The Legacy of Merrywood: The Estate of Alan I and Dianne Kay
Freeman’s presents The Legacy of Merrywood: The Estate of Alan I and Dianne Kay, a nearly-80-lot auction that brings an esteemed collection of art, furniture, and design objects to market. The collection was once at the Merrywood estate in McLean, Virginia, the home of Alan and Dianne Kay for nearly fifteen years and before that, the childhood home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The Legacy of Merrywood is led by Henri-Edmond Cross’s vibrant 1905 work Léda (once owned by the famous gallerist Ambroise Vollard) and a commanding sculpture of the Roman goddess Pomone by French Modernist sculptor Aristide Maillol. Several rare and beautiful works of European furniture, including a pair of George III demilune tables and a series of fifteen Sino-Tibetan style embellished jade altar ornaments complete the sale. The Kay collection also includes works by luminaries such as Henri Matisse, Kees van Dongen, Louis Valtat and Elie Nadelman, as well as a series of George II and III furniture and Chinese export treasures. The sale recognizes the sophisticated collecting sensibilities of the Kays, influential Washingtonians who raised millions of dollars for cancer research through the annual galas they hosted at Merrywood; The Legacy of Merrywood gives collectors the opportunity to own a piece of this living legacy.
