Diane Keaton’s personal archive is up for auction
Something that doesn’t happen every day: the chance to own a slice of Diane Keaton’s (very) extensive archive. Earlier this month, it was announced that New York-based auction house Bonhams will spearhead four auctions spanning May and June, offering up the late Academy Award winner’s personal archive. The sales will include everything from plush furniture and, no doubt, a killer selection of hats to red-carpet Gucci looks, artwork and trinkets collected throughout her lengthy on-screen career.
Keaton, who passed away last October aged 79, leaves behind a legacy that extends decades, with unforgettable roles in Annie Hall, The Godfather and The First Wives Club. It would be remiss not to mention her refreshingly individual approach to fashion, too. Often leaning towards androgynous dressing, Keaton became synonymous with bowler hats, bow ties, sharp tailoring, often sticking to black and monochrome outfits.
An artist and photographer in her own right, the Oscar winner’s sprawling collection was carefully curated by the Bonhams team. “Diane Keaton was not simply a collector, but a consummate editor,” said Anne Hicks, Bonhams’ head of private and iconic collections. “Each piece – whether art, fashion, décor or personal object – was chosen with remarkable precision and clarity, reflecting an innate instinct for composition, restraint and meaning.” Echoing her sentiments, Keaton’s sister, Dorrie Hall, said she’s glad the public now has the opportunity to glimpse her sister’s private, creative-driven world. “To speak of her is to speak of instinct – an unerring visual and creative intuition that guided her across decades of artistic exploration,” she said in a statement. “It is a privilege to introduce this collection and Diane’s personal world to you, reflecting not only a lifetime of looking, but a lifetime of truly seeing.”
The first of the auctions, The Diane Keaton Collection: Tailored & Timeless, will launch this Friday, 29th May, and run until 9th June, ushering in a sale dedicated to her wardrobe. Expect tuxedos by Ralph Lauren (think her SS23 suit moment), sharp lines, accessories from Thom Browne and powerhouse pieces by Comme des Garçons.
Next up is a homeware auction launching on 1st June, spotlighting the prolific actor’s avant-garde furniture collection. Featuring more than 150 pieces, the sale ranges from iron-mounted stained wood settees to pottery, Indigenous weavings and kitchenware.
The third auction, titled Architecture of an Icon, will pay homage to both her wardrobe and creative process, presenting the full scope of her sartorial style. Her sequinned Gucci suit and beret worn to LACMA will be on display alongside collages, photographs, inspirational references pinned to a bulletin board and even the original Annie Hall script. The final auction taking place in LA on 1 June, will include books sourced directly from Keaton’s personal library, alongside photographs, objects and original film scripts.
For those who can’t quite afford to jet off to New York or LA on a whim to experience the auctions IRL (so, 95 per cent of us), we’ve curated an edit of pieces that feel firmly within the Keaton universe while we get ready to peruse the sale from afar.
