04/17/2026 General
Martin Halbfinger and his wife Lynn Halbfinger shared a life deeply rooted in family devotion, cultural engagement, love of the arts, and sustained philanthropic involvement. Together they formed a partnership defined by intellectual curiosity, generosity of spirit, and a quiet but enduring commitment to the institutions and communities that shaped their lives.
Professional Lives
Martin Halbfinger was the founder and partner of the Halbfinger Group at UBS, where he built a highly respected wealth management practice distinguished by long-term client relationships and principled stewardship. Colleagues described him as a mentor and guide—someone who led as much by example as by instruction, and whose integrity was central to both his professional and personal life.
Lynn Halbfinger’s professional career included senior human resources leadership at Moody’s Investors Service, where she was remembered for her fairness, rigor, and deep concern for people as individuals. Her work was marked by an ability to combine organizational discipline with personal empathy, qualities that also defined her extensive volunteer and charitable commitments later in life.
Philanthropy and Civic Involvement
Both Martin and Lynn were active supporters of educational, cultural, and social service organizations in New York. They maintained longstanding ties to Park Avenue Synagogue, where both were honored for their service and generosity, and where they participated in communal life for many years.
Lynn held leadership roles with the Neuberger Museum of Art at Purchase College, SUNY, where she was a devoted member—and later a leader—of the museum’s Friends organization. The museum credited her, alongside Martin, with generous support and with helping to strengthen the institution’s role as a center for contemporary art and education.
The couple also supported a range of charitable organizations, including social service agencies such as JASA (Jewish Association Serving the Aging), which publicly acknowledged both Martin and Lynn for their commitment to community welfare and humanitarian values.
Homes & Personal Style
Martin and Lynn made their primary residence in New York City, where they lived for many years. Their home reflected a cultivated but welcoming sensibility—spaces designed for family life, conversation, and the enjoyment of art and objects gathered with care rather than ostentation. They also created warm and welcoming homes in Watermill, Long Island and Miami, Florida where they spent several months each year.
Their residences were known among friends as environments that reflected shared taste: furniture chosen for comfort and craftsmanship, books collected and read, and works of art selected over time as expressions of curiosity and personal connection rather than fashion. These surroundings were consistent with the couple’s broader philosophy of living thoughtfully and with intention.
Art, Collecting, & Legacy
Art played a meaningful role in the Halbfingers’ lives, both through Lynn’s museum involvement and through their personal collecting. Their collection encompasses decorative arts, furnishings, and fine objects acquired over many years, each reflecting discernment and lived experience rather than the pursuit of completeness or trend. The collection represents not only aesthetic judgment but also memory: objects selected in the course of a shared life, marking places lived, interests pursued, and friendships formed.
Following Lynn’s death in 2024 and Martin’s passing in early 2025, these possessions stand as tangible reminders of a partnership defined by mutual respect, intellectual engagement, and generosity. The objects are imbued with the values by which Martin and Lynn Halbfinger lived—care, continuity, and an abiding appreciation for beauty in everyday life.
Property from The Martin & Lynn Halbfinger Collection will be offered across select sales this spring.
Images Top (l-r):
Tiffany & Co. Gold Link Necklace. Lot 17. Auction April 30.
Vik Muniz (b. 1961), White Flag, after Jasper Johns (Pictures of Magazines 2), 2012. Digital chromogenic print. Auction June 10.
Images Below (l-r):
Milton Clark Avery (1885-1965), Stairs to the Sea, circa 1930s, Watercolor on paper. Auction May 20
Kara Walker (b. 1969), The Emancipation Approximation, Color screenprint, 2000. Lot 159. Auction April 28.
Jonathan Charles Walnut Toulouse Side Cabinet. Lot 726. Auction April 22.
