Entrusted With
Remarkable Lives.
For more than a century, extraordinary estates have found their way to Abell. From the homes of Hollywood pioneers and entertainment legends to the collections of artists, writers, scientists, entrepreneurs, athletes and some of Southern California's most discerning private collectors, Abell has been entrusted with the objects people leave behind — and the stories carried within them.
Founded in Los Angeles in 1916, four generations of the Abell family have entered extraordinary homes at extraordinary moments, helping families, trustees, executors and fiduciaries thoughtfully bring important collections to market.
Some names appeared above theater marquees. Some shaped Hollywood from behind the camera. Some changed science, literature, music, design and American culture. Others were private collectors whose names were little known publicly, but whose homes contained collections assembled over lifetimes. Together, they form an extraordinary archive of Los Angeles.
110 Years · Four Generations · Countless Remarkable Estates
There are auction houses that sell estates.
And there are auction houses that have become part of their history.
Since Abraham N. Abell founded the company in Los Angeles in 1916, Abell has occupied a unique place within Southern California.
For generations, families have called Abell during moments of transition — after a lifetime of collecting, the closing of a legendary residence, the settlement of an estate, or the passing of someone whose possessions carried a story larger than the objects themselves.
Our specialists have encountered extraordinary things behind those doors:
- important paintings and sculpture
- jewelry assembled over generations
- Hollywood scripts, photographs, costumes and awards
- libraries and correspondence
- historic automobiles
- design and decorative arts
- musical instruments
- and sometimes nearly everything contained within a remarkable home
Abell's role has always been larger than selling individual objects. It is understanding the whole.
Behind the gates.
The House Where the Music Never Stopped
The legendary record producer's world of music, art, design, instruments and memorabilia — reflecting a career intertwined with some of the greatest recording artists of the twentieth century.
Discover the story →
The King of the Pause
Property from the home and extraordinary life of one of America's most beloved comedians, whose quiet delivery changed American comedy forever.
Discover the story →
A Lifetime in Black
Art, photography, memorabilia and personal property reflecting the singular career and unmistakable personality of Richard Lewis.
Discover the story →
A Life in Harmony
Art, design and personal property from one of American entertainment's great partnerships.
Discover the story →
The Last Word
Books, correspondence, awards, art and furnishings from one of America's great literary voices, including property associated with his homes in Hollywood Hills and Ravello.
Discover the story →
Bugatti & the Art of the Automobile
A celebrated collection where automobiles, sculpture, design and Art Deco craftsmanship converged.
Discover the story →More Than a Century of
Remarkable Estates
The following represents only a portion of the estates, collections and historically important property entrusted to Abell across generations. Some have dedicated stories within our archive. Others survive in catalogues, photographs, family records and more than a century of Abell history.
Hollywood
Actors · Directors · Producers · Studio Pioneers · Designers
- Cecil B. DeMille
- Jack Warner
- Francis X. Bushman
- Edith Head
- Ann Rutherford
- Barbara Stanwyck
- Loretta Young
- Vincent Price
- Lili Damita
- Sydney Guilaroff
- Janis Paige→
- Penny Marshall
- Gordon Carroll
- Chuck Fries
- Mace Neufeld
- Mark Canton→
Music, Comedy & Entertainment
Musicians · Comedians · Performers · Personalities
- Richard Perry→
- Gene Kelly
- Gene Autry
- Jack Benny & Mary Livingstone
- Bob & Ginnie Newhart→
- Don & Barbara Rickles
- Richard Lewis→
- Carol Channing
- Flip Wilson
- Eydie Gormé & Steve Lawrence→
Art, Design & Great Collections
Artists · Designers · Collectors · Connoisseurs
- Ub & David Iwerks
- Peter Mullin · Mullin Automotive Museum→
- Bob Bentley Lloyd
- Rachel Rosenthal
- Toni Lynn Russo
- Nick Chavez
History, Science & American Culture
Scientists · Athletes · Writers · Witnesses to History
- Louis Zamperini
- Bess Meyerson
- Dr. Thomas O. Paine
- Dr. George Wittenstein
- Paul Anthony Mitchell
- Gore Vidal→
Great Southern California Estates
Private Estates · Landmark Collections · Institutions
- Francis & Marion Lederer
- Pebble Beach Collection
- Larry Flynt
- Perino's
Fame makes a name recognizable.
A collection makes a life tangible.
At Abell, we have learned over four generations that the importance of an estate cannot always be measured by the familiarity of the name on the gate.
Some of the finest collections we have encountered belonged to people the public never knew. Their homes contained extraordinary art, jewelry, design, books, silver, automobiles and objects assembled through decades of curiosity and connoisseurship.
These estates belong in the Abell story too.
- Fine Art
- Jewelry
- Modern & Contemporary Design
- Hollywood Memorabilia
- Automobiles
- Silver
- Books & Manuscripts
- Photography
- Furniture
- Decorative Arts
- Musical Instruments
- Fashion & Costume
- Historical Material
- Entire Residences
Sometimes one masterpiece.
Sometimes everything behind the front door.
An Estate Is More Than a Collection of Lots.
For executors, trustees, fiduciaries and families, settling an estate can require far more than identifying a handful of valuable objects.
A residence may contain fine art, jewelry, automobiles, furniture, design, silver, books, collectibles, personal material and hundreds of objects spanning generations.
Abell's strength is understanding the entire estate.
As a full-service Los Angeles auction house, we can evaluate, organize, transport, catalogue, photograph, market and sell property across numerous collecting categories while coordinating the estate as a whole.
For more than a century, families have trusted Abell not simply because we understand objects. They trust us because we understand estates.
Four generations in one city.
-
1916
Abraham N. Abell
Abraham N. Abell establishes Abell in Los Angeles, building the foundation of what would become one of the city's enduring auction institutions.
-
Second
Robert Abell
The business expands alongside a changing Los Angeles.
-
Third
Barry Abell
Abell enters the modern era while remaining deeply connected to the estates and families of Southern California.
-
Fourth
Patrick Abell · Sean Abell · Todd Schireson
Four generations after its founding, Abell continues the family's stewardship while bringing the company and its auctions to a global collecting audience.
Los Angeles changed.
Abell remained.
And generations of extraordinary private collections.
110 Years of Extraordinary Lives.
And the Objects They Left Behind.
Recent estates & collections.
Continuing chapters in a 110-year story.
Every Estate Begins
With a Conversation.
Whether you are managing a major estate, advising a family, serving as trustee or executor, or considering the future of an important private collection, Abell welcomes the opportunity to speak with you.
For four generations, those conversations have often begun quietly. What follows can become part of history.
Discover what's next.
Receive early access to upcoming auctions, private previews, estate stories and exceptional property.