Lot 140

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Description:

Kennedy John



Spectacular Kennedy Owned Vintage French Porcelain Oyster Plate

 

French White Porcelain Oyster Plate, 9.25' in circumference with the partially worn maker mark on the verso. Fine condition. Sotheby's auction lot sticker showing provenance from the spectacular 2005 auction "Property From Kennedy Family Homes". Accompanied by a University Archives Authentication tag signed by John Reznikoff.

 

With the Kennedys spending many memorable summers in Hyannisport and Martha's Vineyard, Oysters chilled on the half shell would be festive hors d'oeuvres, perfect on a hot summer day. This spectacular vintage plate owned by the Kennedys features the traditional oyster scalloped design with six oyster molds to allow each bi-valve full presentation, and a lovely center well for the dipping sauce.

 

Jacqueline Kennedy was well known for her interest in elegance, fashion and design which extended from her personal wardrobe to fashionable tableware, to redecorating the White House.  She began a complete restoration of the White House that captivated the American people and set a standard of scholarship and professionalism that has influenced first ladies ever since. The Kennedys abolished several old social conventions to create a more casual, comfortable atmosphere. Jacqueline enlisted Life Magazine to promote the renovation of the White House. She helped prepare a fully illustrated article outlining her plans that ran in the September 1961 issue, and participated in an interview  with Hugh Sidey, in which she stated "Everything in the White House must have a reason for being there. It would be a sacrilege to merely redecorate it- a word I hate. It must be restored, and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship."

 

 

A partial transcript of Carolyn Kennedy's letter which launched and defined the 2005 Sotheby's Auction is shown below:

"After my mother died in 1994, my brother and I were faced with the task of decid­ing what to do with her possessions, and after careful consideration, we sold some of them in 1996. In the intervening years, and the death of my brother, I found myself again with more houses and belongings than I could possibly use or enjoy.


As we did before, I have given anything of historical significance to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation which will make it accessible to scholars and to the public, and I have kept those things that mean the most to me and to my children.

The objects in this book and the places they represent are filled with memories, particularly the ones from Hyannis Port where our family still spends such happy times. These objects link directly to my parents’ time in the White House. Not only are there many photographs in which the interior of the house looks quite the same, but many of the pieces were acquired by my grandfather from Gerald Shea, an early collector of American furniture and decorative arts. During the 1950’s when there was comparatively little interest, my mother added to the collection through her lifelong love of visiting antique shops on the Cape and Nantucket. The Shea collection and her own expeditions sparked her interest in American deco­rative arts, a field which she elevated to a new prominence through her restora­tion of the White House … "


Carolyn"

 

 

A very elegant one-of-a kind piece with fantastic provenance!


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