LONDON.- For visionary collector, patron and museum trustee David Teiger, art took precedence over all else. Redefining the meaning of connoisseurship and great collecting, Teiger considered himself a custodian of the work as opposed to its owner. A consummate collector who maintained clarity of vision and purpose over so many styles and decades in a way few collectors could, he built a kaleidoscopic collection, superlative in its diversity and depth and daringly ahead of its time.

Through a series of global sales set to launch with a dedicated evening auction in London this October, The History of Now will present Teiger’s esteemed private collection. Following Teiger’s exceptionally generous lifelong support of museums, curators and institutions, proceeds from the series of sales will benefit Teiger Foundation – soon to be one of the world’s largest and most significant contemporary art foundations – set up to support and promote excellence in contemporary art.

Lisa Dennison, Chairman, Sotheby’s Americas, said: "David's extraordinary generosity and long tradition of supporting artists, curators, gallerists, and museums was unique. He fully understood the eco-system of the art world, and his patronage extended to a broad range of individuals and institutions in order to empower them to do their best work. His legacy will live on in his Foundation and the initiatives they will sponsor to support Contemporary Art."

Joel Wachs, President, Teiger Foundation, commented: “David Teiger wanted to make a significant difference, and thus bequeathed his entire collection to major museums and the Teiger Foundation. We look forward to honoring David’s remarkable generosity by supporting the people, projects and institutions that can accomplish the most with our resources. And in doing so, we encourage other collectors to follow his visionary lead.”

Offered across Sotheby’s salerooms in London, New York and Hong Kong over the course of 2018 and 2019, this series of sales, estimated in excess of $100 million, will provide an unprecedented look into one of the finest Contemporary Art collections of our time. The inaugural London Evening sale, comprising 27 lots, will offer the leading innovators of Contemporary Art as well as the frontrunners and outliers who equally significantly form part of the daring cultural spirit of the last 30 years.

Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s European Head of Contemporary Art, said: “A true visionary, David Teiger collected with an avant-garde spirit, often rejecting art world consensus to forge his own path. His collection reflects the early patronage he offered to young artists such as Mark Grotjahn, John Currin, and Glenn Brown, as well as to dealers such as Tim Blum, Andrea Rosen and Gavin Brown. A time capsule of collecting in the late 1990s and early 2000s, this is one of those rare groups of works that perfectly capture the essence of the art and the spirit of collecting of its time.”

Building on the foundation of his Contemporary collection, Teiger ventured into the arena of American Folk Art in the 1990s. He quickly amassed one of the finest, museum-quality collections of Americana in the world, which will now be offered in a dedicated sale in January 2019.

Highlights from the inaugural sale will be exhibited in Hong Kong (28-31 August), Singapore (8-9 September), Taipei (15-16 September) and New York (20-24 September).