20th Century Design
"The Wolf Collection is unique in that it encompasses legendary treasures of American art and objects across all time periods and genres. The collection of American Prewar Design is unparalleled in its artistry, quality and pedigree, and brings the narratives within this remarkable assemblage into the modern realm. In the earliest and formative years of this market, Erv and Joy had the great vision and foresight to acquire some of the most defining and historically important works ever created by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Frank Lloyd Wright and Greene. The collection stands as a true testament to their exceptional taste, passion and connoisseurship."

Jodi Pollack, Sotheby’s Co-Worldwide Head of 20th Century Design Rife with masterpieces of 20th century design, showing the artistic progression and lineage of craftsmanship from the Colonial Era to the 20th century, The Wolf Family Collection marks the most significant offering of American prewar design to appear at auction in a generation. The collection features some of the most important historical works by the quintessential artists and architects who defined the 20th century, notably Louis Comfort Tiffany, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Greene & Greene. As seen across genres, the Wolf design collection speaks to a connoisseurial criteria of the highest order defined by supreme artistry, masterful craftsmanship, and impeccable provenance.

American Furniture
“Erving and Joy Wolf assembled a remarkable, best-in-class collection of American furniture, with definitive examples from the finest makers of their time. This collection epitomizes the ultimate achievement in craftsmanship in Colonial America and celebrates not only the enduring and timeless quality of these pieces, which were lovingly lived with, but also the Wolf’s commitment and passion for the craft, as they thoughtfully built their collection over decades.”

Erik Gronning, Sotheby’s Head of Americana
Among the highlights of American furniture in The Wolf Family Collection, three examples representing the major furniture-making centers in America during the 18th century – Newport, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Boston, Massachusetts–are each singular masterpieces of American craftsmanship from this period. Chinese Art and Exports Meticulously assembled by Erving and Joyce Wolf since the 1970s, The Wolf Family Collection’s Chinese and Chinese export ceramics holdings make up one of the landmark ceramics collections of its kind. Comprising Ming and Qing porcelains, the Collection includes significant examples of 18th century works, including many widely published best-of-type pieces formerly in the collections of James A. Garland, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller Jr., Laurance S. Rockefeller, Nelson A. Rockefeller, J. M. Hu and François Hervouët, among others.

Notable pieces include an impressive pair of Famille-Verte ‘Phoenix and Qilin’ vases; a large Famille-Verte ‘birds and mythical beasts’ rouleau vase; three Chinese export ‘Hong’ punch bowls; a blue and white pilgrim flask, Ming dynasty, Wanli period circa 1610-20, decorated with the arms of Spain; and multiple works featuring designs by Dutch 18th century artist Cornelis Pronk including a rare lavender ground five-piece garniture and a pair of ‘torchbearers’ wall sconces. The wide-ranging and comprehensive collection is one of the most significant groups of Chinese export porcelains to appear at auction within the last thirty years.

Silver
The two largest categories of silver in The Wolf Family Collection are the American Colonial silver and the Art Nouveau silver line by Gorham Mfg. Co. called Martelé. The leading lot from the Colonial silver is the set of three beakers by Paul Revere, Jr., the prominent silversmith who is best known as the great patriot of the American Revolution. The Charles LeRoux tankard is a beautiful example of an early New York tankard. It has all of the decorative elements that the best early 18th century New York tankards are known for: cut-cardwork decoration around the base, a handle applied with a baluster and with a cast cherub terminal, a corkscrew thumbpiece, and a cover with shaped and engraved rim.

The ingenuity and skill of American silversmiths is further celebrated in the Wolf collection by the extensive group of silver by Gorham, one of the largest and most important American silver manufacturers of the 19th and 20th centuries, second only to Tiffany & Co. In particular, they collected Gorham’s Martelé line, which was the company’s American interpretation of the French Art Nouveau style. Martelé translates “to hammer”, and with the whiplash curves of the Art Nouveau style, this line evokes the shaping of silver from its molten state. An elaborate terrapin silver suite which includes a covered tureen and set of twelve matching bowls is the most impressive group of Martelé silver in the Wolf’s collection.

Jewelry
Like the fine and decorative art in the The Wolf Family Collection, the jewels reflect a lifetime of connoisseurship and an appreciation for rare, often one-of-a-kind designs. The vast majority is signed by esteemed makers, from inventive creations by René Boivin, Jean Schlumberger, and JAR to classic styles by Van Cleef & Arpels, David Webb, and Harry Winston. Perhaps the greatest triumph of the Collection is the extensive selection of Van Cleef & Arpels mystery-set jewels – one of the most impressive of its kind ever to appear at auction – with eight stunning examples from a variety of periods in sapphires and rubies.

  The Wolf Family Collection will be offered in first live Evening Sale at Sotheby's New York on 19 April, with additional sales to follow.