To Catch A Sunbeam

Japanese screens: the finest Japanese painting is on screens, as a growing number of collectors outside this market's usual Japanese and American base is starting to realise. "On a visit to Spinks in London, Aristotle Onassis set his sights on a Japanese screen of such rarity and beauty that today it could not be exported from Japan. He asked that one panel be removed to enable the remainder to be converted into a coffee table for his yacht. Staff winced, and talked Onassis--and themselves--out of the sale." 

RETRO REPORT November, 1988  Byline: Edited by Tony Woolway ALLEGATIONS that Christina Onassis killed herself were rejected yesterday by the vice-president of the family foundation which managed her immense wealth. But Argentinian authorities continued to investigate her death. Miss Onassis, daughter of the late Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, died on Saturday at a Buenos Aires country club apparently of a heart attack. She was 37 years old. A Buenos Aires judge called her death questionable and ordered a post-mortem examination. He said that pills found near her would be analysed. The state news agency ANA reported Ioannis Georgakis, vice-president of the Alexander Onassis Foundation, as saying: "She died of heart failure and we reject these allegations... it seems her heart was too tired to overcome the attack." Her aunt, Mary Onassis, told reporters in Argentina she ruled out suicide because Miss Onassis was happy and content. Miss Onassis, who inherited her fath...

Reading Evening Post  Wednesday 11th October 1978  Poor Jackie O. She married two of the most powerful and charismatic men in the world and loved them both.   She had everything that their wealth could buy. She was - and still is - a woman of immense beauty.   Poor Jackie O, to have had so much and yet so little. For, despite her looks and wealth, she did not have the one thing that countless ordinary wifes have - a husband's fidelity.    Neither husband was faithful to her. John Kennedy's wanderings are legendary, and hurt her bitterly. Onassis's affairs throughout their marriage must have wounded her equally.   "Who says so?" Frank Brady, the author of a new biography of Onassis, whom I spoke to when he was over in this country this month, plugging his book.    Brady, a tall quiet American, spent nearly a year writing the book and months beforehand researching it. He is one of the handful of outsiders ever to have been allowe...

The Political Sale Auction in London (Sotheby's)  ~ Sir Winston's "Garden scene at Breccles" was under auction. It was estimated to have been painted in 1925, and estimated to fetch £25,000 - £30,000.  Note: this was the painting that Churchill had gifted to Ari, and had hung in the Christina.  ~ Cartier 9 ct. gold cigar case with cabouchon clip and an inscription "to Sir Winston Churchill from Aristotle Onassis", estimated to go for £10,000 to £15,000.  Note: the inscription was handwritten, not embossed. 

"An unlikely friendship perhaps, yet Sir Winston Churchill and Aristotle Onassis, seen her touring Rhodes in 1957 with their wives, were fond of each other. Churchill gave the brash Greek millionaire a complete set of his books, and was showered in return with presents which included a gold cigar box etched, "Happy Birthday from Ari". Asked why he spent so much time cruising with Onassis, Churchill answered: "Because nobody else ever asked me". From ONASSIS, An Extravagant Life by Frank Brady. 

Belfast News-Letter - Saturday 27 September 1958 Sir Winston and Lady Churchill who are on a 10-day cruise down the Spanish coast went ashore at Cartagena yesterday.  Sir Winston accompanied his host, Mr Aristotle Onassis, on a sightseeing tour of the city by taxi while Lady Churchill and Mrs Onassis made a brief tour on foot.