NEW YORK, NY.- Sothebys announced that it will hold an auction of fine and decorative arts from the contents of Albemarle House, the magnificent home of vintner and philanthropist, Patricia Kluge. The two-day auction, which will take place on June 8 and 9, will be held on the premises, located outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. Albemarle House, a 45-room English country manor, was conceived by Mrs. Kluge and renowned designer David Easton and is regarded as one of the most important residences created in America since the Golden Age. Among its neighbors are Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland. Mrs. Kluges collection of several hundred works of outstanding Georgian furniture, decorative objects and paintings is estimated in excess of $13.5 million.
Mrs. Kluge will remain in her beloved Charlottesville, where she has lived for almost 30 years, and will continue her duties as chairwoman and owner of Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard. Following the sale of Albemarle House and the auction of its contents, her future plans include creating a new home on the vineyard property which will be built and decorated in a style entirely different from Albemarle House, reflecting her changing taste and more streamlined lifestyle. She will continue to develop the winery, which is one of the largest and most influential in Virginia, increasing its presence on the world wine map, and she also intends to travel more so that she can enjoy her other homes.