A Surreal Legacy: Selected works of art from The Edward James Foundation

This December, Christie’s offers a cross-category selection of some 200 works from The Edward James Foundation at West Dean. The sale traces West Dean’s rich past: its historic ownership by the Peachey family; its transformation by William James into the archetypal Edwardian country house; and the unique vision of William’s son Edward, a key patron of Surrealism, represented by iconic pieces by Salvador Dalí and Pavel Tchelitchew.

William James purchased West Dean in 1891, and built on the Peachey collection with acquisitions across a range of categories. Highlights to be offered at auction include two Louis XVI ormolu-mounted blue ground porcelain 'lacrimal' vases, a fine Swedish grey porphyry and bronze bowl, acquired at the celebrated sale of Christopher Beckett Denison’s collection at Christie’s in 1885, and Portrait of a boy playing golf by the shore, with vessels at sea by Bartholomeus van der Helst.