Contents Of The Kennedy Winter White House In Palm Beach To Be Sold At Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
CHICAGO, Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 23, 2016, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is to sell furniture and decorative arts from the famed "Winter White House" in Palm Beach, Florida. This historic collection has been consigned by Mr. and Mrs. John Castle, who purchased the home and much of its contents from the Kennedy family in 1995.
The iconic Palm Beach residence acquired the name "Winter White House" during John F. Kennedy's presidency as the main vacation home for the President, First Lady Jackie and their children. Having been in the family since the 1930s as the permanent residence of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, the home was a frequent retreat for the President. It was here that John F. Kennedy recovered from back surgery, penned Profiles in Courage, held official presidential meetings and enjoyed intimate family holidays. The Palm Beach residence is even said to have shaped Kennedy for his time served in the South Pacific, predisposing him to tropical weather and life at sea, according to William Doyle, author of PT-109.
The oceanfront estate played host to many important guests. Vice President Lyndon Johnson, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield all visited the home, wherein President Kennedy interviewed all of his Cabinet members (with the exception of Robert McNamara and Robert Kennedy).
The home was initially built and designed for department store magnate Rodman Wanamaker by Palm Beach architect Addison Mizner, in 1923. A decade later, Mr. Wanamaker sold the home to Mr. Joseph Kennedy, who then commissioned renowned architect Maurice Fatio to build an additional wing, along with a pool and tennis court.
The Palm Beach residence remained in the Kennedy family for 62 years until it was sold in 1995 to Mr. and Mrs. John Castle, who purchased the home for $4.9 million, along with a large selection of its contents. The renovated 15,000 square foot estate recently sold for $31 million. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will be offering the original contents on the Castle's behalf, including over 100 lots of fine furniture and decorative arts.
Highlights of the sale include a pair of Venetian style walnut beds where the future president slept alongside his brother, Joe Kennedy, Jr., and later Jackie Kennedy, during their Winter White House retreats. Also available will be the walnut framed massage table where John F. Kennedy received therapeutic massages for his back ailments. The Louis XV provincial style mahogany banquet table where the Kennedy family enjoyed many meals will be available. Included in the sale are several lots of furniture by Addison Mizner that were original to the home. One example is an Italian walnut Savonarola chair that became known as Honey Fritz's chair, a favorite of Mrs. Rose Kennedy's father.
For additional information, please visit: www.lesliehindman.com/sale/winterwhitehouse/
Auction
Saturday, January 23, 2016 | 12 PM ET
1608 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach
Preview
Friday, January 15 – Friday, January 22
1608 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach
Kimberly Blomquist
312.280.1212
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers has been providing exceptional service and achieving record prices since 1982. With more salerooms in the United States than any other auction house, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers conducts over 60 auctions annually in categories such as fine jewelry and timepieces, contemporary art, 20th century design, rare books, furniture and decorative arts. The firm is a founding partner of Bidsquare, a live auction platform, and owns a proprietary online bidding platform, LHLive, as well as LH Exchange, an e-commerce site specializing in high-end designer furniture and decorative arts. Visit www.lesliehindman.com for more information.
SOURCE Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
Share this article