In May, Sotheby’s will hold a dedicated auction that includes one of the most important collections of old masters in recent years. The series consists of Thomas Saunders III and his wife Jordan Saunders, and is expected to reach $80 million to $120 million. Including fifty-six works, Elegance and Miracle: Masterpieces from Jordan and Thomas A. Sanders III series, expected to break the record of any old master sale at auction, surpassing the 2023 Fisch Davidson Collection’s $76 million benchmark.
For twenty-five years, under the guidance of Sotheby’s America chairman George Wachter, the couple ruthlessly pursued the masterpieces of the most famous artists of the 16th to 19th century, including a vast geographical community that included Germany, the Netherlands, Flemiz, Flemiz, Islam, Spanish, Spanish and French art.
“Sanders is a very dedicated, determined collector. They have carefully collected old masters, focusing only on buying what they like, truly watching beauty and focusing on quality,” Wachter told Observer. “They formed a one-of-a-kind collection covering still lifes, landscapes, portraits and more. Helping to assemble their collection was a real highlight of my career and it was an honor for me to help guide their collection journey.”
To prove its “Museum Quality” status and reflects Sanders’ deep connection with the area, it was only recently a long-term loan at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Many of the works performed on the neighborhood can bring extraordinary origins; each is a chapter in the decades of pursuit of excellence. Thomas Saunders, a pioneer in Wall Street, built his fortune at Morgan Stanley, where he served as partner and managing director. The couple’s collection journey focused on other fields such as English and European furniture, silver and ceramics, and Chinese export porcelain – before they turned their attention to old master paintings and pursued some of the most special examples of the category.
One of the highlights of the sale is Francesco Guardi’s iconic view on Venice: Views of the church of Venice, Punta Della Dogana and Santa Maria Della and Views of Venice, San Giorgio Magior Church and Santa Maria de la. The works are expected to earn $10 million to $15 million, and for Jordan Saunders, Guardi is one of her first great loves in art collections, which has special meaning for Jordan Saunders. In 1998, when she met his intimate view of Redentore at the Sotheby’s exhibition, she and her husband began working with Wachter for a long time. Soon after, the couple won two Guardiola’s masterpieces at Sotheby’s Auction. In Jordanian’s words, “When he got the sandwich, we got the painting.” Other important vedute Venice of Canaletto and Vanvitelli will also be on display at the auction.
Another outstanding lot is the grand flower still life of Flander master Jan Davidsz de Heem, executed around the end of his outstanding career. Apart from its beauty and historical significance, the painting’s Sanders collection path is as fascinating as the work itself. The couple gained it in one of their most adventurous collection escapes – the Tornado heads to Rome. The purchase environment is simply Rocamboles: the seller, hoping to hide the deal from his wife, dragging a staircase in a garbage bag. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and the sophisticated use of light and shadow, the painting injects layered symbols into his work beneath glowing flowers, the painting provides subtle commentary on the political and religious turmoil of the time, while also acting as a role. Vanitasmeditation on the transient nature of existence on earth and the necessity of decay.
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Another extraordinary still life that is ready to get a high amount of money on sale is Still life with cauliflower, a basket with eggs, leeks and fish, and various kitchen utensils By the famous 18th-century Spanish still life painter Luis Meléndez. Saunders bravely blizzarded to Montreal and took the job to watch the famous Hornstein series. Their determination paid off: they received nearly twelve paintings, but simply because they could also get the coveted Meléndez Bodegón. Just as Meléndez’s work rarely appears in auctions, the painting is expected to be between $5 million and $8 million in May.
Also from the famous Hornstein Collection, a painting by Rembrandt student Gerrit Dou, with superb hallucination techniques. This meticulously detailed work captures the artist’s studio, with significant depth and subtle lighting effects, serving as a memorandum of the artist’s dual role as intellectual and creator. In the center, an old man sat in front of an easel and was absorbed by the manuscript of the book. Surrounded by symbolic objects (globes, violins, drums with shields), everyone is enhancing the themes of knowledge, artistry and time passing. Given its possible prestige and excellent quality, the painting is estimated to be worth $7 million.
Among the most famous portraits in the deal, one of the best works ever sold by Thomas Lawrence. The painting, executed in 1816, depicts Julia, the daughter of British Prime Minister Robert Peel, along with Blenheim’s Spaniel, a symbol of a prominent lady and her future. Lawrence is known for her elegant and flattering portraits of high society figures, and also paints Julia’s mother, Peel Lady Peel, in a portrait in Frick’s collection in New York. The work is expected to be between $6 million and $8 million, and it is strongly expected that it will surpass Lawrence’s previous $4 million auction record in 2006.
Similarly, to be auctioned is a rare pair of jewelry-like epitomes by Frans Hals, one of the most influential painters of the Dutch Golden Age. The portraits are expected to reach $6 million to $8 million, depicting a boy and a girl, believed by scholars to be inspired by Hals’ own children. The works were created from the mid-1620s to Wright’s 1620s, when artists were exploring genre scenes of musical performances and his iconic formal portraits that embody his lively, expressive brush. The paintings were recently exhibited at the National Gallery in London and were originally designed as decorative elements of a piece of furniture, which could be a cabinet for musical instruments.
Currently unfolding in London with Sotheby’s Modern and Modern Parade Sales, the highlights of the Saunders series have already caused a buzz. Although Old Masters accounted for only 43% of the industry’s total sales value in 2023, the category is still unpredictable, which is usually defined by sensational moments or stagnation periods, according to the Art Basel & UBS report. Unlike modern and modern art sales, which benefited from a steady influx of new supplies, old master auctions depend on the availability of rare, outstanding works. Sales in the Saunders collection could significantly improve the category’s performance in 2025. “This is one of the best collections of our entire career at Sotheby’s. It will be a major market moment,” Wachter said.
Despite sales down 22% year-on-year, the United States remains the largest market for European teachers, accounting for 45% of global sales. Sotheby’s performance at the Old Masters Auction in New York may reaffirm this dominance, highlighting the ongoing demand for American buyers for historically important works, and strengthening interest in Old Masters began to transcend traditional collectors and enter the realm of modern and modern buyers.
