Influential director, producer and executive producer, Ivan Reitman was the genius mind behind many of the most important cultural touchstones of cinema. Throughout his 50-year career in the industry, his directing credits include Ghostbusters, Meatballs and Dave, and he was a producer on films such as Animal House, Space Jam and Up in the Air.

Reitman was born in Komárno, Slovakia, in 1946 to Hungarian-Jewish parents. His mother had survived the Auschwitz concentration camp while his father was part of the Czechoslovak resistance. Fleeing communism after the Second World War, the family went first to Vienna — hiding four-year-old Ivan in the hold of a boat — before settling in Toronto, Canada. Reitman later enrolled at McMaster University in Ontario to study music and drama. After joining the student film club, his passion for storytelling and the magic of moviemaking was ignited, and his life was changed forever.

With his career in film beginning in the late 1970s and spanning four decades, Reitman directed and produced hit after hit, from National Lampoon’s Animal House to Meatballs to Stripes, to his beloved 1984 film Ghostbusters—an instant classic and immediate phenomenon. Today, Reitman has stars on both Hollywood’s and Canada’s Walk of Fame. The impact he has had on the development of comedy and the entertainment industry at large is unmatched. With blockbuster films that defined an era, Reitman leaves behind a lasting legacy, and continues to delight and inspire cinematographers and moviegoers worldwide.

While directing Legal Eagles, a 1986 comedic thriller about an art world theft starring Robert Redford and Daryl Hannah, he was introduced to the art dealer and gallerist Arne Glimcher. This sparked a love of collecting that Reitman would pursue alongside his wife, Genevieve, for the rest of his life. For the Reitmans, creativity in all forms was something to be celebrated. Across 40 years, Reitman and his wife Genevieve amassed a diverse collection that reflected their creative values. This grouping of paintings, sculpture, works on paper and photographs revels in the magic of artistry and showcases Reitman’s own brand of humor and whimsy. Their exceptional eye was not only limited to works of art, but also expanded to include a superb jewelry collection. Lots 73, 74 and 75 show the magnificent craftsmanship and impressive quality of only a few jewels that were enjoyed and loved by Genevieve.