Reagans’ personal items to be auctioned in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Furniture, jewelry and cowboy boots are among the more than 700 personal items that once belonged to U.S. President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan set for sale by auctioneer Christie’s in New York starting on Monday.

“It’s the private side of a very public life,” said Johnathan Rendell of Christie’s. “A lot of the things on sale went with them from California to the White House and then came home again.”

Nancy Reagan died in March while Ronald Reagan died in 2004. The auction is expected to generate more than $2 million dollars, with the money going to The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

Rendell said the couple lived modestly. “This is not an incredibly lavish lifestyle. There are a lot of things that relate to their spending time together. Almost everything comes in pairs. They were notoriously devoted to each other and that really shows.”

Among the items are cowboy boots that were a gift from Western actor Rex Allen and embossed with the U.S. presidential seal, expected to sell for to $20,000.

The top lot of the sale is Mrs. Reagan’s diamond and gold lion pendant necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels expected to sell for $30,000 to $50,000.

There will be an online auction for the collection from Monday until Sept. 27 at http://bit.ly/2cUHEvW. A live auction will be held Wednesday and Thursday.

(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Melissa Fares in New York)