Barry Humphries Collection at Christie’s – Antique Collecting

A rare window in to the erudite collection of the late Australian performer Barry Humphries (1934–2023), best known for his comedic characters Dame Edna Average and Sir Les Patterson will be offered in a live auction in London on February 13, 2025 at Christie’s.

The performer started collecting in his teens, and over more than half a century built a collection driven by knowledge, passion and curiosity. Comprising approximately 250 lots, estimates range from £200 to £300,000, the full pre-sale exhibition will be on public view from 7 February to 12 February.

Humphries’s renowned group of works by Australian painter Charles Conder stars Sand dunes, Ambleteuse, which leads the sale and is estimated at £200,000-300,000.

Elsewhere, his collection includes: the best of fin-de-siècle decadent literature, including an astonishing collection of Oscar Wilde related material led by a presentation copy of The Importance of Being Earnest; 19th-century European and Symbolist Art with works by Khnopff, Delville and von Stuck; alongside examples of Impressionist and Modern British Art by Sluijters and Sir William Nicholson, and Modern Design including a chandelier by Edgar Brandt.

The sale will also offer highlights from Dame Edna Everage’s Personal Collection, ranging from costume and ‘face furniture’ (glasses), to caricatures.

Benedict Winter, Associate Director, Private & Iconic Collections, Christie’s London, commented: “Barry Humphries is best remembered for his comedic genius, but behind this famous figure was a true polymath and connoisseur. His passion for collecting and his insatiable appetite for deepening his knowledge was the driving force behind the acquisition of these fascinating and very diverse works of art. This refined and engaging collection provides compelling insights into the private world of this very public performer.”