Past Auction

Special Collections: The Estate of Leon Amar, Palm Beach

Thu, Sep 24, 2020 at 10am EDT |

New York

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Property from the Designer's Elegant Home on In Palm Beach

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Auction of the Estate of Leon Amar, Palm Beach, on September 24, 2020
Furniture, Decorations and Art from the Designer's Elegant Home on In Palm Beach

Special Collections: The Estate of Leon Amar, Palm Beach — The Estate of Leon Amar, Palm Beach

NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle was pleased to introduce the Special Collections auction category with the sale of two distinguished collections on September 24, 2020 -- Property from the Estate of Leon Amar, Palm Beach, and Property from a Park Avenue Apartment Decorated by Hélio Fraga.

With competitive bidding, the September 24 auction totaled a successful $307,069, surpassing the pre-sale estimate of $195,130-302,545, with an exceptional 93% sold by lot and 99% sold by value.

Born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco and educated in French schools, Leon Amar was a successful international decorator and friend to the world’s most glamorous women, among them Jacqueline Kennedy, Gloria Swanson, Bunny Mellon, Marylou Whitney and Doris Duke.

He began his New York career at the legendary textile firm Clarence House and began working at Jansen in 1967 under the directorship of Carlos Ortiz-Cabrera. James Abbott writes in the 2006 book Jansen, “Leon Amar, a talented designer born in Morocco, joined the firm, enhancing the modern-design capabilities of the office. Within less than a year, Jansen, Inc. had gone from an almost exclusive espousal of 18th-century taste to a concentration on contemporary design.”

Among Leon Amar’s projects at Jansen were an apartment at 960 Fifth Avenue for Paul Mellon’s sister, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, and the penthouse at The Crillon Hotel, Paris, for Bunny Mellon. Other illustrious clients included fashion designers, industrialists and royalty.

In 1969 C.Z. Guest introduced Mr. Amar to tobacco heiress Doris Duke. They soon became friends and lovers, and he left Jansen to become the Vice President of Duke’s Foundation for Southeast Asian Art & Culture. He opened her museum of Thai and Burmese art at Duke Farms and helped restore her homes and gardens at Shangri La in Hawaii, Falcon Lair in Beverly Hills and Rough Point in Newport, RI. Mr. Amar was particularly involved with Ms. Duke’s lifelong dream of creating a Thai Village near her Hawaii residence. Like other relationships of Doris Duke, their personal and professional relationship ended abruptly in 1976.

While decorating a palace in Marrakesh, he met the twice widowed Charlotte Igoe in 1991. They married soon after and resided at 101 Worth Avenue. Together they shared a love of travel, art and antiques and supported The Society of Four Arts, Ann Norton Sculpture Garden and The Flagler Museum in Palm Beach.

Mr. Amar was an enthusiastic collector of the German-born French artist Dietz Edzard, assembling a collection of approximately 50 paintings by the artist and his wife, Suzanne Eisendieck. He corresponded regularly with the artists two daughters and bought several of the paintings from them directly. Mr. Amar’s Palm Beach apartment seamlessly blends together his French Moroccan roots, love of 18th and 19th century decorative arts from his years at Jansen, and Asian art from his time spent with Doris Duke. Fluent in three languages, proficient in five and a self-taught pianist, Mr. Amar lived a life full of exotic tales and adventure and Doyle is honored to be auctioning the contents of 101 Worth Avenue, Palm Beach.

The September 24 auction omprised the contents of Leon Amar's elegant home at 101 Worth Avenue. Showcased were Continental furniture and decorative arts and Asian Works of Art. Mr. Amar was an enthusiastic collector of works by the German-born French artist Dietz Edzard, assembling a collection of approximately 50 paintings by the artist. A select group of these paintings were offered on September 24, with further examples in sales throughout the Fall season,. including the sale of Fine Paintings on October 22.

PAYMENT
All purchases are subject to a Buyer's Premium of 25%
Payment can be made in the following ways:
· By credit card (an additional 3% fee will be charged)
· By wire transfer. For instructions, please email [email protected]

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We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for upcoming auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

For information, please contact:
Furniture & Decorative Arts: Peter Lang at 212-427-4141, ext 274 or [email protected]
Paintings: Shani Toledano at 212-427-4141, ext 249 or [email protected]
Asian Works of Art: Richard Cervantes at 215-539-3109 or [email protected]
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For information on consigning property in Florida, please contact:
Collin Albertsson at 561-322-6795 or [email protected]