Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1195866
THE PRINCE OF CHINTZ: BY REBECCA SHERMAN S otheby's will auction more than 1,000 pieces of furniture, fi ne art, and decorative objects from legendary interior designer Mario Buatta's personal homes during its Americana Week Sales Series Thursday and Friday, January 23 and 24. Buatta, who died in 2018 at age 82, was widely known as the Prince of Chintz — his fondness for the glazed, printed cotton fabric was legend, and he made exuberant use of it in his design projects, along with layers of fi ne antiques, pillows, tassels, swags, fringes, bows, and ruffl es. He took inspiration from the work of British design fi rm Colefax and Fowler and American society decorator Sister Parish, recreating the English Country House style for such clients as Henry Ford II, Malcolm Forbes, Barbara Walters, Billy Joel, Peter Duchin, Patricia Altschul, and Wilbur L. Ross Jr. His work in 1988 on Blair House, Delft, English enamels, silver, and glassware, along with English and Continental furniture focusing on lacquered, japanned, and penwork items. Artwork includes Buatta's well-known collection of dog paintings. Estimates start at $800. A preview of the sale opens January 16 at Sotheby's York Avenue galleries. Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors, January 23 and 24, at Sotheby's, 1334 York Ave., New York, sothebys.com. Rebecca Sherman the president's offi cial guest house, added to his prominence. Buatta's own homes — a Georgian townhouse in Manhattan and the William H. Mason House, a historic Gothic-style home in Connecticut — exuded the same layered opulence he created for his high-profi le clients. Sotheby's dedicated two-day sale features English and C h i n e s e e x p o r t p o r c e l a i n , D u t c h END OF AN ERA BUATTA'S FONDNESS FOR CHINTZ WAS LEGEND, AND HE MADE EXUBERANT USE OF IT. Mario Buatta Chinese export black and gold lacquer armchair