Press Release

Bloomfield, NJ -- Nye & Company Auctioneers will hold a three-day Country House Splendor auction on Sunday to Tuesday, September 11th-13th, starting at 10 am Eastern time all three days. The auction will include approximately 1,000 lots of fine and decorative arts from the 17th century up to modern day, headlined by items from the estate of Barbara Mallory Hathaway.

Barbara M. (“Bunny”) Hathaway was a World War II veteran and philanthropist known for her green thumb. She passed away in May 2023 at age 101. “Bunny” was born in 1921 and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut and New York City. She was the daughter of Clifford Day Mallory, president and CEO of the Mallory Line, a family shipping concern that was established in 1816.

Ms. Hathaway lived in the same house for over 70 years. Many of the pieces included in the sale were originally from her parents’ apartment in New York City, as well as the William Bottomley designed estate of her great aunt in Maryland. The collection features terrific objects one might expect to see decorating the interior of a classic country home, whether English or American.

Highlights include a Regency inlaid desk-and-bookcase that seems to reach for the sky and is finely proportioned. The ‘smalls’ are abundant and rich in design and flare. There are numerous Staffordshire figures, some equestrian themed, terrific silver, glass, porcelain and lighting. There is also a selection of garden ornamentation including a figural fountain of a young boy with flute.

Bunny’s maternal grandfather was George Sealy, the Texas banker, merchant, cotton baron and owner/president of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. After being educated at boarding school in Virginia, she was named by Hearst Newspaper Syndicates as 1939’s Debutant of the Year. When the US entered WWII, she moved to Washington, DC, where she was employed by the Office of Strategic Services (the precursor of the CIA) and was assigned to the Balkan Desk.

At war's end she married Captain E. Phillips Hathaway, a decorated Marine aviator who had received three air medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross. They moved to the Greenspring Valley outside of Baltimore, Maryland, where they built a French inspired house. Bunny – a passionate amateur gardener – proceeded to design and layout extensive gardens.

For over 50 years the house and gardens were often opened for various philanthropic causes and featured in magazines including House & Garden. In 2013 the gardens were accepted into the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens. Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway established the racing syndicate Phoenix Stables and had many successful steeplechase horses and years of excitement.

For nearly fifty years Bunny served on the board of the Harvey Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland. During her tenure as president of the garden committee, the gardens received the Garden Club of America’s Zone Historic Preservation Award. Mrs. Hathaway was instrumental in maintaining the Clifford Day Mallory Cup at what is now called the Regional Sailing Association and established a scholarship fund for underserved youth in honor of her father at the New England Science and Sailing Foundation.

For more information about Nye & Company Auctioneers and the three-day Country House Splendor auction planned for September 11th-13th, starting at 10 am Eastern time all three days, visit nyeandcompany.com. The full color catalog will be available for viewing shortly at www.nyeandcompany.com, www.liveauctioneers.com, www.bidspirit.com, www.bidsquare.com and www.invaluable.com.

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