THE PORCELAIN 18TH CENTURY, THE MOUNTS SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

The daughter of William Kissam Vanderbilt and Alva Smith Belmont, Consuelo Vanderbilt became a celebrated debutante at her parents' Newport residence, Marble House, where in August of 1895 she met Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. She married the Duke that autumn and returned to England to live at Blenheim Palace, however the marriage was a notoriously unhappy one. After her divorce in 1920 she married her close friend, the French aviator Jacques Balsan. Settling in France, they divided their time between the splendid 17th century Château de Saint-Georges-Motel, Normandy and the hôtel Marlborough, Paris, both of which they filled with exceptional French furniture and works of art. Much of Colonel and Madame Balsan's collection was recorded for posterity by L.-H. Prost in Collection de Madame et du Colonel Balsan, privately printed circa 1930, although these candelabra are not pictured.