PALM BEACH – Hindman announces the Palm Beach session of the private collection of the late Fred A. Krehbiel and his wife Kay Krehbiel. Featuring more than 170 lots from their impressive Palm Beach house, the collection to be presented on Thursday, March 16 is the second chapter in the story of a carefully designed home and of a life well lived. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
While Krehbiel and his wife Kay began building their collection with English furniture, the Palm Bach sale illustrates their shift to collecting more French and Italian furniture, decorative art and fine art. As with their Chicago home, the Krehbiels once again worked closely with their trusted interior designer Imogen Taylor (who worked at the renowned Anglo-American design firm founded by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler), to design the 11,300-square-foot Cuban Colonial-style house interiors, which feature a range of unique elements such as a checkerboard floor from a monastery in Southern California. The result was a truly stunning property reflecting the Krehbiels’ passion for discovery, decorated with Venetian and French objects from their travels.
Krehbiel was the former CEO of Molex and transformed the business into a global organization with locations in more than 40 countries. Along with building the company, Krehbiel’s international vision was reflected in the refinement of his homes in Chicago, Palm Beach and Ballyfin, an important Irish country house dating to circa 1820, which is now a hotel that has earned international recognition and media attention.
Highlights in Part I of the auction, which will take place on Wednesday, March 15, include a significant group of furniture attributed to Thomas Chippendale, including a pair of George III carved gilt wood armchairs, estimated at $50,000-$70,000, and a carved mahogany settee, estimated at $20,000-$30,000.
A pair of gilt wood pier mirrors in the manner of Thomas Johnson, estimated at $30,000-$50,000,
makes up another noteworthy lot. A Cartier crystal, aventurine and moonstone lily of the
valley flower study, which has an estimate of $10,000-$15,000, reflects the craftmanship that the jeweler has become celebrated for, as well as a critical point when Cartier ascended to the highest standards of such craftmanship following the closure of the House of Faberge during the Russian Revolution.
Highlights of the Krehbiel Collection Part II include an Italian specimen marble and carved white marble table, estimated at $10,000-$15,000; a pair of northern Italian Neoclassical bronze-mounted polychrome painted armchairs, estimated at $8,000-$12,000; and a northern Italian Rococo polychrome painted cabinet on stand, estimated at $6,000-$8,000.
The art choices will be highlighted by a set of five paintings in the manner of Claude Joseph Vernet, estimated at $8,000-$12,000; and a set of 12 hand-colored engravings of parrots from A Natural History of Uncommon Birds by George Edwards, estimated at $6,000-$8,000.
“Fate was very kind the day I first met Fred Krehbiel and then went on to design and decorate five or more houses for him and his wife and sons over many years. Fred was the best client any designer could have as he had a great passion for houses, furniture and objects, but allowed me great freedom to try new ideas,” said Imogen Taylor. “Working with him and Kay, buying furniture, choosing fabrics, travelling internationally with them, was not work but a great pleasure. He taught himself so much about the subject and it was a great learning curve for me too. I hope all their beloved treasures find happy homes.”
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