The Collection: Bunny Mellon
a rare glimpse into the tastemaker’s private life by way of her very public collections
Rachel Lambert Mellon, known as Bunny her whole life, was famously private. She was known for her exquisite style (Balenciaga made her gardening clothes), glamorous friends (Jackie Kennedy and Hubert de Givenchy), and style mantra, “nothing should be noticed.” Ironic since this tastemaker owned one of the most amazing jewelry collections, including almost 150 one-of-a-kind Schlumberger pieces. It wasn't until after her death on March 17, 2014 that the world got a glimpse at the Sotheby’s auction spanning five days and a four-volume catalog to sell off the vast quantities of art, jewelry, porcelain, and furniture. The $218 million in proceeds went to her most cherished legacy, a horticultural research center located on the Mellon family farm in Upperville, Virginia.
I picked up Meryl Gordon’s biography on her last year and have slowly become obsessed with her simple yet ultra extravagant life. Did I mention the Balenciaga garden clothes? I’m so fascinated by how this uber-wealthy woman lived…in her multiple homes including Virginia, Manhattan, Washington, Paris, Antigua, Cape Cod, and Nantucket. Her second husband, Paul Mellon, ranked the 5th richest man in the US, was an art lover and philanthropist.
Most people know her for her work with gardens and interiors. As a self-taught horticulturist, she re-designed the White House Rose Garden for the Kennedys and authored sought-after interiors books. But her jewelry collection might be her biggest accomplishment yet. I thought I would share a little history lesson about a well-lived life through her jaw-dropping jewelry collection:
A Ruby Horseshoe Pinky Ring was gifted by Bunny’s first husband Stacy Barcroft Lloyd Jr., (whom she divorced in 1946 to marry Paul Mellon) and she wore it for the rest of her life.
The Jellyfish Brooch designed by Jean Schlumberger in 1967, known as La Meduse, was created after Bunny was stung while swimming at her Antigua home. It features moonstones, diamonds, sapphire, and 18K gold limbs that move.
It is said that this Jean Schlumberger Pisces Brooch was her favorite out of the 150-piece collection. She donated it to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts based on a handwritten note she sent to the museum.
Bunny introduced her best friend Mrs. Kennedy to her favorite jeweler, Schlumberger via gifted enamel bracelets that came to be known as the “Jackie bangles.”
When Bunny thought the famous Tiffany & Co. light blue box was too declasse, she searched the beach at her Nantucket home for the perfect clam shell to place a pair of pearl earrings in for her close friend Jackie Kennedy, the ultimate gifter.
Another sentimental gift from Stacy Lloyd is a gold Verdura compact with her monogram “BL” spelled out in 26 rubies and engraved “To Bun with all my love.” Their marriage dissolved 5 months later.
A cheeky and lighthearted charm bracelet with all the ingredients to make Paul Mellon’s drink of choice, a martini.
The highlight of the 2014 auction, a rare fancy vivid Blue Diamond estimated to go for $10-15 million went to a bidder on the phone for $32.6 million.
An example of the power of her touch, an 18k white gold “bunny” brooch estimated to cost $1,000-2,000 went for $25,000 simply because it was hers.
Schlumberger was so inspired by her love of horticulture that he wrapped a humble terracotta pot (from Bunny’s shed) in gold lattice and placed a giant gold sunflower with an exquisite 17-carat Kashmir sapphire right in its center.
And let me leave you with quite possibly my favorite fun fact: almost all of Bunny’s designer handbags were fitted with 18k yellow gold (her favorite) clasps designed by Schlumberger in the shape of wreaths, including zipper pulls.
The auction catalog is still up on Sotheby's website and you can see every piece here. It’s definitely worth a scroll. You can check out the Jean Schlumberger collection Bunny left to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts here.
So…what’s your favorite piece?! The Verdura compact from her first husband holds a special place in my heart because Verdura is a cherished favorite of mine. I love a sentimental piece. But that Pisces brooch does come in a close second.
jodi xx