Transitional Louis XV/XVI gilt-bronze mounted tulipwood and kingswood maquetry Gueridon. Charles Topino, third quarter of the 18th century.

NEW YORK

Auction house Doyle New York will sell important French furniture and decorations from the estate of Lady Sarah Consuelo Spencer-Churchill, sister of the 10th Duke of Marlborough and granddaughter of American Heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt, on May 15 at 1 p.m.

The exhibition will be on view from May 11-14 at Doyle's salesrooms, 175 East 87th St. New York City.

The eldest child of the 10th Duke of Marlborough, Lady Sarah grew up partly at Blen-heim Palace in Oxfordshire, the 18th century residence of the Dukes of Marlborough. Her younger brother, John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, is the current holder of the title, and her cousin, Sir Winston Churchill, served as Britain's Prime Minister during World War II.

Lady Sarah's paternal grandmother, Consuelo Vanderbilt, married the 9th Duke of Marlborough in 1895.

Upon the death of her grandmother in 1964, Lady Sarah inherited an extraordinary collection of French furniture and decorations.

The collection features French furniture and decorations from the mid-to-late 18th century, with signed pieces by the most prominent EbEnistes of the period, including Topino and Migneon.

Among the furniture highlights are several petits commodes, including a transitional Louis XV/XVI gilt-bronze mounted tulipwood and kingwood petit commode from the 3rd quarter of the 18th century (est. $20,000-30,000), as well as examples by Andre Louis Gilbert and Joseph Baum-hauer. Also noteworthy are a graceful Louis XV/XVI gilt-bronze tulipwood and kingwood marquetry gueridon by Charles Topino, MaOtre 1773 (est. $20,000-30,000), and a Louis XV gilt bronze mounted diminutive secretaire abattant signed Pierre Migeon (est. $8,000-i 2,000).

The collection features many exquisite decorations, including an important set of six Louis XVI gilt-bronze two-light sconces with female figural backplates (est. $30,000-50,000) and a handsome pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze chenets (est. $12,000-18,000). Highlighting the wide selection of Meissen and Sevres porcelain is a pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted Sevres potpourri vases (est. $12,000-18,000).

Outstanding among the Asian porcelains is a highly important pair of Kakiemon 'Hampton Court' hexagonal enameled jars and covers, circa 1670-1690 (est. $20,000-30,000). This pair is similar to examples in the collection of Queen Mary II at Hampton Court Palace listed in the 1696 royal inventories.

Sculpture in the collection includes "Love," a marble female nude by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle (French, 1714-1785) inscribed Pigalle 1771 (est. $15,000-20,000), and a terra cotta of a seated female nude after Augustin Pajou (French, 1730-1809) (est. $8,000-12,000).

The selection of paintings includes many still lifes and landscapes by French artists. The collection also features a Harbour Scene at Douarnenez by William Lee-Hankey (1869-1952), a British artist who is especially known for his scenes in Normandy and Brittany, of which this is an example.

For further information, call (212) 427-4141, ext. 220, or email furniture@doylenewyork.com. To order a catalogue, call (212) 427-2730, or email subscriptions@doylenewyork.com.