May 17, 2009

Continental Fine and Decorative Arts

May 17, 2009 • Sale starts at 12:00 noon

Frank Jones Center • Route 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Get Map)

Preview

Saturday, May 16 (Limited Preview)
At the Frank Jones Center
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Sunday, May 17 (Limited Preview)
At the Frank Jones Center
9:00 am - 11:45 am

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh
Lots 49-234

Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh is the preeminent museum of fine and decorative arts, contemporary art, and architecture in Western Pennsylvania. Since its founding in 1895, the museum has greatly expanded its collections, and is now undergoing a historic change with the complete reinstallation of its American and European decorative arts, which will open to the public in late November 2009. This auspicious undertaking provides opportunities for evaluating the entire collection. The objects presented in this sale are sold to support the acquisition funds of Carnegie Museum of Art as it further develops collections with a global perspective.

Ailsa Mellon Bruce
Lots 99-140

Ailsa Mellon Bruce (1903–1969) was a passionate and prolific collector of English and European decorative arts. She was the only daughter of Pittsburgh banker, art collector, and statesman, Andrew W. Mellon, and the sister of Paul Mellon. Like her father and brother, Mrs. Bruce was a significant philanthropist and patron of the arts. In 1970, nearly 3,000 objects from her collection were given to Carnegie Museum of Art, including important 18th-century royal porcelain and Louis XVI style furniture by Nicolas Petit and Pierre Antoine Foullet. The historic home for this collection, the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Galleries, will reopen to the public in late November 2009 with a complete reinstallation that plays to the strength of the museum’s decorative arts and design collection from the 18th century to the present.

Just Added-50 Additional Lots

50 lots to be sold at the end of the sale. These lots may be previewed during regular preview hours. There will be no listing or photographs available. Lots must be inspected in person.