Personal items once belonging to Ronald and Nancy Reagan to sell at Christie's

Record ID: 86472

  • Title: Personal items once belonging to Ronald and Nancy Reagan to sell at Christie's
  • Date: 16th September 2016
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONATHAN RENDELL, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, SAYING: "There are a lot of very personal gifts. There are a pair of cowboy boots with the presidential seal embossed on them in frog skin. There's a great little ring by Bulgari that belonged to Mrs. Reagan, which is the stars and stripes in precious stones. And then many, many things that they
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2016 18:23
  • Keywords: Ronald Reagan Nancy Reagan Reagan Christie's auction memorabilia
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITEDS STATES
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITEDS STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0054ZTGH9H
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Many of the personal items that once belonged to U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Reagan will go for sale at auction at Christie's in New York.
    More than 700 items will be put on the auction block, with some estimated to sell for as low as $1,000 dollars (USD).
    The sale is called "The Private Collection of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan," and it features furniture from their home in Los Angeles, as well as dinning sets, fine art, jewelry and other personal items.
    "It's the private side of a very public life. These are the things that the Reagans lived with in Bel Air, owned, enjoyed. A lot of the things on sale went with them from California to the White House and then came home again," explained Jonathan Rendell, Deputy Chairman of Christie's Americas on Friday (September 16).
    Rendell said the 40th President of the United States and his wife "lived quite modestly".
    "This is not an incredibly lavish lifestyle."
    "There are a lot of things that relate to their spending time together. Almost everything comes in pairs. They were notoriously devoted to each other and that really shows," said Rendell.
    Among the items for sale are cowboy boots by Tony Lama that were a gift from Western actor Rex Allen. The boots are embossed with the U.S. presidential seal and are expected to sell for between $10,000 and $20,000.
    Two needlepoint cushions are expected to sell for between $1,000 and $1,500 each.
    One cushion was a gift for Ronald Reagan's 70th birthday and has initials "RR" in needlepoint. Another cushion shows all of the states Reagan won in the U.S. Presidential election in 1984. The Republican won every state except Minnesota which was the home state of his Democratic challenger Walter Mondale.
    Jewelry from Nancy Reagan include a diamond, sapphire and ruby ring by Bulgari. The red, white and blue ring is expected to sell for up to $8,000.
    The top lot of the sale is Mrs. Reagan's diamond and gold lion pendant necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels. It is expected to sell for between $30,000 and $50,000. A pair of matching earrings is expected to sell for between $15,000 and $20,000.
    Also included in the auction is an inauguration gift from Frank Sinatra. The Tiffany & Co. marine chronometer with a plaque reading "Good Morning Mr. President has a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 to $10,000.
    A NFL football signed by Reagan reading "Win one for the Gipper" is expected to sell for up to $10,000.
    Also a piece of Reagan's presidential legacy is for sale. The fall of the Berlin Wall is considered by many to be one of President Reagan's greatest foreign policy achievements and a large chunk of the Berlin Wall signed by Reagan could sell for up to $20,000.
    "I just think that it's important to look at this as a part of recent, American history. These are objects that witnessed history. They lived in the White House. They've seen a bit of America and I think it's great that they are going on to other people," added Rendell.
    There will be an online auction for the collection September 19 - 27. A live auction will be held September 21 and 22.
    The entire auction is expected to generate more than two million dollars, with the money going to The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
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