Sir David Tang, Hong Kong entrepreneur and socialite, died at age 63 last year after struggling with liver cancer. Best known for founding the Shanghai Tang fashion chain, Tang was also hailed as a discerning art collector for his impeccable taste. His collection covers a wide range of treasures and artworks. Part of his interior collection will be auctioned at Christie’s London at the end of January.

The sale offers 74 lots of Tang’s possessions, including a piano, paintings and designer luggage. However, as reported by Daily Mail, questions were raised given the large sums of money it hopes to raise. The whisper in high society is that Sir David Tang — often referred to as "London’s best-connected man" — left almost nothing behind for his widow due to his gambling debts. Rumour has it that their London house is no longer available to Lady Tang, who is now living with her mother.

Tang also made no secret of his gambling issue. Last year, in an interview with The London Magazine, Tang once said, “If you can gamble with money you can afford, that’s not gambling. I tell Philip Green (the Chairman of Topshop) that I am, therefore, a much greater gambler than he is.”

In 2011, during an interview with his long-time friend Kate Moss for Vogue magazine, Tang was asked about his gambling issue. As he recalled, back in 1970, he lost his flat and everything on one bet because he “thought he’d get it back.”

After Tang passed away, Stephen Fry wrote an article in the Financial Times, remembering Tang as “a gambler capable of losing £250,000 in one night.”

The sale aims to raise at least £120,000, with some of the lots carrying a reserve price as low as £500.

Auction details

Auction house: Christie's London
Sale: Interiors
Lots offered: 291  (Lots 1-74 are property from the collection of Sir David Tang)
Previewing: 
2018/1/15-19, 22-26｜9am - 4:30pm
2018/1/27-28｜12pm - 5pm
2018/1/29｜9am - 8pm
2018/1/30｜9am - 4:30pm
Auction: 2018/1/31｜10am