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The landmark sale, a series of live and online auctions
scheduled for September, also encompasses decorative pieces of
art, books, ephemera, sculpture, drawings and prints from the
Reagans' home in the affluent Bel Air neighborhood of Los
Angeles.
Christie's said it expects the sale of some 700 lots to take in
more than $2 million. But estimates are based on the items'
market value, and the possessions of celebrated figures offered
at auction typically have soared to many times their estimates.
Proceeds will benefit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation
and Institute, in line with the Reagans' wishes.
"This prestigious collection offers unprecedented insight into
the private lives of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan," said
Brook Hazelton, president of Christie’s Americas. "Each object
offers a 'through-the-keyhole' experience revealing
as-yet-untold stories of two of the 20th century’s most
celebrated public figures."
Reagan, a former Hollywood actor and California governor, was
elected the 40th U.S. president in 1980. He died in 2004. Nancy
Reagan died earlier this year at age 94.
The couple presided over a glamorous White House, where
bold-faced names from the Reagans' years before the cameras as
actors injected a glitzy element into Washington's traditionally
staid social scene.
Details on the auction items will be announced in coming weeks.
Christie's said the collection includes American, English and
Chinese furnishings, many evoking the "Hollywood Regency" style,
and many personal objects.
Estimates on individual items range from $1,000 to $50,000.
The auction house said the collection was noteworthy for
reflecting the simple and elegant private life the Reagans
enjoyed together in Bel Air, where they often entertained.
Nancy Reagan, whose family and estate trustees are holding the
sale, once reflected, "So much of your life is on display that
to be alone and relaxed was a luxury we looked forward to."
The sale's proceeds "will ensure that the foundation, and the
presidential library it supports, will be equipped to pursue its
mission," John Heubusch, the foundation's executive director,
said in a statement.
(Editing by Scott Malone)
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