Sinatra’s Waterford Crystal collection going under the hammer in Beverly Hills auction
THE sparkle on Waterford Crystal may have faded over the years but one surprising fan has come to light.
Legendary crooner
Frank Sinatra amassed an impressive collection of Waterford Crystal, which will come under the hammer in Beverly Hills this Tuesday.
The collection of spirit and wine decanters were regularly wheeled out by his first wife Nancy when the couple entertained showbusiness royalty at the singer’s home.
And Sinatra’s tipple of choice from his decanters? Tennessee whiskey and ice.
He would pour two fingers of Jack Daniels over four cubes of ice — no more, no less — and only drank anything different when he ventured outside his home.
His bodyguards had to regularly warn bartenders: “Don’t try to be his friend by mixing it heavy. He don’t like it like that.” Waterford Crystal can contain up to 33pc lead crystal which makes the glass softer.
This special feature is what Sinatra believed made his favourite tipple taste even better.
Sinatra, one of the defining voices of 20th Century music, married Nancy Barbato in New Jersey in 1939.
The couple had three children before divorcing in 1951 following Sinatra’s multiple affairs. Nancy died in July 2018.
Now Sinatra’s fans will have the chance to bid for items which once belonged to him when Nancy’s estate is auctioned off. Highlights include oil paintings by Sinatra which are expected to sell for between €30,000 and €40,000.
A bronze bust of Sinatra by artist Robert S Berks, given to Nancy by the singer, has a guide price of between €2,700 and €4,200, while a Steinway & Sons grand piano, bought by the Sinatras and said to have been played on or sung next to by artists including Nat King Cole, Sammy Cahn and George Burns, is expected to fetch between €28,000 and €45,000.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Martin
Nolan, of Julien’s Auctions, California, says Waterford Crystal was extremely popular among golden-age stars.
“We have sold Waterford Crystal for Bob Hope, Joe DiMaggio, Ringo Starr, Burt Reynolds and Elizabeth Taylor to name just a few and we will be selling more Waterford Crystal stemware for Doris Day in April.
“My brother Frank and I always enjoy searching for the Irish connection when we go into celebrity homes and we almost always find Waterford Crystal in every home we go into.
“The auction will have a lot of unique lots and they would make a great Christmas present for anyone who wants to surprise a Sinatra fan with something that is one-off and exclusive.”
From items owned by Michael Jackson to the Beatles, Martin Nolan, originally from Athlone, has handled some of the world’s biggest celebrity auctions.
After starting as a bellboy at the Hilton, he worked his way up to become executive director of Julien’s Auctions, the auction house to the stars, and the ‘go-to’ auctioneer for celebrities.
Other famous names to own Waterford Crystal include Vladimir Putin.
Westminster Abbey’s chandeliers are Waterford Crystal while the company has been designing the famous “drop” ball, which weighs over half a ton, that has been used during New York’s New Year’s Eve celebrations since 1999.