The Jacqueline du Pré Collection Part II
29th July 2026
The Jacqueline du Pré Collection at Gardiner Houlgate continues on Friday 4th September with a remarkable archive of personal ephemera, offering an intimate insight into the life and development of one of the twentieth century's most celebrated cellists. By instruction from Jacqueline's brother, Piers du Pré and sister Hilary Finzi
The sale features a wealth of photographs, handwritten letters, correspondence and postcards chronicling Jacqueline du Pré's childhood, her earliest musical interests, and her formative studies with some of the most influential cello teachers of the era, including William Pleeth, Paul Tortelier and Mstislav Rostropovich.
Through letters and postcards written in her own hand to family and loved ones, Jacqueline tells her story in her own distinctive voice. They reveal the happiness of her childhood, her experiences as a gifted young musician studying away from home, and her determination to pursue the extraordinary career that would establish her as one of the world's greatest cellists.
Together with both amateur and professional photographs, these deeply personal documents create a unique and compelling portrait of Jacqueline during her formative years, offering collectors, musicians and admirers an unprecedented glimpse into the private life behind the public legend.
The 4th September auction serves as the first instalment of this exceptional collection, ahead of a second auction on Friday 4th December. The December auction will focus on Jacqueline's distinguished performing and recording career, her high-profile marriage, her illness, and the many posthumous tributes to her legacy. It will also include correspondence relating to the memoir A Genius in the Family, written by her brother Piers du Pré and sister Hilary Finzi, which later inspired the acclaimed 1998 film Hilary & Jackie.
Further details of the collection to follow shortly.
Please contact Chris Baker for further details of the sale
chris.baker@gardinerhoulgate.co.uk