THE FRED AND KAY KREHBIEL COLLECTION

Auction aficionados and design devotees are in for a very special opportunity when Hindman presents a suite of sales this month featuring property from the acclaimed private collection of Fred and Kay Krehbiel.

102 Sr2023 03 126 Image 3 In Situ Bright Living Room Photo By Tom Rossiter Courtesy Of Hindman — Fred and Kay Krehbiel’s Chicago home, with a George III ‘Lac Bergaute’ and black gilt-japanned secretary cabinet-on-stand (lot 66, $15,000-25,000). Photography by Hindman.

The Krehbiels amassed an impressive collection of fine English furniture, including a significant group attributed to Thomas Chippendale, porcelain, silver, and works of art from leading dealers around the world. The couple’s sons described their parents as having a passion for discovering treasures wherever they went with their father focused on furniture and their mother on porcelain.

The collection’s importance is heightened because it includes pieces from interiors designed by Imogen Taylor and Colin Orchard, who worked closely with the Krehbiels to decorate their homes in Chicago, Palm Beach, and Ireland. The designers, veterans of the renowned Anglo-American firm founded by design legends Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, enjoyed a 30-year working relationship with the couple that included consulting on the Krehbiels’ decade-long restoration of Ballyfin, a 35,000-square-foot important Irish country house. Now a five-star hotel, Ballyfin’s interiors have garnered numerous accolades.

102 Sr2023 03 127 Image 6 Entry Hallway Vignette 3 Photo By Tom Rossiter — Fred and Kay Krehbiel’s Chicago home, with a George III Carved Mahogany Settee, attributed to Thomas Chippendale, circa 1775 (lot 53; $20,000-30,000). Photography by Tom Rossiter

“Through my work over the years with Fred and Kay, I’ve had the privilege of watching them explore the world to find the most beautiful and rare pieces of furniture, art, and textiles,” says Orchard. “As incredibly knowledgeable and curious collectors, it was a privilege to see the way they developed their collection and how it translated into homes that were simultaneously awe-inspiring and approachable.”

52 Lot 20 An Important Cartier Carved Rock Crystal, Aventurine And Moonstone Lily Of The Valley Flower Study — An Important Cartier Carved Rock Crystal, Aventurine and Moonstone Lily of the Valley Flower Study, Circa 1925. Estimate: $10,000-15,000

Krehbiel, the former CEO of Lisle-based Molex, transformed the electronics company founded by his grandfather into a global organization with locations in more than 40 countries. In 2013, Krehbiel oversaw the company’s sale for $7.2 billion.

The Krehbiels’ son, Jay, became co-chairman and CEO of Hindman in 2019. After an incredibly successful tenure, Jay has moved into the role of Executive Chairman. Before taking his new position, he hired Gemma Sudlow as Hindman’s Managing Director of the New York region, a newly formed role created to focus on launching the firm’s first full-service Manhattan saleroom.

Sudlow is a star auctioneer with 17 years of business development and specialist expertise and is one of the few auctioneers to have sold an individual work of art for more than $90 million. Her first assignment with Hindman is working with Corbin Horn, Vice President and Senior Specialist of European Furniture & Decorative Arts, on the Krehbiel sale. Sudlow predicts that the collection will be wildly successful, as there is something for every buyer with items priced from under $1,000 to between $60,000–70,000.

102 Sr2023 03 128 Image 7 Library Looking In Photo By Tom Rossiter — The library of Fred and Kay Krehbiel’s Chicago Home. Photography by Tom Rossiter

When pressed on the piece she most admires, Sudlow demurs as a favorite is hard to choose from such a magnificent collection. However, a few particularly special objects stand out.

“There are many French porcelain items to love but there is one in particular, the Sèvres Lilac- Ground Teapot and Cover designed circa 1818 is just beautiful. It’s exquisite—modern in its design and coloration, timeless in its conception, and incredibly rare.”

102 Sr2023 03 131 Lot 76 A Matched Pair Of George Iii Gilt Bronze Mounted Lacquered Corner Cabinets Attributed To Pierre Langlois — A Pair of George III Gilt Ormolu-Mounted Chinese Lacquer Corner Cabinets, Attributed to Pierre Langlois, Circa 1765 | Estimate: $20,000-30,000

Another standout, according to Sudlow, is a pair of George III Carved Giltwood Armchairs. These circa 1775 armchairs are thought to be the only Royal commission executed by Thomas Chippendale and were probably made for King George III’s brother, Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

Finally, there is a set of George II Giltwood Mirrors, in the manner of Thomas Johnson, as well as four Chinese blue and white porcelain pots. “They are just extraordinary,” Sudlow comments.

“Post-pandemic, there is a renewed emphasis on the home and a desire to fill it with pieces that have stories to tell—fantastic pieces of history that support sustainability in its highest form,” Sudlow notes.

102 Sr2023 03 132 Lot 205 A George Ii Gilt Gesso Pier Table — An Irish George II Gilt Gesso Table, Circa 1740. Estimate: $20,000-40,000

“It is an incredible time to be part of the auction world. There has been a resurgence of interest and enthusiasm in this market,” Sudlow continues. “Through these collections, we piece together stories—a wonderful reprise to lives well lived.”

To learn more about the multi-day sale of the Krehbiel collection from March 15 to March 17, visit hindmanauctions.com. Bidding for the March 15th Chicago auction and March 16th Palm Beach auction will be available in-person and online via Hindman’s Digital Bid Room. Bidding for the March 17th auction will be available online via the Digital Bid Room.