PARIS.- Bonhams will offer 145 lots of French Decorative Arts spanning the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods at the Grand Palais sale in Paris on Thursday February 7th.
The iconic Grand Palais building in Paris was the centrepiece of the Exposition Universelle in 1900, a world's fair held to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. The Art Nouveau style that was central to the Exposition which attracted millions of visitors.
This will be the firs time that Bonhams holds a Decorative Arts sale in Paris after numerous successful Decorative Arts sales in London, New York, Los Angeles and Sydney. The French Decorative Arts of the first half of the 20th Century inspired the world and helped shape the look of modernism.
Mark Oliver, Director of Design at Bonhams, comments: “It is hugely exciting to be taking Decorative Arts back to the place that was central to the launch of Art Nouveau and Art Deco 113 years ago, the Grand Palais in Paris. Having achieved the outstanding price of 277,250 for the Art Deco sculpture of the ‘Dolly Sisters’ by Demetre Chiparus last year,which sold to a French buyer, we are looking forward to offering more stunning works of the highest quality.”
Sale Highlights include:
• An important bronze model of a Wildebeest or `Gnou’ by Rembrandt Bugatti (lot 32) estimate 260,000 - 310,000.
• Four key Art Nouveau works in bronze by Raoul Larche (lots 14-17), estimates 6,000 to 30,000.
• Works by Daum and Galle, including an early lamp with dragonfly (lot 24) estimate 20,000 to 30,000.
• A Directors desk for Hermes by Paul Dupre-Lafon (lot 38) estimate 60,000 to 80,000.
• An important figural bench by F.R Carabin (lot 70) estimate 29,000 to 33,000.
• Four studies by Demetre Chiparus including `Dourga’ (lot 86) estimate 35.000 to 40,000.
• Works in glass by Rene Lalique including lots 109 estimate 14,000 to 16,000 and 141 estimate 13,000 to 16,000.
