ANTIQUES & COLLECTING
The appeal of TROIKA POTTERY, Luke Honey on VUES D’OPTIQUE, plus a buyer’s guide to EDWARDIAN FURNITURE
Written by Caroline Wheater and Jenny Oldaker. Images: Dreweatts; Charlotte Packer
Alchemy of Design: The Collection of Count Manfredi della Gherardesca
24th April, Dreweatts
Art and interior design consultant Count Manfredi della Gherardesca was a high flyer. Born into a noble Italian family, whose seat is Castagneto Carducci in the Maremma area of Tuscany, he began his art world career in New York as director of L’Antiquaire & The Connoisseur gallery. In 2000, he came to London to found MDG Fine Arts in St James’s, bringing collectors together with galleries, institutions and auction houses. Following the Count’s unexpected death in 2022, an array of antiques and art from his homes in London and Italy have been consigned to auction by his wife, Princess Dora Loewenstein and their children, Aliotto and Margherita. The sale promises to be a feast of art, antiques and modern design, reflecting his love of culture, and there will be some 400 lots going up for auction, with estimates ranging from £80 to £20,000. ‘The collection is emblematic of Manfredi’s witty and original style – he had a keen eye for beauty in all its forms,’ says h
