As one of Britain’s wealthiest advocates, David Cooper was able to indulge his exquisite taste down to the smallest details in his life, assembling an impressive collection of objects in the process. In 2018, Quittenbaum caused quite the stir with the first instalment of its sale of items from the Marie and David Cooper Collection, and on 29 May, it’s set to be continued.
The most notable lot from the forthcoming sale is undoubtedly the bronze sculpture by Rembrandt Bugatti from 1907, which Quittenbaum believes is unique and estimates will fetch 1–1.4m euros. Rembrandt Bugatti was the little brother of the automotive pioneer Ettore Bugatti and owes his first name to his no-less-famous uncle, the painter Giovanni Segantini. His father Carlo Bugatti is also represented in the catalogue with some of the furniture he designed.
While the focus of much of the collection is on French craftsmanship, the eclectic taste of Cooper is also reflected in those objects that one wouldn’t necessarily expect to find at an art auction. For example, there’s an excellent selection of vintage Louis Vuitton suitcases and Dunhill lighter, a large range of watches ranging from Patek Philippe to Breguet, and a portfolio of contemporary photography by the likes of Steve McCurry, Mario Sorrenti, Terry O’Neill, and Mark Seliger. Even their cars reflected Marie and David Cooper’s sense of style: among the lots offered are a 1971 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and a Ferrari 208 GTB. You can find the entire catalogue listed in the Classic Driver Market.
