Winner of Trip for Two to Forbes Château de Balleroy Announced

Furniture World News

The Forbes Collection™ of home furnishings, traditional furniture and decorative accessories created a sensation at the recent International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina. Christopher "Kip" Forbes was on hand to lend his support by visiting each of the showrooms and meeting with the individual licensees. Additionally, a piper in full regalia entertained buyers while honoring the Forbes Scottish heritage at an opening-day reception of vodka and caviar, hosted by Mr. Forbes. Available at The Forbes Collection showrooms was a "Passport to The Forbes Collection™" contest entry card, with each box representing a licensee. By visiting each Forbes Collection licensee, validating each box on the card, and depositing it at a participating showroom, participants were automatically entered in a raffle to win a trip for two to Forbes Château de Balleroy in Normandy, France. The winner, Rebecca Jessen of Nettle Creek Interiors in San Diego, California, was selected in a random drawing on November 3, 2000, and her prize is a three-day trip for two to the Château de Balleroy, Normandy, France, including airfare. Forbes Château de Balleroy is located in Normandy, France and was built in the early 1600s by the famed French architect François Mansart. There is an ongoing restoration effort under the guidance of Christopher Forbes and the Chateau has been featured in Architectural Digest and other publications. Seven of The Forbes Collection’s home furnishings and accessories licensees had showrooms open for viewing during the weeklong event, some of whom previewed new products in their lines. The licensees include: Harden Furniture’s furnishings for the home or office; Chelsea House decorative accessories, needlepoint pillows and lighting; Couristan fine area rugs; the Austin Horn Collection of luxury bedding, pillows and table dressings; Bettis Brooke decorative mirrors; Paragon Picture Gallery’s fine prints; and O’Brien Ironworks metal garden furniture and ornaments. Their designs are based on the furnishings of Forbes’ two 17th century houses, Château de Balleroy and Old Battersea House. Both homes are known for their historic significance, as well as for being distinguished backdrops of many of the Forbes style-setting social and business events. Ballooning and Fabergé motifs, hallmarks of Forbes style, are frequent decorative themes. Just over three years ago, Forbes began a licensing program for The Forbes Collection to create products conveying Forbes singular spirit of luxury, personality and adventure. The company has over twenty-five licensees in the categories of publishing, gifts, jewelry, reproductions/collectibles, apparel/accessories, home furnishings and accessories. The program has proceeded under the direction of Margaret Kelly Trombly, Vice President, The Forbes Collections, with Joan Stanley, President of J.G. Stanley & Company, the licensing agency. The company’s New York City headquarters contains the Forbes Magazine Galleries, which are open free to the public and house the magazine’s collection of fine art, toy boats, collectibles, historical memorabilia, and the famed Fabergé collection, with over 400 objets d’art and 12 Imperial Eggs. Other distinguished Forbes properties include Old Battersea House in London, the 250-square mile Trinchera Ranch in Colorado and its 151-foot yacht, "The Highlander." Contact Laurie Baker at (212) 367-4874 or email lbaker@forbes.com