Doyle New York To Auction The Collection Of John Perona, Owner Of New York's Legendary Supper Club -- El Morocco

Landmark Auction on September 16 to Feature El Morocco Memorabilia and Photographs, as well as John Perona's Personal Collection of Paintings, Furniture and Jewelry

News provided by

Doyle New York

Sep 09, 2014, 09:30 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For thirty years until his death in 1961, John Perona lived at the epicenter of international cafe society as the owner of New York's legendary El Morocco. Hollywood stars, European royalty, South American millionaires and prominent figures in society, commerce and the arts all gathered to dine and dance at the fabled supper club, with its zebra-patterned banquettes beneath a canopy of exotic palm trees.

Interior of El Morocco, 1930s. Image courtesy of Doyle New York. (PRNewsFoto/Doyle New York) (PRNewsFoto/Doyle New York)

On Tuesday, September 16 at 10am, Doyle New York will auction El Morocco: The John Perona Collection. This landmark sale comprises photographs and memorabilia from El Morocco, as well as paintings, furniture, decorations and jewelry from John Perona's private collection.

Highlights include John Perona's personal copy of the El Morocco Family Album. Estimated at $2,000-3,000, this remarkable album features celebrity photographs by Jerome Zerbe and dozens of autographs by such famous club patrons as Marlene Dietrich, Gary Cooper and Gloria Swanson.

The auction also offers over 1,000 vintage photographs of celebrities at El Morocco from the 1930s through the 1950s by Jerome Zerbe and other society photographers of the era. Depicted are Errol Flynn, Douglas Fairbanks (Sr. and Jr.), Joan Crawford, Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, James Cagney, Elizabeth Taylor and Nicky Hilton, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Babe Ruth and many more.

By artist Vincenzo Zito is an extensive group of original caricature drawings estimated at $1,000-1,500. Also featured is memorabilia reflecting John Perona's interest in boxing (Heavyweight legends Jack Dempsey and Luis Firpo were close friends) and car racing.

Certain to attract the attention of collectors are rare El Morocco favors, the complimentary keepsakes that John Perona would bestow on celebrity and VIP patrons. Among these are El Morocco silk scarves and pocket squares, lighters and ashtrays, key fobs, evening bags and costume bracelets.

Fine jewelry in the sale offers John Perona's collection of cufflinks, formal dress sets and gold cigarette cases, as well as ladies' rings, brooches, watches and bracelets.

From John Perona's country estate in New Jersey is his personal collection of English, Continental and American furniture, decorations and paintings. Among the decorations are a group of Tiffany Studios gilt-bronze and favrile glass desk accessories estimated at $2,000-3,000 and an extensive glass stemware service engraved with the Perona family crest estimated at $800-1,200.

The public is invited to the exhibition on view from September 12 through 14. Doyle New York is located at 175 East 87th Street in Manhattan. The deluxe souvenir auction catalogue is available for $35. The free Internet catalogue may be viewed at www.Doyle.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140908/144121

SOURCE Doyle New York