Christopher Forbes
Encyclopedia
Christopher "Kip" Forbes is Vice Chairman of the Forbes
Publishing company. He attended St. Mark's School
in Southborough, Massachusetts
, and Princeton University
.
Always interested in art and collecting, he worked with his father Malcolm Forbes
restoring the Château de Balleroy
in Normandy
, France
, and Old Battersea
House in London
, England
. Mr. Forbes has written numerous books and catalogues about art and collecting, including Fabergé: The Forbes Collection, co-authored with Robyn Tromeur, published by Hugh Lauter Levin.
On December 5, 1985, Kip Forbes paid the highest price ever recorded for a single bottle of wine. Hardy Rodenstock
put one of the 'recently discovered' "Th. J." (Thomas Jefferson
) bottles up for auction at Christie's
in London: a bottle of 1787 Château Lafite engraved "1787 Lafitte Th. J.". The bottles had been found in a walled-up old cellar
, and were engraved
with vintage years from the late 18th century. This had in itself been an interesting find for a collector of old wines, but the bottles were also engraved with the initials "Th. J.", which was taken as an indication that they had belonged to Thomas Jefferson
. Jefferson was an active oenophile
and wine collector, who spent much time in France
in the 1780s and whose interest in wine is well documented. The auction catalogue simply listed the value as "inestimable", and it was sold for 105,000 pound sterling
, which as of 2007 still remains the worldwide auction record for a single bottle of wine. Christopher Forbes was bidding against Marvin Shanken
of Wine Spectator
Magazine, with Michael Broadbent
handling the gavel
at the auction.
Rodenstock is currently in court charged with perpetrating large-scale wine fraud. It is alleged that the Thomas Jefferson bottles are fake and multiple experts and various pieces of evidence apparently support this conclusion. Rodenstock has refused to allow the German magazine Stern
to have the wine's veracity tested at its expense. A book, The Billionaire's Vinegar, has been published about the affair, though it has been withdrawn from the UK market following legal action by Michael Broadbent. The film rights to both the book and a New Yorker
article about the scandal have been purchased.
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
Publishing company. He attended St. Mark's School
St. Mark's School (Massachusetts)
St. Mark’s School is a coeducational, Episcopal, preparatory school, situated on in Southborough, Massachusetts, from Boston. It was founded in 1865 as an all-boys' school by Joseph Burnett, a wealthy native of Southborough who developed and marketed the world-famous Burnett Vanilla Extract . ...
in Southborough, Massachusetts
Southborough, Massachusetts
Southborough is an affluent town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It incorporates the smaller villages of Cordaville, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps. Its population was 9,767 at the 2010...
, and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Always interested in art and collecting, he worked with his father Malcolm Forbes
Malcolm Forbes
Malcolm Stevenson Forbes was publisher of Forbes magazine, founded by his father B. C. Forbes and today run by his son Steve Forbes.-Life and career:...
restoring the Château de Balleroy
Balleroy
Balleroy is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:Its inhabitants are called Biardais.-Administration:...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Old Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
House in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Mr. Forbes has written numerous books and catalogues about art and collecting, including Fabergé: The Forbes Collection, co-authored with Robyn Tromeur, published by Hugh Lauter Levin.
On December 5, 1985, Kip Forbes paid the highest price ever recorded for a single bottle of wine. Hardy Rodenstock
Hardy Rodenstock
Hardy Rodenstock is a former publisher and manager of pop and Schlager music in Germany and is a prominent wine collector, connoisseur and trader, with a special interest in old and rare wines...
put one of the 'recently discovered' "Th. J." (Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
) bottles up for auction at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in London: a bottle of 1787 Château Lafite engraved "1787 Lafitte Th. J.". The bottles had been found in a walled-up old cellar
, and were engraved
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
with vintage years from the late 18th century. This had in itself been an interesting find for a collector of old wines, but the bottles were also engraved with the initials "Th. J.", which was taken as an indication that they had belonged to Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. Jefferson was an active oenophile
Oenophilia
Oenophilia of wine ). An oenophile is a lover of wine. In the strictest sense, oenophilia describes a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation. In a general sense however, oenophilia simply refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by laymen....
and wine collector, who spent much time in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the 1780s and whose interest in wine is well documented. The auction catalogue simply listed the value as "inestimable", and it was sold for 105,000 pound sterling
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
, which as of 2007 still remains the worldwide auction record for a single bottle of wine. Christopher Forbes was bidding against Marvin Shanken
Marvin Shanken
Marvin Ray Shanken is an American publisher and founder of M. Shanken Communications. Shanken's roster of lifestyle publications includes Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficionado.-Life and career:...
of Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
Magazine, with Michael Broadbent
Michael Broadbent
John Michael Broadbent MW is a British wine critic, writer and auctioneer in a capacity as a Master of Wine...
handling the gavel
Gavel
A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle and often struck against a sound block to enhance its sounding qualities. It is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a chair or presiding officer. It is used to call...
at the auction.
Rodenstock is currently in court charged with perpetrating large-scale wine fraud. It is alleged that the Thomas Jefferson bottles are fake and multiple experts and various pieces of evidence apparently support this conclusion. Rodenstock has refused to allow the German magazine Stern
Stern (magazine)
Stern is a weekly news magazine published in Germany. It was founded in 1948 by Henri Nannen, and is currently published by Gruner + Jahr, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann. In the first quarter of 2006, its print run was 1.019 million copies and it reached 7.84 million readers according to...
to have the wine's veracity tested at its expense. A book, The Billionaire's Vinegar, has been published about the affair, though it has been withdrawn from the UK market following legal action by Michael Broadbent. The film rights to both the book and a New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
article about the scandal have been purchased.