| Admin/Biog History | Count Antoine Edward Seilern und Aspang (1901-1978) was an Anglo-Austrian art collector and art historian. He studied history of art at the University of Vienna and left Austria in 1939, bringing his art collection with him to the United Kingdom. He was a friend of Anthony Blunt and after his death, a large number of items from Seilern's collection were bequeathed to the Courtauld Institute of Art and put on show at the Courtauld Gallery.
According to Sewell's autobiography, Ousider II Always Almost : Never Quite, Seilern never allowed art dealers and auctioneers in his house because he did not trust them, but he often engaged Sewell's assistance with regard to researching works of art, bidding at auctions, and in selecting and purchasing items for his collection. In 1978, Sewell was engaged to carry out a valuation of those works of art from Seilern's collection that had not been bequeathed to the Courtauld Institute of Art and the material in this file relates to this. The valuation was eventually completed by Christie's in the early 1980s. |
| Description | Includes:
-copy of a valuation, undated, with annotations by Sewell
-four letters between Sewell and W. Norris, Allen & Overy, dated 2 August 1978-19 January 1979, concerning arrangements for the valuation
-three letters between Sewell and J.A. Floyd, Christie's, dated 23 August 1978-19 July 1982, concerning Christie's carrying out the valuation |