligent, independent and athletic, Duke was determined not to be defined by social expectations or her wealth,” stated Michael and Mark Millea of the heiress in the auction catalog that featured her estate. “At the same time, she enjoyed the freedom her wealth provided to pursue her many interests, which included travel, the arts, historic preservation&•
So it was with little surprise that when the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation made the decision to reduce the scope of the Duke holdings and to offer the surplus at public auction that the interest level experienced would be unprecedented.
“It went amazingly well,” commented Michael Millea, in regards to the Doris Duke single-owner two-day auction conducted over the weekend of May 2 and 3. Michael, one of two brothers that constitutes the firm Millea Bros Auctions and Appraisals, was ecstatic with the results of the sale, with the 846 lots offered realizing an impressive $2 million.
One of two auctions in the area that weekend that featured Doris Duke estate items, the sale attracted a huge amount of interest from a wide variety of buyers, collectors, the trade and a host of people that were familiar with the 2,700-acre estate that Duke’s father created in nearby Hillsborough. “We had people here that had never been to an auction before,” said partner Mark Millea.
A few hours prior to the start of the sale on Saturday morning, Mark commented that the “fax has been going nonstop” with people attempting to register absentee bids. More than 700 phone bidders were registered for the sale, and an additional 1,100 bidders were registered for Internet bidding. Also on hand was an overflow crowd, ready to bid on everything from Doris Duke’s Southeast Asian art collection and her intact shooting gallery to her chrome-plated bridge table attributed to Donald Deskey, her garden sculpture and her 1989 Cadillac stretch limousine.
The sale got off to a quick start with items from her Asian art collection and the first lot of the auction setting the tone for the day. The Nineteenth Century Japanese white glazed goose-form censer, estimated at $200/300, was actively bid, selling at $900.
Estimates proved to be little more than an amount associated with the opening bid throughout the day. The following lot, a Thai carved and lacquered low table, estimated at $200/300, was hammered down at $1,080; a Japanese bronze patinated hare from the Meiji period soared past the $150/250, realizing $2,040, and a pair of Thai blue and white platters estimated at $150/250 hammered at $1,200.
One of the early surprises from the Duke Asian materials was a portfolio containing approximately 45 gouache drawings depicting Asian costumes. In fair-to-poor condition with a worn cover and some creased pages, the lot was conservatively estimated at $150/250. A bidding war erupted as the lot was offered, with it leaving the block at $15,600.
A pair of Chinese porcelain garden seats, Qing dynasty, with ruvi banding and foliate scroll decoration brought $7,500; a pair of Qing dynasty anhua decorated white bowls, $6,900; and a pair of Chinese jade trees in cinnabar jardinieres realized $7,200.
A Chinese blue and white three-part begging bowl did well, selling at $6,000; a pair of Chinese garden seats with overall foliate scroll decoration brought $7,800; and a pair of large Canton tanks measuring more than 2 feet in width went out at $9,600.
A highlight among the porcelains selection was a set of 13 blue and white immortal figures, Qing dynasty, the largest measuring just over 14 inches tall, selling at $25,200.
A Thai carved and mirror inlaid reclining platform, late Eighteenth or early Nineteenth Century, was knocked down at $9,600, while a Burmese Mandalay period scripture chest realized $6,000.
Other Thai materials of interest included a blue and white porcelain bottle, with copper clad rims and stylized Rama V script decoration, selling at $6,300; an Eighteenth Century giltwood and lacquered reclining platform, $6,000; and a lacquered wood scripture cabinet brought $6,300.
Other highlights from the first day of the sale included an Eighteenth Century Chinese carpet with a yellow field and blue border bringing $15,000; a pair of antique Chinese gilt metal and jeweled botanical models, Nineteenth Century and of Imperial quality, sold at $12,000; and a Chinese malachite and pale green jade carved Buddha, Qing dynasty, went for $7,500.
The second day of the auction featured a selection of furnishings from Duke’s bedroom, playroom and various other rooms throughout the home, along with an assortment of accessories. It was from the playroom category that the top lot of the auction was realized. Large and colorful, the lot was sold in situ, remaining in a lower room used strictly for entertainment at Duke Farms. Additionally, the catalog stated that the successful bidder would be responsible for the “deinstallation, removal and transportation” of the lot from Duke farms “at his/her own risk and expense.”
An icon of the legendary Duke playful attitude, the mechanical shooting gallery background with a moving clown, ducks, squirrels, birds, stars and circular spinning targets proved to be a highly coveted lot. Located in close proximity to Duke’s home theatre, the shooting gallery was said to have been used at many private functions. The late Nineteenth Century shooting gallery was manufactured by Mangels and marked “Made by W.F. Mangels Co. †Coney Island †N.Y.”
Sold without Duke’s rifles and with its working condition unknown, Millea Bros had placed a $6/8,000 presale estimate on the lot. Yet when the smoke cleared, the successful bidder unloaded with a winning bid of $43,200.
Duke’s Model L Steinway grand piano also did well, with it surpassing the $4/6,000 estimate, selling at $18,600, while a Steinway baby grand that had been used in Doris Duke’s bedroom realized $8,400.
Other items from the heiress’s bedroom did well, with a George III black Japanned secretary bureau selling at $5,100, a pair of Art Deco andirons in the manner of Jean Perzel brought $4,800, and a pair of Venetian glass “lily” wall sconces realized $3,900. Items attributed to Donald Deskey were prevalent throughout the house, with a Modernist steel occasional table used in the bedroom bringing $3,900, while a set of nickel plated fire tools from the bedroom fireplace brought $3,600.
A set of ten French side chairs in the manner of Serge Roche had been used in the upstairs hallway of the home. With shell carved splats and tapered legs, the chairs had been part of a larger set that had been supplied for Duke’s Honolulu residence “Shangri-La.” Estimated at $1/1,500, the set hammered down at $8,400, as did a set of four Art Deco chrome-plated bar stools that came from the “Tap Room.” Another item of interest that came from the “Tap Room” was a roulette wheel that sold at $540.
Personal items that belonged to Doris Duke attracted a great deal of attention, with a gem set and enameled sterling silver globe that utilized wire to map out her worldwide “Grand Tour” selling at $6,000. A 14K gold bookmark engraved with the initials “DD” soared past the $100 high estimate to bring $4,200, and a yellow gold and ivory letter opener that had been used in Duke’s New York City apartment realized $3,600.
One item of personal regard for the heiress that did not follow suit in attracting a huge amount of interest was her father’s personal pocketknife in 14K gold and engraved “JBD.” Bidding on it ended at only $900.
Other miscellaneous items from Duke’s household included an Iznik polychromed tile, Sixteenth Century, that sold at $8,100, a pair of Art Deco glass mounted table lamps brought $6,300, as did a three-panel floor screen that had been used in the dining room with paint decoration by Boris Lovet-Lorski.
Treasures rescued from Duke’s basement included a chrome-plated steel table lamp attributed to Deskey that sold for $4,500, and two pairs of Louis XVI-style giltwood taboret tables brought $2,700 each.
Items from the Duke gardens attracted a huge amount of interest from bidders, with a white marble Italian allegorical figure of Fortitude standing 6 feet tall, without the 40-inch pedestal base, leading the lots at $270,000. A similar allegorical figure of Prudence brought $156,000, as did a pair of antique bronze torchieres by Val d’Osne Foundries.
A pair of white marble Italian fountain basins in the baroque style, supported by putti, also did well, selling at $25,200.
Prices include the 20 percent buyer’s premium. For information, 973-377-1500 or www.milleabros.com .
