LONDON.- This Spring, Christie's invites you into the world of Ardbraccan House, County Meath, Ireland, a striking Palladian house which has been home to celebrated interior designer Serena Williams-Ellis and her partner Charles Noell for over a decade. Skilfully chosen to complement the house's elegant classical interiors, approximately 100 works will be offered from Ardbraccan as part of Christie's bi-annual online sales series Collections, Paris, London and New York (20 March -23 April), which presents important private collections and includes European, English and 19th-century furniture and objects, Old Master paintings and prints, porcelain, silver, and works of art dating from the 16th to the 20th century. Estimates across the series start at works offered with no reserve up to £80,000 / $101,000 / €92,000.

Serena Williams-Ellis explains: “The collection at Ardbraccan was organic in its formation over the years. I wished to get the balance of being grand enough for the house but in no way was it to feel austere, the all-important thing was to feel that it had always been there and was comfortable as it sat within the house. I wanted all things in our collection to have the charm factor – something of beauty or to make you smile. Ardbraccan under our tenure became a Stud Farm. Things of an equine nature were very influential along with items that were intrinsically Irish or quirky – I like a house to smile and Ardbraccan certainly does that – from the moment you step across the threshold you feel relaxed.”

The carefully curated selection of beautiful English and Irish decorative arts from Ardbraccan include a handsome Irish George II mahogany side table from the mid-18th century (estimate: £40,000-60,000) and a set of five George III leather fire buckets, also mid-18th century, having been part of the collection of the Dukes of Leinster, Carton House, Maynooth, Ireland (estimate: £2,000-3,000). These sit alongside fine art including a Portrait of Sophia Southwell, née Campbell, later Lady de Clifford (1743-1828), by Sir Joshua Reynolds (estimate: £30,000-£50,000), an important group of sporting art led by horse paintings by John E. Ferneley Senior (1781-1860), and works by Gerrit van Honthorst.

Ardbraccan was built as the residence of the Bishop of Meath in the 18th century. Initial works were undertaken by Richard Castle (also known as Richard Cassels), the central block of the house was executed in the 1770s to designs by the celebrated architect James Wyatt and was subsequently completed by Thomas Cooley and Daniel Augustus Beaufort.

Collectively celebrating the enduring craftsmanship and beauty of important decorative arts, Collections, Paris, London, New York, will open for bidding from 20 March to 1 April (Paris) and 1 to 15 April (London) and from 9 to 23 April (New York).