On the heels of Valentine’s Day, the Benefit Shop Foundation, Inc. will feature the estate of the late matchmaker extraordinaire Denise Winston at its Red Carpet auction on Wednesday, February 23, at 10 am. The New York socialite, who died in January 2020, had her own boutique business as a matchmaker and love coach. 

Winston traveled in elite circles, hobnobbing with celebrities and affluent clients at chic restaurants or courtside at Knicks games. She even consulted on the 1996 film, Emma, starring Gwyneth Paltrow as a young woman who acts as a matchmaker in her community. While Winston accrued a collection of couture fashion accessories, notably designer handbags, she had a love for New York sports teams and attended many games. Judging by her large collection of concert tees, she also enjoyed rock and roll concerts. The far-ranging auction will include over 200 lots of items from her estate such as rugs, art, fashion, fine crystal and glass, sculpture and furniture as well as choice pieces on offer from other estates. 

“Denise was known as the Rolls Royce of matchmakers, who took pride in her work and in her own home that doubled as her office, where she created a warm and comfortable space,” said Pam Stone, owner and founder of The Benefit Shop Foundation, Inc. “She had quite interesting tastes from striking artwork that included both classic and contemporary scenes to designer goods, sculpture, ceramics and fun costume jewelry.”

In keeping with her lifestyle, Denise had quite a few elegant handbags from renowned designers, including a Fendi limited edition beaded silk purse covered in seed beads and sequins on the outside having a fuzzy handle and gold tone metal hardware ($200-800); three Hermes birkin TOGO bags, including one in the firm’s signature orange color, one in red and a blue jean bag; a vintage Prada nylon and leather mini backpack ($200-600), a vintage Salvatore Ferragamo bucket bag ($200-600), a vintage Louis Vuitton monogram handbag ($200-600) and a Judith Leiber vintage crystal cabochon minaudiere ($100-500).

Going hand in hand with the designer bags is a fine selection of jewelry, led by a Bulgari Parentesi 18K yellow gold and diamond cuff bracelet with interlocking pieces, estimated at $500-2,000.

Buyers looking to redecorate their homes will find plenty of buying opportunities such as a modernist looking room size Edward Fields wool pile rug ($200-1,000) from Winston’s New York City apartment. The rug, having a cream-colored ground with black curved line details and measuring 112 by 88 inches, is expected to be a standout in the auction along with a large vintage Venetian glass wall mirror ($100-500) with beveled glass panels comprising an octagonal shape, 49 inches tall.

Midcentury Modern continues to be a highly desirable market segment today and highlighting the furniture category here is a Hans Wegner for PP Mobler halyard lounge chair ($500-2,000) with a plaited halyard seat and back along with a sheepskin cushion.

Fine art from Winston’s estate ranges from a signed Richard Quinn acrylic on canvas in the Abstract Expressionist style from 1990 to a signed Davis Cone/Roxy Day serigraph depicting a town street with several storefronts and the town’s theater, the Roxy, the town’s movie theater. Each is estimated at $100-500. Also crossing the block is a signed Peter Astrom acrylic on canvas ($2/10,000) of an abstract composition with forceful brushstrokes against a vivid blue background with a dark indigo loose line intertwined on itself creating free form shapes, 76 by 68 inches.

Rounding out the auction are a Modernist crystal sculpture of a man and woman embracing, set on a black wood base, 18½ inches tall; a group of four Baccarat cut crystal goblets and a copy of Paul McCartney’s book Paintings, autographed by the author and lead singer of The Beatles. Each is estimated at $100-500.

Monthly Red Carpet sales here feature choice collections of antique, Midcentury Modern, brand furnishings, sterling, china, crystal, jewelry and fine art. With a mission of  “to donate, to discover and to do good,” the foundation is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit and auction proceeds support community organizations. Consignors get a tax deduction, the buyer gets a great deal and local non-profits get much needed funds.

The auction gallery is at 185 Kisco Ave, Suite 201. For more information, https://www.thebenefitshop.org or 914-864-0707.