Projects

A Collector of All Fine Things

A film director died too young leaving an Upper West Side apartment filled with a carefully curated collection of 20th-century works on paper, mid-century furniture and a trove of designer clothing. The estate executors were interested in selling as much as possible to fund a foundation, while also making sure that friends and family received favored objects to remember him by. Sarah oversaw the distribution of the entire estate - hiring an appraiser; organizing a tribute auction of the works on paper at Swann Galleries; facilitating a special sale of his fine watch collection at Sotheby’s; arranging gallery acquisitions of the furniture; and placing the clothing at an upscale consignment shop in Nolita.

A Storied New York Couple

A couple in a grand townhouse on the Upper East Side was looking to downsize and deaccession a portion of their vast art collection, which ranged from Vuillard to Frankenthaler - with a choice example of just about everything in between.  Sarah worked with them for six months, identifying several pieces in need of restoration and conservation, and consulting with and negotiating sales offers from a range of galleries and auction houses. Ultimately multiple works went to auction, fetching record prices.

Deaccessioning With a Deadline

An art critic’s widow died leaving a rent-controlled apartment inhabited for 55 years filled with 20th-century masterworks, rare books, antiques, and hidden treasures throughout. The family had a tight deadline for getting the apartment cleared entirely. Sarah oversaw the creation of an estate appraisal and negotiated offers from Sotheby’s and Christies for the finest pieces. Books and other archival material were placed with the appropriate institutions. Designer clothing was donated to charity. Individual items were shipped to friends and family members. Finally, the remaining collectibles were assessed and sold to a broom-sweep auction house. The apartment was cleared in three months.