PARIS.- Held twice a year across three global art market capitals, Christie's Collections Paris | London | New York auction returns for a new edition in the fall of 2026. A highlight of the Paris leg of the auction, which will be held online from September 18 to October 1, the sale of Mrs. Franoise Lambert's collection will benefit the Socit des Amis de Versailles. This collection brings together old and modern paintings, antiques, 18th-century French silverware, as well as an interesting selection of furniture and chairs designed by Gourdin, Jacob, Sen, Leleu, and Riesener, among others. This collection, with an estimated value approaching one million euros, complements Mrs. Lambert's bequest for the refurnishing of the Palace of Versailles. As the sole beneficiary of Mrs. Lambert's estate, the Socit des Amis de Versailles has, since its founding in 1907, worked to involve the general public in the preservation and vitality of the chteau de Versailles. It enables lovers of Versailles to share their passion and get involved in philanthropic initiatives. Through this donation, Ms. Franoise Lambert joins a long line of generous donors from around the world who contribute each year to preserving the unparalleled beauty of Versailles. One of the first sites to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979, Versailles is a place where all the arts reach their zenith. Some love it for its architecture or the sumptuous decor of the royal apartments; others for its famous French gardens or the Trianon estate. Through this auction, Christie's is pleased to pay tribute to this truly unique place, to the Society of Friends of Versailles, and to all of its generous donors.
“Mrs. Lambert's generosity provides the Society of Friends of Versailles with the means to pursue one of its primary missions: an ambitious acquisition policy, including the refurnishing of the Chteau with royal furnishings.” -- Jrme Plouseau, President of the Society of Friends of Versailles
Franoise and Guy Lambert
Born in 1937 in Paris, Franoise Lambert comes from a family with a deep love for literature, the arts, and culture. She shares her husband's, Guy Lambert's, passions for bibliophilia, classical music, and travel. Reflecting their shared love for the arts, this couple of aesthetes has tastefully furnished their apartment. Mr. and Mrs. Lambert have enriched their eclectic collection with rare objects steeped in history. Period furniture from the Louis XV, Louis XVI, and Directoire eras, an impressive collection of books, and a remarkable collection of miniatures and engravings on the theme of the French Revolution are all brought together in this apartment. In the online auction taking place from September 18 to October 1, a selection of works reflecting the taste of this couple of refined collectors will be featured. Among them are a bronze helmet from ancient Greece, a rare teapot with twisted sides by Antoine Dutry from 1769, a pair of Louis XV-period armchairs, stamped Jean-Baptiste Gourdin, a Louis XVI-period console table signed Riesener, a View of the Rialto Bridge by the Master of the Langmatt Foundation, and A Mill in Montmartre by Maurice Utrillo.
Having spent time with many Friends of Versailles who passed on their passion for the Palace to her,Mrs. Lambert wished that all the items offered at this auction be used, in accordance with her wishes, to enrich the furnishings of the Palace of Versailles. Through this refurnishing effort, Madame Lambert specified that she wanted to help bring the royal apartments back to life by recreating the atmosphere of lived-in spaces and contributing to the acquisition of furniture and works of art.
The Society of Friends of Versailles
The Society of Friends of Versailles was founded in 1907 by Pierre de Nolhac, curator of the Chteau, Alexandre Millerand, and Raymond Poincar—both of whom would later become French President. Their goal was to engage the general public in the preservation and restoration of the Chteau de Versailles, which had fallen into disrepair at the time. Since its founding, the Society of Friends of Versailles has enabled lovers of Versailles to share their passion and get involved in philanthropic initiatives. Over the past 119 years, the Society of Friends of Versailles has funded 150 restoration projects and more than 500 acquisitions. Over the past ten years, the Society of Friends of Versailles has contributed an average of €1.6 million annually in philanthropic support to the Chteau de Versailles.
