Start spreading the news—items from Barbara and Frank Sinatra’s personal collection are going under the hammer at Sotheby’s later this year. The trove includes art by the singer himself alongside works by Pablo Picasso and Norman Rockwell.
The auction house will offer the items from the estate of Barbara Sinatra, who died in July 2017. The sale of art, jewelry, design objects, and memorabilia is titled “Lady Blue Eyes: Property of Barbara and Frank Sinatra,” after Barbara’s best-selling 2011 memoir. The sale of 300 objects is expected to make around $3.5 million; it will take place in New York on December 4 and 6 and online from November 27 to December 7.
The Sinatras assembled the bulk of the collection during their 22-year marriage; many of the objects were taken directly from their homes in Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and Malibu, offering a glimpse into the way they lived.
Norman Rockwell Sinatra an American Classic (Portrait of Frank Sinatra (1973). Photo: courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Highlights include a 1973 portrait of Frank painted by Norman Rockwell (est. $80,000–120,000) as well as works by American Impressionist painter Childe Hassam (est. $200,000–300,000), painter and 1913 Armory Show organizer Walt Kuhn (est. $300,000–500,000), and a Pablo Picasso ceramic vase, an edition of 250 (est. $7,000—10,000).
The trove also includes a selection of works by Sinatra himself, including a 1991 abstract composition inspired by Piet Mondrian ($10,000–15,000). Also on offer is jewelry collected by Barbara, Sinatra’s fourth wife, including rare pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, and Marina B, led by a dazzling, emerald-cut 20.60-carat diamond ring (est. $1 million–1.5 million).
Diamond Ring Weighing 20.60 carats, D-color, VVS1 clarity, Type IIa. Photo: courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Alongside the art and jewels, the sale will provide lots of options for the dedicated Sinatra buff: scripts, autographed books, awards, and AKG microphones. The trove also includes photographs spanning Presidents Harry Truman to Bill Clinton. For an estimated $400 to $600, you can be the proud owner of a snap of Sinatra and John F. Kennedy sitting together at the 1961 Inaugural Gala. It will likely cost you a bit more for an image of Sinatra with fellow Rat Pack members Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. (est. $800–1,200).
Frank Sinatra Abstract after Mondrian (1991). Photo: courtesy of Sotheby’s.
A portion of the proceeds from the December series of sales will be donated to the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center in Rancho Mirage, California, a charity founded by the couple in 1986 that provides counseling and support for victims of physical, sexual, and emotional child abuse.