PARIS.- The first sale of 20th Century Decorative Arts & Contemporary Design, held as part of
Sotheby’s new corporate strategy to make Paris its European venue for sales in this field, proved a great success, totalling €4.75m ($6.64m) with 85% of lots sold by value.
Cécile Verdier, European Head of 20th Century Decorative Arts & Design, said: "The success obtained this evening justifies our decision to make Paris the European venue for Decorative Arts and Design. Our aim to mount a sale covering a vast spectrum of international styles, from Art Nouveau down to Contemporary Design via Greek-inspired American furniture of the 1970s, appealed to private collectors from around the world, and they competed fiercely for the 160 lots in the sale."
Early 20th century items enjoyed great success, with world record prices for works by Antoni Gaudí and Archibald Knox. The two-seat bench by Spain's Art Nouveau maestro (c.1890), kept in the same collection since 1972, fetched the sale's second-highest price of €384,750/$538.335 (est. €150,000-250,000). It was the first time a work by Gaudí had appeared at auction since 1996.
A rare silver, enamel and mahogany Cymric mirror, designed by Archibald Knox for Liberty & C° (1901), posted the sale's second record price of €114,750/$160.556 (lot 8, est. €60,000-90,000).
The international Art Deco market once again confirmed the incredible popularity of Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, represented by six lots in the catalogue, with €408,750/ $571.915 rewarding his Macassar ebony Araignée table (designed c.1918/19) – a new record price for the model (est. €80,000-120,000).
Highlights from the 1940s and '50s were, as ever, designs by Jean Prouvé and Jean Royère, who was represented by eleven lots, all of which sold, led by his famous Boule (or Polar Bear) armchair designed around 1947, at €84,750/$118.580 (lot 74, est. €30,000-50,000); and a pair of lounge chairs upholstered in yellow velvet at €91,950/$128.655 (lot 80, est. €15,000-20,000). Jean Prouvé's red-lacquered steel Direction armchair, designed in 1951, tripled its €20,000 high estimate on €60,750/$85.000 (lot 87).
Connoisseurs of Contemporary Design seized the opportunity to acquire the quality works on offer, especially those by Israeli designer Ron Arad: a rare ceiling-lamp from his series Not Made by Hand, Not Made in China cleared high estimate on €78,750/$110.185 (lot 155); while a pair of chaises longues designed by Arad in 1992 and edited in 2003, After Spring and Before Summer, soared to €108,750/$152.160 (lot 156).
Danish decorative arts, offered for auction at Sotheby’s Paris for the first time, aroused lively interest among collectors. The most popular item was Bodil Kjaer's executive desk with filingcabinet on casters by (c.1959) that sold for €43,950/$61.495.
