NEW YORK, NY.- The June 10 sale of Design and 18th Century furniture from La Rêverie: The Collection of Sydell Miller totaled $17,956,500 and was 91% sold by lot and 98% sold by value, with 220% hammer sold above total low estimate. Bidders participated from 28 countries and 56% of lots sold above their high estimates. During Christie’s May marquee sales, fine art from Sydell Miller’s collection totaled $28,636,500, led by works from Barbara Hepworth, which set a new auction record for the artist, and Joan Mitchell, bringing the collection total to $46,593,000.

Leading the June 10 sale was François-Xavier Lalanne’s ‘Troupeau d'Éléphants dans les Arbres’ Table, 2001, depicting an elephant herd gathering under the branching shelter of an octagonal center table, which sold for $6,630,000 above the estimate of $1,000,000-1,500,000, after a prolonged bidding battle.

Top lots of 18th Century furniture which surpassed their high estimates include a pair of consulat ormolu-mounted and brass-inlaid ebony meubles d'appui by Etienne Levasseur, circa 1800, which totalled $1,062,000 (estimate: $300,000-500,000), a pair of Louis XVI ormolu-mounted, pewter and lacquered tole-inlaid ebony and ebonized tables de café by Adam Weisweiler which realized $1,050,000 (estimate: $400,000-600,000), and a a Louis XIV pewter and brass-inlaid ebony, parcel-gilt and boulle marquetry cabinet-on-stand Vienna, circa 1700 which sold for $834,000 (estimate: $150,000-250,000).

Other design highlights include a regal pair of 'Sphinx' sculptures by Claude Lalanne, which flanked the entryway to La Rêverie and sold for $725,000, a Diego Giacometti 'Berceau' table, modèle aux chats, conceived circa 1970 which totalled $637,500 and two unique pairs of commodes by André Dubreuil which sold for $200,000 each pair.

New world auction records were established for Leon Bronstein, We Waste No Time at All ($112,500), Jacques le Bescond, Claire obscure ($75,000), and Peter Schlesinger, Four columns ($45,000).




NOTABLE RESULTS

A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED, PEWTER AND LACQUERED TOLE-INLAID EBONY AND EBONIZED TABLES DE CAFE BY ADAM WEISWEILER AND PROBABLY SUPPLIED BY DOMINIQUE DAGUERRE, CIRCA 1785. Estimate: $400,000-600,000. Price Realized: $1,050,000

A PAIR OF LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED AND BRASS-INLAID EBONY MEUBLES D'APPUI, CIRCA 1790-1800 BY ETIENNE LEVASSEUR. Estimate: $300,000-500,000. Price Realized: $1,062,000

A LOUIS XIV PEWTER AND BRASS-INLAID EBONY, PARCEL-GILT AND BOULLE MARQUETRY CABINET-ON-STAND, VIENNA, CIRCA 1700. Estimate: $150,000-250,000. Price Realized: $834,000

DIEGO GIACOMETTI (1902-1985), 'BERCEAU' TABLE, MODÈLE AUX CHATS, CONCEIVED CIRCA 1970, patinated bronze, glass. Estimate: $300,000-500,000. Price Realized: $637,500

ANDRÉ DUBREUIL (B. 1951), UNIQUE PAIR OF COMMODES, CIRCA 2001, steel, etched and patinated copper, marble. Estimate: $120,000-180,000. Price Realized: $200,000

CLAUDE LALANNE (1924-2019), PAIR OF 'SPHINX' SCULPTURES, 2000, bronze with dark patina, 2000. Estimate: $600,000-800,000. Price Realized: $725,000

NEW WORLD AUCTION RECORDS

LEON BRONSTEIN (RUSSIAN, B. 1951), We waste no time at all, bronze with brown and dark green patina. Estimate: $4,000-6,000. Price Realized: $112,500

JACQUES LE BESCOND (FRENCH, B. 1945), Claire obscure, bronze with black and white patina. Estimate: $10,000-15,000. Price Realized: $75,000

PETER SCHLESINGER (AMERICAN, B. 1948), Four columns, glazed stoneware. Estimate: $4,000-6,000 Price Realized: $45,000