Artist Oriane Stender's Facebook exposé reveals Allan Stone Gallery's $300M estate drama and closure
In April 2011, artist Oriane Stender shared a 2000-word essay on Facebook addressing the closure of the Allan Stone Gallery, which stemmed from a family dispute regarding the gallery's $300 million estate. The gallery, known for featuring artists like Wayne Thiebaud and Eva Hesse, shut down after Claudia Stone lost authority to trustees representing her father Allan Stone's widow, Clare. The gallery's location was sold for nearly $10 million in July 2011. Stender's essay highlights the plight of artists, including herself, entangled in legal battles over consigned pieces classified as gallery assets due to absent documentation. The essay garnered attention after being circulated by Loren Munk and Jerry Saltz. Additionally, works from Allan Stone's collection are being auctioned at Sotheby's, with a sale set for September 23, 2011.
Key facts
- Oriane Stender published a 2000-word Facebook essay about Allan Stone Gallery's closure
- The gallery closed abruptly in late April 2011 after operating since Allan Stone's 2006 death
- Allan Stone's estate was estimated at over $300 million
- Claudia Stone ran the gallery for 16 years after her father's death before trustees representing widow Clare Stone took control
- The gallery's Upper East Side firehouse premises sold in July 2011 for nearly $10 million
- Artists with consigned works became trapped in legal disputes between heirs
- Wayne Thiebaud had his first New York exhibition at Allan Stone Gallery
- Sotheby's held multiple sales of Stone's collection in 2011, with a third scheduled for September 23
Entities
Artists
- Oriane Stender
- Wayne Thiebaud
- Eva Hesse
- Loren Munk
- Jerry Saltz
Institutions
- Allan Stone Gallery
- Sotheby's
- artcritical
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Germany