INSIDE THE AUCTION: JACKIE O AT SOTHEBY'S

In this series, Inside the Auction, we journey through historic catalogues, some forgotten, others legendary, to rediscover the stories objects tell about their owners.

Few sales loom as large in auction history as The Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, held at Sotheby’s in 1996. Part treasure trove, part cultural touchstone, the auction realised $34 million for charity and dispersed more than 40,000 of Jackie’s possessions. Objects that might otherwise have seemed ordinary—like a strand of well-worn faux pearls—took on mythic value, fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even President Kennedy’s golf clubs soared to nearly $1 million, proof that provenance, in Jackie’s case, was priceless.

Jackie’s life had long been steeped in beauty, history, and connoisseurship. Trained in art history at Vassar and the Sorbonne, she absorbed the Old Masters, classical architecture, and the decorative arts of France, all of which informed her singular taste. As First Lady, she became America’s most visible “collector,” transforming the White House into a museum of national heritage through the Fine Arts Committee she founded. Beyond Washington, her private collections revealed a refined yet eclectic sensibility: rare books and manuscripts, French 18th-century furnishings, and later, Greek antiquities and contemporary works, reflecting the different chapters of her storied life.

Jackie’s NYC Apartment © Sotheby's

SELECTED LOTS

Study of a Snow Owl — Peter Paillou, English (circa 1720–1785/90). Estimate $2,000–3,000

This charming picture of a snow owl was among the furnishings in Mrs. Kennedy’s bedroom in the White House. Mislabeled as by “Pallion” rather than Paillou, it is perhaps my favourite thing in the catalogue. Paillou was a British painter of French origin who produced illustrations that were both precise enough for zoological study and lyrical enough to captivate the viewer—living presences rather than static specimens.

Peter Paillou, English (circa 1720–1785/90), Study of a Snow Owl.

Jackie Kennedy’s Bedroom in the White House.

A Roman marble torso of a hero, circa 2nd century A.D. Estimate $10,000–15,000

This beautifully rendered Roman fragment sat for many years in the entrance hall of Jackie’s New York City apartment. It is elegantly styled alongside Chinese vases, a terracotta planter, and various other objects of interest, creating a striking vignette.

A Roman marble torso of a hero, circa 2nd century A.D.

The entrance hall of Jackie’s New York City apartment.

A Pair of Louis XV Style Grey-Painted Fauteuils en Cabriolet. Estimate $2,000–3,000

Each with a cartouche-shaped upholstered backrest carved with flower heads, the padded armrests raised on voluted supports, the serpentine-fronted upholstered seat raised on cabriole legs. I’m particularly drawn to the soft white-painted wood, whose sinuous form harmonizes beautifully with the upholstery—light, feminine, and timelessly stylish, it feels perfectly in tune with Jackie’s unmistakable style.

A Pair of Louis XV Style Grey-Painted Fauteuils en Cabriolet

A Spode Stone China ‘Famille-Rose’ part dinner service, circa 1820. Estimate $2,500–3,500

Each piece transfer-printed in brown and painted in shades of rose, iron-red and yellow with a central peony medallion. I love this service for its mix of delicacy and boldness. These plates strike a rare balance between refinement and generosity: they’re elegant enough to grace a formal dining room, yet their vivid colour and pattern invite conversation and conviviality.

A Spode Stone China ‘Famille-Rose’ part dinner service, circa 1820.

Twelve Landscapes By A 19th Century Artist

Sold out

Italian Painted And Parcel Gilt Console Table, 18th Century

$8,000.00