“Ahmet and Mica Ertegun are comets in the peopled New York sky. Flashing on their own trajectory, they leave a trail of sparks behind, sparks they strike by themselves, from other people, or simply out of the atmosphere,” wrote Polly Devlin in an article showcasing the Erteguns’ New York apartment in Vogue’s August 1969 feature. Decades after Devlin introduced Vogue readers to their starry, handsome lives—each hoisted themselves up to the highest echelons of art, design, and music as sought-after tastemakers—the late power couple leaves behind a legacy of their famously good taste. And a slice of it is now up for auction at Christie’s. The sale, Mica: The Collection of Mica Ertegun, begins on November 19 with the Erteguns’ collection of art and will continue with jewelry, design, and decorative arts on December 10 in New York and December 13 in Paris.
In Mica’s interiors, we’re given a masterclass in living with art. Beauty should be abundant but never crowded—she understood the power of negative space—and antiques should be countered with modernity. When she merged two properties in Bodrum to create a holiday Turkish home, she incorporated traditional woodwork and inlaid furniture with the balance of a tightrope walker. Whether you’re a novice homemaker or you’re ready to raise your paddle for one of Mica's treasures at the Christie’s, these are all lessons worth knowing. |
