PARIS.- On 7 October 2021, the Annie et Jean Dalsace: Collections de la Maison de Verre auction realised a total of €15,332,125 / £13,093,190 / $17,754,366, more than three times the high estimate and selling 100% by lot. The collection attracted bidders from all over the world (registered bidders from 23 countries), paying one last tribute to Annie and Jean Dalsace and their avant-garde collection. This sale achieved the highest price for any Pierre Chareau ensemble and established two new world auction records for Pierre Chareau’s MB 624 desk and the MF1002 armchair.

In 1918, the Dalsace’s commissioned Pierre Chareau for - what is today considered as his masterpiece - La Maison de Verre, a landmark of modern architecture inspiring generations upon generations of designers. It was a close friendship, a true intellectual and emotional affinity, an unwavering trust that linked the Bernheim-Dalsace family and Dollie and Pierre Chareau.

The top lot of the auction was the MB 624 desk, crystallizing Pierre Chareau’s creative approach, which achieved €812,000, making it the most expensive desk by Pierre Chareau ever sold at auction.

Among the leading lots of this sale were, Verre, a remarkable canvas by Georges Braque sold for €800,000, establishing the highest price for the artist in France this year. Most artworks surpassed their pre-sale estimations such as Le Grand Magasin ou le Marché by Massimo Campigli, the latter selling for €400,000, the highest price for an artwork by the artist sold in France, or Ohne Titel by Max Ernst, which realised €187,500 and Guitare et compotier by Pablo Picasso, which sold for €212,500 against a pre-sale estimate of €60,000.

The 51 lots by Pierre Chareau, the largest ensemble by the designer ever offered at auction, achieved an outstanding total of €10,854,500. Among them to be mentioned are four pieces inspired by Jean Lurçat’s work, which attracted high attention from the bidders and totalled €1,729,000, including the pair of Bergères MF1002 realising €993,000 – establishing a new world auction record for an armchair by Pierre Chareau or the sofa MP169 realising €200,000 and last but not least the screen Les Arlequins achieving €536,000.

Further highlights of the sale include the Miroir éclairant MG 311, which achieved €644,000, almost 10 times higher than the estimate and the superb pair of armchairs MF 219, selling for €620,000, more than 3 times higher than their estimate.

The Centre Pompidou pre-empted the Table Diabolo SN 14 for €137,500 and the Jardinière PF 35 for €52,500, underlining once again the importance of Pierre Chareau’s work and high quality of the Dalsace Collection.

Cécile Verdier, President of Christie’s France: “It was such a privilege to present the historic collections from the Maison de Verre at Christie’s. After a very successful public exhibition in our Paris’ galleries, we are very pleased with the results achieved today which will remain for long a reference for the Pierre Chareau market. We want to thank deeply Marc Vellay, grandson of Annie and Jean Dalsace, and the Dalsace-Vellay family, who have entrusted us with their splendid collection in honour of this galaxy of avant-garde thinkers.”

Agathe de Bazin, Head of the sale : "The historic results of the Collection Annie et Jean Dalsace highlight the extraordinary provenance and high quality of the collection. These unique pieces brought together international collectors from all around the world, and the Art Deco masterpieces from the collection achieved exceptional results, well beyond their estimates. We are deeply touched to have honoured the legacy of Annie and Jean Dalsace and paid tribute to the fascinating history of the Maison de Verre."

On 2nd and 3rd November, Christie’s will present another exceptional design collection : the Daniel Lebard Collection. With more than 300 lots estimated between 13 and 19 million euros, this collection will offer a historic perspective on the most important designers of the 20th century, including works by Pierre Chareau, Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Matthieu Matégot and Serge Mouille.