Clark family estate auction includes works by Monet and Renoir

A selection of items from the estate of the Clark family, one of the wealthiest in America, is to auction across two sales at Christie's in May and June.

Some of the lots, including Claude Monet's Nympheas (estimated at $25m-35m) and Renoir's Jeunes filles jouant au Volant ($10m-15m), will be auctioned at Christie's Impressionist and Modern Evening Sale in New York on May 6.

WA Clark Christie's auction
WA Clark worked his way up from poverty to become one of the wealthiest men in America

The other lots, including furniture and musical instruments, will auction in a dedicated sale titled An American Dynasty: The Clark Family Treasures that will take place in New York on June 18.

WA Clark (1839-1925) amassed an enormous personal fortune from copper mining, eventually branching out into the railroad, banking and politics.

Doug Woodham, president of Christie's Americas, comments: "Despite their prominence among the wealthiest families in our nation's history, the story of the Clark Family remains something of a mystery for most Americans, especially in comparison to their contemporaries - the Rockefellers, the Carnegies and the Vanderbilts.

"Senator W.A. Clark, who went West as a young man in the mid-1800s to build his vast personal fortune in American mining, shared his interest in fine art, furniture and literature with his wife and last surviving child, Huguette M. Clark.

"Across these two generations, they built one of the finest estate collections we have ever had the privilege of offering at Christie's".

In 2012, a diamond known as the Clark Pink, belonging to Clark's daughter Huguette, made $15.7m at Christie's New York.

You can view our selection of antiques for sale here.

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