AN OPPORTUNITY
TO ACQUIRE A PIECE OF HISTORY FROM WORLD
Sotheby’s London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Sarah Rustin | Sarah.Rustin@Sothebys.com
Mission PR RENOWNED
| +44 (0)20 7845 7800 | Adam
Fresco | adam@thisismission.com
RESTAURANT
Sotheby’s To Auction Iconic Items of Legendary Significance from The Ivy
To Benefit Child Bereavement UK
Sale highlights ranging from:
Cocktail shakers used to mix drinks for the great and good
Bar stools & the mirrored bar itself
The restaurant’s ‘top table’, including a complete dinner service and table linen
Works of art by some of Britain’s most celebrated artists that have adorned the restaurant’s walls
From Harold Pinter to the Beckhams, from Kate Moss to Tom Cruise, internationally renowned London restaurant The Ivy has
witnessed countless celebrity moments. Now, Sotheby’s London is delighted to announce the auction of the contents of The Ivy
on 25th March 2015 as part of its Made in Britain sale. Items from each of the dining rooms and VIP areas of the restaurant,
which have acquired legendary status thanks to the famous diners who have frequented the restaurant, will be sold to benefit
the charity Child Bereavement UK. With The Ivy temporarily closing from January until May 2015 for a major refurbishment,
owner Richard Caring wishes to share some of the iconic art and memorabilia from the restaurant with those who have been
part of its history.
Richard Caring commented: “I want the legend of The Ivy to live on,
and now that we are making some contemporary amendments I
thought it would be a good opportunity to offer people the chance
to own some of its history. I’ve often had people tell me that they
wish they could buy some of our pieces and furniture and now they
can.”
The auction will feature items ranging from the famous front doors
and doormat to the cutlery and glass cocktail shakers, from the iconic
stained-glass windows to the napkins that have been draped across
many a celebrity’s lap.
Sir Howard Hodgkin, Ivy, 1990 (est. £6,000-8,000)
Henry Wyndham, Chairman of Sotheby’s UK, said: “We are thrilled to
be working with Richard and The Ivy team to create an auction
experience that provides not only a glimpse of - but also access to - a
restaurant that has been long established as a celebrity institution.
The Ivy is synonymous with glamour, great fun, excellent food and
above all a truly memorable time. As is so often the case with
achieving success it’s the details that are so important, so it is only
fitting that we should offer for sale items ranging from the great
works of art that adorned the walls, through to the cutlery and
napkins that carry The Ivy’s iconic motif - and even the doormat
trodden by the great and the good.”
Julia Samuel, Trustee and Founder Patron of Child Bereavement UK, said: “We at Child Bereavement UK are absolutely thrilled
to be the beneficiary of this incredibly generous offer from Richard Caring. It will enable us to continue to give the much
needed support to families when a child dies or when a child is bereaved and will make a very real difference to many
people’s lives.”
ART AND THE IVY
Art and artists have always played significant roles in the life of The Ivy, which was the setting for a rare display of daring
commissions. The restaurant’s walls have long been adorned with the works of some of Britain’s most celebrated artists,
including Bridget Riley, Allen Jones, Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield, Barry Flanagan, Michael Craig-Martin, Eduardo Paolozzi, Joe
Tilson and Howard Hodgkin. Frank Auerbach-taught painter Tom Phillips’ hand-etched glass screen and design for the reverse
side of the menu have both long been integral to The Ivy’s experience. Works of art in the sale will include:
Joe Tilson
Dionysus, the Ivy and the Vine, 1990
Oil on board
228.5 by 228.5cm; 90 by 90in.
Est. £30,000-50,000
Joe Tilson, a key member of the British Pop movement, was
commissioned to produce this mural which has held pride of place in
The Ivy’s bar. The architectural screen of vine leaves, dedicated to
Dionysus, exemplifies the artist’s sophisticated mixing of Classical
Greek motifs with his Pop idiom.
Sir Peter Blake, R.A.
Marilyn Monroe White No. 7, 1990
Oil and collage on board
14.5 by 11.5cm; 5¾ by 4½in.
Est. £3,000-5,000
Blake is one of Britain’s most revered and respected artists – celebrated around the world for his
design for the sleeve of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Blake’s work is a
unique blend of bright Pop imagery and a rough-around-the-edges collage aesthetic – and his
injection of Victoriana and quintessentially British subject matter gives a subtle and beautiful play
to Pop’s usually straight-up representation of material culture. His Marilyn Monroe White No. 7 is
pictured left.
ICONIC FURNITURE AND TABLEWARE FROM THE RESTAURANT AND THE BAR
Dining at The Ivy has always been an experience for Epicureans, where meticulous attention is paid to
food, the décor, the service and the ambience. The forthcoming auction will comprise iconic furniture
and tableware, including the famous front doors designed by the architectural practice of M. J. Long
circa 1990 and held open for many a VIP (est. £1,000-1,500), the entrance
mat that has welcomed the great and good (est. £300-500) and the sign for
the Ladies (est. £100-150).
Souvenirs from the cocktail bar include glasses engraved with an ivy leaf (two
lots of 12, each estimated at £100-150), two shakers, 20th century (est. £80120), three pairs of Champagne Buckets on stands by Future Systems, circa
1990 (est. £100-150 each) and a set of eight hock glasses by Luminarc,
France, circa 1970 (est. £50-70).
The auction will also be a unique opportunity for regulars, and those who have never booked a table, to
buy complete table settings from The Ivy. Each lot will include a linen napkin, wine glass, side plate, starter plate, fish plate,
main plate and accompanying cutlery for each course. Estimates range from £200-300 for a supper for two to £800-1,200 for
eight.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Ivy
The Ivy is one of world’s most in-demand restaurants, a uniquely British institution known throughout the world. An acclaimed
refurbishment in 1990, with oak panelling, stained glass and site-specific commissions from leading contemporary artists, recast
it as the grand restaurant of its early-20th century heyday. As then, it is a favourite with the pre- and post-theatre crowd, as well
as attracting a devoted clientele from the arts and media and beyond. They come for its unmatchable service, the atmosphere
of intimacy and privacy fostered by its Director, Fernando Peire, and for its large and unique brasserie-style menu. This offers
dishes from around the world such as sashimi and Thai-baked sea bass but has a particular British flavour, with favourites such
as Dover sole, roasts and the famous shepherd’s pie, simply but beautifully cooked from the best ingredients.
www.the-ivy.co.uk
Child Bereavement UK
Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a
child is facing bereavement. Every year we train c.6000 professionals, helping them to better understand and meet the needs of
grieving families.
www.childbereavementuk.org
Made In Britain
Sotheby’s Made in Britain sale celebrates the diversity and creativity of British art, from 1900 to today, across the disciplines of
Fine Art, Prints, Sculpture, Photography, Studio Ceramics, and Design – demonstrating the intimate links between these
disciplines and illustrating the very significant, and often overlooked, role that Britain played in the development of modernism
internationally. The inaugural edition of Made in Britain in March 2014 drew both new collectors and seasoned international
buyers, driving the auction to a £2.3 million total, double the low estimate, with two thirds of the items in the sale selling above
their high estimates.
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