The presentation of the second annual Eric M Wunsch Award for Excellence in the American Arts will take place at Christie’s Rockefeller Center Galleries on January 22.
This year’s award recognizes the remarkable dedication and contributions towards preserving American decorative arts by three major collectors and philanthropists: Linda Kaufman and her husband, the late George Kaufman, and Richard Hampton Jenrette. Christie’s will host the award ceremony on behalf of the Wunsch Americana Foundation, which created the award to continue the legacy of renowned collector Martin Wunsch and to encourage greater scholarship and appreciation of American decorative arts.
“We are delighted to recognize these devoted connoisseurs and advocates for the American arts (Linda Kaufman, the late George Kaufman, and Richard Jenrette) with this year’s Award,” said Wunsch Americana Foundation president, Peter Wunsch. “My father would be pleased to see these leaders in the field acknowledged for their steadfast focus on preserving America’s heritage and making it accessible for so many people to enjoy and learn from.”
John Hays, deputy chairman of American furniture and decorative arts at Christies, added: “We are pleased to host this special event that recognizes the importance of preserving America’s material heritage. These honourees are among the most avid and knowledgeable collectors in the field; they personally have invested so much to further the study and preservation of American decorative arts, it is truly fitting that they receive this honour.”
