September 24, 2016

LONG ON STYLE… THE COLLECTION OF PHILLIPS HATHAWAY, “RAGAMONT HOUSE”, SALISBURY, CT

Phillips “Pete” Hathaway was raised in the country outside Baltimore, Maryland in a house filled with lovely 18th Century English furniture and decorative arts. His “eye” began to be formed by summers spent traveling abroad with his family. After attending Franklin College in Lugano, Switzerland, he trained with Christie’s in London.

He returned to New York in 1984 to head up the 18th Century Continental Furniture department at Sotheby’s. While at Sotheby’s, he was responsible for some of their record breaking “celebrity” auctions, such as the collections of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, Antenor Patino, Andy Warhol, Greta Garbo, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Alberto Pinto, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Gianni Versace as well as many other prominent collections.

He hosted many a cocktail and dinner party in his bespoke Park Avenue apartment that the beau monde attended. His apartment was designed by M (Group) partners, Carey Maloney and Hermes Mallea, and it appeared in House & Garden in the early 90’s filled with treasures he purchased at auction and through his travels.

Pete purchased the historic Greek Revival Ragamont House in 2002 and began a two-year renovation on the derelict historic landmark building. He designed his Connecticut home with the same cultivated eye he did his New York apartment. He moved the exotic portrait of the Newab of Arcot from his living room on Park to his library in Salisbury, and it worked, along with his Bill Blass collection purchase of a watercolor of an Italian Grenadier and his dog, various figural and abstract drawings, various Georgian furniture and silver, and exotic Turkish and Bessarabian carpets. His collection offers a fascinating glimpse into his eclectic past. Pete and his residences have appeared in Art & Auction, Elle Décor, Town and Country, Travel and Leisure, House & Garden, Architectural Digest and W.

Pete and his Executive Chef, Bruce Young, are the owners of Hathaway Young, Specialty Foods in Millerton, New York, which is their latest business venture in the culinary world in addition to owning and operating the successful catering and special events company of the same name.

For over twelve years, Pete has been a philanthropic member of the Northwest Corner of Connecticut community, where he has opened Ragamont’s doors for a number of local charities, including worthy causes such as The Women’s Support Services, The Scoville Library, Housatonic Youth Services Bureau and Salisbury Family Services. Pete is a member of the board of The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Middendorf Foundation, and a founding member of “The Dream Team” at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital in New York City.

Stair Galleries will be offering for sale selections from the Collection of Phillips Hathaway on September 24, 2016.

For inquiries regarding the items in this sale please contact us at 518-751-1000 or info@stairgalleries.com.

Further reading:

• Ragamont Offers Luxe Private Dining in a Stately, Storied Salisbury Manse, Litchfield County Times