A celebration of the most respected and loved decorators of his generation

The auction, taking place at Dreweatts' Donnington Priory salerooms on 4, 5 & 6 October 2023, will be a celebration of the most respected and loved decorators of his generation and will offer the opportunity to obtain works from Robert’s very own personal collection, which he meticulously amassed over his lifetime, through his travels around the country houses of the UK, to Europe, the Middle East and beyond. 

Robert’s fascination with objects grew from his childhood; he was collecting and selling antiques even as an undergraduate. His passion and broad knowledge encompassed Middle Eastern art, including textiles and antiquities, European antiquities, modern art, ceramics, gardening, architecture and interesting objects from around the world.

"You often hear of people who are said to have ‘a good eye’, but Robert Kime’s must surely be one of the best." - King Charles III ('Robert Kime' by Alastair Langlands, 2015)

This ‘eye’ and academic rigour drew the Royal Family and collectors from around the world to ask for his help in designing their homes and building their collections. Despite this he was unpretentious and believed in creating something comfortable and homely, whether a small cottage, palace, flat or country estate.

It was this keen eye that enabled him to alter a room, not just by adding decoration in the form of textiles and harmonious pieces, but in his own words he was an ‘assembler’, who could create a ‘lived in’ look, to even a newly refurbished room, as if it had always been that way. He cleverly combined a sense of history with a fresh approach in designing their homes and building their collections.

A portrait of the man through his objects...

This immensely personal collection provides a portrait of the man through his objects but also charts the creative partnership he had with his wife Helen Nicoll - the celebrated children’s author.  This sale will be an insight into the countless decisions the couple made together over the course of many decades and in a number of homes.

The works that recur in their different residences chart a shared life shaped by discerning collecting, constant evolution and the sheer delight of discovery. The collection’s final formation in France and London represents a distilled view of his favourite things which now carry forward their stories with them in the knowledge that they were selected for their aesthetic quality, by an unrivalled eye.

"Dreweatts is honoured to be entrusted with the sale of Robert Kime’s personal collection from his family homes in London and Provence. Robert was a widely admired and greatly respected figure in the art and design world. He was foremost a collector driven by an innate curiosity, combined with a deep academic knowledge. Robert loved to travel and his collection of treasured objects reflect a lifetime of looking, engaging and gathering - from classical antiquities to Chinese porcelain, from Indian textiles to Eric Ravilious. Each layered with a story or circumstance and together they paint a portrait of an inspirational man remembered with great affection across generations." - Will Richards, Deputy Chairman.

"Few phrases garner as much excitement or respect as ‘supplied by Robert Kime’. It is synonymous with a refined understanding of interiors marked by variety, sublime subtlety and quality. When discussing this immensely personal collection, which stands as testament to Robert’s own passion for collecting, the knowledge that these works were hand-picked, and retained over a lifetime, offers an assurance of an aesthetic quality that is simply unmissable." - Joe Robinson, Head of House Sales and Private Collections.

View page turning catalogue

Auction Details

Day 1: Wednesday 4 October 2023 | 10.30am BST | Warwick Square, London (Lots 1-399)
Day 2: Thursday 5 October 2023 | 10.30am BST | La Gonette, France (Lots 400-746)
Day 3: Friday 6 October 2023 | 10.30am BST | (Lots 747-918)

Auction:
The three-day auction will take place at Dreweatts Donnington Priory salerooms.

On View:
London (highlights): Dreweatts, 16-17 Pall Mall, St James's, London SW1Y 5LU
Friday 8 - Thursday 14 September 2023

Newbury (full sale): Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE
Saturday 30 September - Tuesday 3 October 2023     

Further information:
For details on registration, viewing, bidding, payment and shipping, please see the Auction Information Page here. 

General enquiries: + 44 (0) 1635 553 553 | housesales@dreweatts.com
Press enquiries: smaylor@dreweatts.com 

To sign up for email alerts, click here.
To learn more, click here.