Barbara Walters at Ralph Lauren's 40th Anniversary celebration in the Conservatory Garden, Central Park, New York City, September 8, 2007, via Wikipedia.
"One evening, Barbara Walters extended an invitation to Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick," reminisced Pamela Gross, a former CNN producer and a close friend of the late Barbara Walters. "In her exquisite living room, there was a beautiful piano, and after dinner, Barbara, Sarah, and Matthew gathered around it, serenading us with old tunes. The rest of us couldn't believe our luck. It was an incredibly special night, but that's just how Barbara lived."
The esteemed newswoman, who passed away in December 2022 at the age of 93, also boasted an inner circle that included luminaries such as Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diane von Furstenberg and Barry Diller, Hugh Jackman, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. They frequently congregated at her Upper East Side residence for dinners and soirées. Now, the focus of an estate auction titled "Barbara Walters: American Icon," produced by Bonhams in collaboration with Walters' daughter, Jacqueline Danforth, includes the carefully curated decor of her home, overseen by the renowned interior designer Mario Buatta. Additionally, cherished jewelry and personal items beloved by Walters will be featured in the auction. The online auction is scheduled to run from October 29 to November 7, with a live auction to be held on November 6 at Bonhams' New York showroom. The proceeds from the auction will be directed to Walters' preferred charitable causes, although specific charities were not disclosed by the auction house.
Over 300 items in the auction cast a spotlight on Barbara Walters' aspiration for a life marked by grace and elegance, a sentiment evident in her diverse collection that encompassed artworks by distinguished painters like John Singer Sargent, John Whorf, and William Merritt Chase. Morgan Martin, the head of American art at Bonhams, described the collection as a "constellation of stars," with Sargent's artwork standing out as the brightest. Walters not only conducted meticulous research but also formed deep personal connections with these paintings. For instance, the John Whorf piece, which depicted the Boston Public Gardens and hung over her bed, reminded her of her mother, as Walters had been raised in Boston. Sargent's "Egyptian Woman (Coin Necklace)," painted in 1891, is anticipated to fetch between $1.2 million and $1.8 million, while Whorf's "Swan Boat, Boston Public Gardens" from the 1950s is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.
Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter during an interview with Barbara Walters, via Wikipedia.
In addition to her art collection, Walters possessed a remarkable array of jewelry, including a Harry Winston engagement ring valued between $600,000 and $900,000. This ring featured a 13.84-carat emerald-cut diamond set in platinum, a gift from producer Merv Adelson, whom Walters married twice, first from 1981 to 1984 and then from 1986 to 1992. Her jewelry collection also includes a ruby and diamond floral brooch, estimated at $12,000 to $18,000, worn by Walters during a 1991 event where she was photographed alongside Audrey Hepburn. Furthermore, the auction features three pairs of custom gemstone and diamond earrings by Paris-based designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal, known in the jewelry world as JAR. These earrings are estimated to range from $150,000 to $300,000 per pair.
Caroline Morrissey, who serves as the director and head of jewelry at Bonhams in New York, acknowledges Barbara Walters as a sophisticated and stylish jewelry collector. Morrissey points out that not everyone possesses the confidence to wear pieces by JAR or have him craft custom creations, but if there was anyone who could, it was Barbara Walters. JAR, known for tailoring jewelry to match individual personalities, crafted three pairs of exceptionally bold and vibrant earrings for Walters, aligning perfectly with her vivacious character.
Pamela Gross concurs, emphasizing Barbara's exceptional eye for design. She notes that every aspect of Walters' life, from her fashion choices to the ambiance of her dinner table and the company she kept in her home, radiated a strong sense of personal style. Every detail was thoughtfully curated, bearing the mark of Walters' deliberate choices. Gross expresses her deep affection for Walters, remarking on how much she is missed.
Selena Mattei