This unique patinated gypsum and bronze cabinet, circa 1935 by Jean-Michel Frank made 3,681,500.
Droves of buyers descended on Sotheby’s in Paris for the first of two days of sales of the collection of French Art Deco dealer and collector Félix Marcilhac. Day one realised a combined total of 14,745,725, more than double the high pre-sale estimate. The auction followed a nine day exhibition visited by over 5,000 people and more than 97% of lots were sold. Nearly 500 collectors registered their intention to bid on masterpieces of Decorative Art. Among the great collectors taking part in this evening’s sale was Dimitri Mavrommatis who bought five lots, including works by Dunand & Lambert-Rucki, Coard, Dominique and a superb pair of upholstered, shagreen and oak armchairs by Frank. The top lot was a patinated gypsum and bronze c1935 cabinet by Jean-Michel Frank which made 3,681.500 over a top estimate of 600,000. There were 11 auction records.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for January 15, 2014).
UPDATE: THE sale concluded with a total of 24,727,715, well ahead of the top estimate of 15.5 million. More than 95 per cent of lots were sold in an auction which achieved a record for a sale of decorative arts at Sotheby’s. Assembled over 40 years, this landmark collection featured Art Deco treasures which had not been seen in public for decades. Many of these pieces boasted prestigious provenance, having belonged to the likes of Jacques Doucet, Marie-Laure de Noailles, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jeanne Lanvin, Paul Cocteau and Jean-Michel Frank, whose c1935 cabinet was the top lot.