Mountain Meadow: A Legacy of Taste and Philanthropy
Positioned atop the verdant Santa Cruz foothills along the San Francisco Peninsula, a Tudor Revival structure by renowned turn-of-the-century architect Gardner Dailey rises amongst the towering redwood trees that surround the splendid property. For more than 30 years, this estate—christened Mountain Meadow—has been the home of Betty and Gordon Moore. Alongside art advisor Tim Corfield, the Moores assembled a collection of fine, rare, and unusual English and Irish Georgian furniture and decorative arts to suit their Tudor idyll. On October 8th, the interior contents of Mountain Meadow will be offered at Freeman’s | Hindman in a single-owner auction to benefit the charitable endeavors of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Assembled over several decades, the collection at Mountain Meadow became a reflection of the interests and personalities of Betty and Gordon as they scoured the world for superlative British furniture. As co-founder of Intel Corporation, Gordon’s spirit of scientific curiosity is perhaps best represented by several clocks in the collection—most notably, an unusual Scottish tall case clock from the mid-18th century, originally built for the aptly named Duke of Gordon (1743–1827). This extraordinary piece, likely created for the Duke’s hunting lodge beside a stream, lacks a traditional pendulum and weights and is instead powered by flowing water. Gordon Moore had the clock ingeniously plumbed at Mountain Meadow using the original 18th-century water-wheel propulsion system to drive the movement.
TO BE OFFERED OCTOBER 8, CHICAGO | A George III Mahogany Side Chair, Mid 18th Century | $600-800
In addition to sitting on the Fine Art committee for neighboring Filoli Gardens, Betty Moore drove the acquisitions of Mountain Meadow with a discerning eye for quality design and emblematic examples English and Irish furniture. From pronounced hairy-paw feet on a pair of Irish George III side chairs to the deep-shell carvings on the back of hall chairs that could only come from the famous English firm of Gillows, Betty’s taste and understanding of furniture would continue to elevate the collection as their acquisitions grew in the latter part of the 20th century and beyond.
The sale of this collection will benefit the Gordon and Betty Moore foundation’s advancement of scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and stewardship of the special character of the San Francisco Bay area, core values of the philanthropic mission that Gordon and Betty continually championed in their lifetime.