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“I’m just sorry my mother isn’t here because I think one of her dreams was to be left alone in a Christie’s warehouse with a satchel and nobody supervising her.” - Melissa

I spent a day with Melissa in the storage vaults at Christie’s recently. It was bittersweet and at the same time a lovely afternoon reminiscing and remembering the extraordinary world that Joan created in her life. The rooms were filled with fine art, antique furniture, jewelry and clothes, all in that most exquisite taste that Joan was known for.

After over a year of planning, Christie’s New York will be auctioning Joan’s estate on June 22^nd, with previews, open to the public, starting June 17^th. The sale will include many items from Joan’s life-long passion of acquiring beautiful things.

Melissa has carefully chosen the things she will be keeping that are most important to her, but as you might remember, Joan had a love for beautiful things…. lots and lots of beautiful things!

Joan’s grand apartment in New York City

“She used to say her apartment was how Marie Antoinette would have lived if she had money and taste.” - Melissa

While it is hard to see Joan’s things not in the setting I knew so well (Joan owned her famous 5^th Avenue apartment the entire time I knew her!) it was amazing to see the extent of her collecting. Melissa jokingly refers to her mom as a maximalist. And when you see the collections of silver, crystal and china in the sale, you will understand what she means!!

 

One of the most exciting parts of the sale will be the Fabergé! Joan had an extensive collection that had been lent to museums around the world.

 

Note the fabulous Bob Mackie gown behind us!!!

I adore Melissa’s point of view regarding the sale:

“My mother would be thrilled that these things will be loved by someone else as much as she loved them, and not just sitting in a vault somewhere not being used and loved.” – Melissa

A share of the proceeds will go to Joan’s two favorite charities: God’s Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs For The Blind.

I love that Melissa has decided to honor her mother in this way.

 

“I think the piece in the sale that I have the biggest memory connected to is the Winston pin, because I remember as a child my mom sitting and drawing it out. It started with just a few little stones, and then they would get more stones and they would add and add and I remember my mom sitting on her dressing room floor playing with it.” – Melissa

I was very moved when Christie’s asked me to write the introduction to the jewelry section of the sale catalog. I have to say, it brought tears to my eyes writing about the passion for jewelry that Joan and I shared. What an amazing journey…

Here is the introduction to my essay:

“Joan Rivers had a love of jewelry and a passion for collecting that began in childhood and evolved into a lifetime journey. I was privileged to share that journey with her. My role in Joan’s eclectic, glamorous, multi-faceted world of all things elegant and beautiful centered around our mutual love for jewelry. We both shared a voracious appetite for exploring that magical world--and we did it together for twenty five years.”

One of my favorite dresses. Oscar de La Renta!

One of the most exciting pieces in the sale is Dans l’atelier by Edouard Vuillard. This extraordinary work hung in Joan’s ballroom in her New York City apartment.

The evening after the sale, on June 23^rd, Jane Treacy and I will present an entire hour of jewelry on QVC at 11PM. We will feature some of Joan’s favorite pieces as well as a reproduction of a beautiful pin that was featured in the sale! We will also be presenting an exclusive QVC edition of the Christie’s catalog with a special introduction from Melissa just for QVC.  

I hope you will join us for this very special event!

Enjoy a preview of the Christies sale here.

OUR UPCOMING APPEARANCES:

Thursday, June 23^rd     
11-Midnight ALL JEWELRY HOUR celebrating the Christie’s auction!!

Thursday, June 30^th
5-7am Joan Rivers Classics Collection
4-6pm Joan Rivers Classics Collection

Friday, July 8^th
4-6am Joan Rivers Classics Collection

Follow me on FACEBOOK  & INSTAGRAM

Or our NEW CLASSICS COLLECTION INSTAGRAM 

Follow Joan’s FACEBOOK  & INSTAGRAM 

www.joanrivers.com

To see the entire Joan Rivers Classics Collections on QVC - click HERE