Property from the Collection of Fred and Kay Krehbiel
Three Days of Live and Online Auctions to Feature English and Continental Furniture from Interiors Designed by Imogen Taylor and Colin Orchard
Chicago – Hindman announces a suite of sales featuring property from the private collection of the late Fred A. Krehbiel and his wife Kay Krehbiel as a highlight of its Spring 2023 season. The collection debuts with programming and events in New York during the Winter Show from January 20-29, followed by three days of live and online sales in Chicago and Palm Beach, March 15-17. With more than 700 lots, the multi-day sale exemplifies the Krehbiels’ connoisseurship across collecting categories and their legacy of historic preservation.
Krehbiel, together with his wife Kay, amassed an impressive collection of fine English furniture, porcelain, silver and works of art, acquired from leading dealers around the world. The Krehbiels worked closely with interior designers Imogen Taylor and Colin Orchard (both of whom worked at the renowned Anglo-American design firm founded by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler) to decorate their Chicago and Palm Beach homes. The Chicago project marked the beginning of Taylor’s and Orchard’s 30-year working relationship with the Krehbiels, including decorating their Ireland home, as well as consulting on the restoration of Ballyfin, an important Irish country house and demesne of circa 1820.
Krehbiel was the former CEO of Lisle-based company, Molex, and transformed the company into a global organization with locations in over 40 countries. Alongside building the company, his international vision was reflected in the refinement of his homes in Chicago, Palm Beach and Ballyfin – now a hotel that has garnered international recognition and media attention.
“Our parents had a passion for discovering treasures wherever they went. While they both had different approaches and interests when it came to collecting – Dad was most focused on furniture, while Mother loved porcelain – they both were equally eager to learn about extraordinary objects,” shared Jay and Liam Krehbiel, sons of Fred and Kay Krehbiel. “It’s a pleasure to know that these objects, and their stories, will be finding new homes.”
“The Krehbiel Collection is remarkable in its quality and diversity,” commented Corbin Horn, Vice President & Senior Specialist for European Furniture & Decorative Arts. “The collection presents rare furniture and objects from nearly every historical design movement. Working with this collection has been a memorable experience, and it has offered us the opportunity to engage with number of different scholarship categories.”
Highlights in Part I of the auction include a significant group of furniture attributed to Thomas Chippendale, including a pair of George III carved giltwood armchairs (lot 57; estimate: $50,000-70,000) and a carved mahogany settee (lot 53; estimate: $20,000-30,000). A pair of giltwood pier mirrors in the manner of Thomas Johnson (lot 75; estimate: $30,000-50,000) makes up another noteworthy lot. A Cartier Crystal, Aventurine and Moonstone Lily of the Valley Flower Study (lot 19; estimate: $10,000-15,000) is a rare example that reflects the craftmanship that the jeweler has become celebrated for, as well as a critical point when Cartier ascended to the highest standards of craftmanship following the closure of the House of Fabergé during the Russian Revolution.
Auction Dates:
- Part I | March 15, 10am CT | Chicago
- Part II | March 16, 10am ET | Palm Beach
- Part III | March 17, 10am CT | Online-Only
Additional information about the auction can be found online here, and the digital catalogue can be viewed here. Bidding for the March 15th and 16th auctions will be available in-person and online via Hindman’s Digital Bid Room. Bidding for the March 17th auction will be available online via the Digital Bid Room.