Taste ranks highly among Hollywood star’s talents

BEVERLY HILLS, California — Thursday, October 1, Julien’s Auctions is hosting the sale Property from The Estate of Luise Rainer, an early 20th century Hollywood star. Bidders can participate by

phone, proxy, in person, or online at JuliensLive. com.

The star of eight MGM Studios movies of the 1930s, and the first actress to win back-to-back Academy Awards, was once heralded as the “new Garbo.” The items in the collection feature an array of fine European antiques, Old Master and Contemporary fine art, career memorabilia, furniture and personal effects from Rainer’s longtime home in London’s trendy Eaton Square. Aside from her acting talents, Rainer had a discerning eye for traditional European antiques and built an impressive collection of 17th and 18th century Continental case pieces over the decades.

Featured in this sale are examples of fine cabinetry from her native Germany, including a Maria Theresia Austrian armoire cabinet ($8,000-$12,000), a German walnut Wellenschrank armoire ($8,000-$12,000), an 18th century German walnut secretary bookcase ($6,000-$8,000), a German fallfront bureau ($4,000-$6,000) and a German marquetry games
box ($2,000-$3,000).

British antiques from the same era include a George III Secretary Cabinet with a hidden compartment, ($8,000-$10,000), a William and Mary cabinet with multiple drawers ($5,000-$7,000) and a William and Mary oyster veneered mirror ($2,000-$3,000). Old Master fine art highlights from the estate include a collection of Russian Icons, including Our Lady of Kazan with metalwork by Pavel Ovchinnikov ($6,000$8,000), and also a late 16th century Icon believed to have been owned by Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna ($6,000-$8,000). The collection also includes Old Master paintings and sculptures, including a carved oak St. Catherine formerly in the collection of William Randolph Hearst ($3,000-$5,000).

To be held at Julien’s Auctions’ Beverly Hills Gallery, 9665 Wilshire Blvd., Session I of the October 1 auction begins at 10 a.m. PDT; Session II commences at 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.juliensauctions.com or call 310-836-1818.