The Orchard

TED Talks Founder Richard Saul Wurman To Host Estate Sale At “The Orchard” This Weekend

Hey do you want some of the TED Talks founder’s stuff?

The will be a huge estate sale this weekend, May 20th & 21st from 9am till 3pm at “The Orchard,” the Newport estate of Richard Saul Wurman, the founder of TED Talks.

Mr. Wurman once described Newport, RI as “an intellectual wasteland”. In a 2010 interview with the New York Times Mr. Wurman said, “I love living in this house, and I’m not blasé about it at all, but this town is an intellectual wasteland without any sense of humor. I’ve been living here for 17 years, and if you asked me to tell you when I last had lunch with anybody but my wife or someone that came to see me from India or New York or Boston or Germany, I couldn’t come up with a name.”

Wurman’s friend, the designer Massimo Vignelli said of Newport, RI, “You don’t leave New York to go to Newport. You go to London, Milan, Paris. In Newport, you know, there is nothing outside your house. All you have is your things inside, and that’s the end of it.”

“The kind of people there need each other. They need their booze at 5, their costume parties. They need to know who is who, and who married what and how much money. It’s a kind of zoo. In that zoo, of course, Ricky has his own private pavilion, and he never goes out. I think he is considered an alien.”

Quite the interesting take.

Anyway, he has some cool stuff for sale!


FURNITURE: Several pieces of period Biedermeier furniture, 2 marble top commodes, 2 mahogany and ebony armchairs, Frank Gehry Cardboard chair ( damage), 4 fruitwood & ebony side chairs, 4 Eames leather executive chairs ( 2 green & 2 black),3 Knoll Richard Sapper office chairs, 2 Eames DCW chairs, black and ash, Eames molder plywood CTW cocktail table, unique Bronze globe cocktail table, several pieces of Lloyd Flanders wicker, club chairs with ottomans, 2 chaise lounges, 4-French bistro bar stools, two queen sleigh beds,pr. of white cottage style twin beds, white painted bunk beds, Queen convertible sofa, 3 Aero beds and more

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY:  Signed and Inscribed posters by Jim Dine, Peter Max and others,  Collection of Mexican masks, several pieces of signed art glass, several large floral photo montage’s in large shadow box frames (several of these frames, quite large) Beautifully framed Francis Bacon posters, Saul Sternberg posters, graphic japanese advertising posters, many signed prints and more

GYM/SPORTS/POOL EQUIPMENT: Water rower, cross country ski machine, Thai massage mat, 2 folding massage tables, NEW inversion table, two massage chairs one by Panasonic EP30005 (orig $6500), Folding bicycle, Dahon folding bike travel bag, golf clubs, 2 pr of skis and boots, 3 pr of roller blades, several children bikes, croquet set, pool floats and inflatables, pool weights and belts

Other TED MEMORABILIA, several oriental carpets or varying sizes, 8 Kodak DC4800 Cameras (new in box), several Apple computers including one 20th Anniversary Apple computer still in the box, Vintage Keeper Wine Cabinet, 60 bottles of vintage wines, albums, books galore  DVD’s, CD’s, Panasonic microwave, Ice maker, small refrigerators, Thermal transfer press, 8 Air Conditioner window units of various BTU’s, Mosquito Magnets, Revillon mink swing coat, full length mink vest, 2 large dog crates, dog gates, dog stairs, several stainless storage racks ( not your HomeDepot variety), several steel garage storage racks, housewares, glassware, sheets, towels etc

They will accept Cash, and all major credit cards for sales over $25.

Checks accepted with proper ID for up to $250. All items are sold as is. All sales are final.

NOTE: ITEMS ARE MARKED DOWN 25-50% ON SUNDAY