A Century of Style: Works from the Collection of Audrey Zauderer

November–April 2021 | New York

S otheby’s is honored to present A Century of Style: Works from the Collection of Audrey Zauderer. Mrs. Zauderer carefully amassed a collection that reflected her elegant taste and love of decorating. Creatively mixing French 18th Century design aesthetics with Modern art, she crafted several uniquely decorated homes that brought her and her family and friends joy.

Mary Cassatt, The Sun Bath, with Three Figures, 1898-99, oil on canvas, sold for $4,376,000, Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale

View Lot
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Femme de le jardin de Cagnes (Femme assise dans l'herbe) oil on canvas, Estimate: $500-700,000, Impressionist & Modern Art Day Sale

A native New Yorker who called the Upper East Side home, Mrs. Zauderer traveled extensively, and enjoyed bringing back souvenirs in the form of fabrics, wallpaper and fine art. Besides her Park Avenue home, she had homes in Palm Beach, Southampton and Jamaica. A consummate hostess with a keen eye for fashion, her parties were legendary and always included a who’s who of NY and Palm Beach society figures. In a fitting ode to Mrs. Zauderer, Jamaican poet H Lloyd Weston described her abode: “flowers guard your house / with sweet protectiveness— / no finer company / for a gracious hostess”. Mrs. Zauderer’s charitable work was also notable: she volunteered with the Red Cross, Light House International and American Friends of Jamaica, among others and was also a member of the Cornell Counsel at the Presbyterian Hospital until her death at the age of 102.

Pair of Colombian Emerald and Diamond Pendant-Earclips, $40,000 – 60,000, Magnificent Jewels Sale

Anchored by a major Mary Cassatt oil and several paintings and works on paper by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the collection is bursting with color and the joie de vivre that Audrey Zauderer brought to life. A sense of style and elegance permeated Mrs. Zauderer’s collection, which ranged from sparkling landscapes by Gustave Loiseau to whimsical jewelry pieces. Her taste, combined with her connoisseurship, drew her to some remarkable paintings.

Left: Gustave Loiseau, La neige à Tournedos sur Seine, 1899, oil on canvas, Estimate: $70-90,000, November Impressionist & Modern Art Day Sale

Right: Gustave Loiseau, Port à Fécamp, 1924, oil on canvas, Estimate: $60-80,000, November Impressionist & Modern Art Day Sale

Mrs. Zauderer’s collection demonstrates an appreciation for jewelry as an art form. Comprising an impressive emerald and diamond necklace, matching earclips, as well as a sculptural pearl and diamond necklace, the jewels encapsulate her elegant taste and timeless sense of style.

Cultured Pearl and Diamond Pendant-Necklace, $25,000 – 35,000, Magnificent Jewels Sale