Eager collectors quickly learn that there is always someone with a more valuable painting, a more desirable collectible, a more fabulous piece of antique furniture, even a better door knocker. In the latter case there was no keeping up with the late couturier Hubert de Givenchy. He had the ultimate door knocker. It was designed by Diego Giacometti sometime around 1975-80. This marvellous piece sold for €120,000 at the opening day of Christie’s sale of the collection of Hubert de Givenchy in Paris today. There were more expensive lots at this sale of masterpieces, like Femme Qui March II by Diego’s brother Alberto. This made €23.5 million at hammer. A cylinder bureau with a mechanism by David Roentgen made €1.75 million, Le Passage de oiseau-migrateur by Joan Miro made €5.75 million, a pair of monumental girandoles attributed to Pierre Philippe Thomire made €4.1 million. The list, and the sale, goes on. This scribe always thought there was something impossibly stylish about having a Giacometti door knocker – it was gratifying today to note that that market agreed. As for us collectors, once we enjoy what we have what difference does it make if someone with more money has a better one? None.
UPDATE: The auction of 63 lots realised €83,030,650and was 100% sold
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for June 5, March 10 and February 2, 2022)
Diego Giacometti designed door knocker (€80,000-120,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR €151,200
The almost unbelievable style involved in owning a door knocker by Diego Giacometti speaks volumes about Hubert de Givenchy – a collector with a unique taste for mixing and matching modernity and classicism.
Deeply rooted in the culture of his country the world renowned couturier always considered furniture in dialogue with works of art. His magnificent homes – Hôtel d’Orrouer in Paris and Château du Jonchet in the Loire Valley – display the fruits of this hugely successful quest for an ideal of classical beauty. Starting this week the collection of Hubert de Givenchy comes up at four live auctions and two online sales at Christie’s in Paris. With 1,229 lots of extraordinary variety and richness put together with impeccable good taste the overall estimate is in the region of €50 million. There are nearly 200 paintings including works by Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Claudio Bravo, Max Ernst and Kurt Schwitters: over 100 sculptures with examples by Alberto and Diego Giacometti, Francois Girardon, Francois-Xavier Lalanne and Janine Janet and more than 440 pieces of seat furniture by makers and designers from the 18th to the 20th century.
A late 18th century desk with mechanism by David Roentgen (Louis XVI and the Count of Provence each owned a version, there is one at Buckingham Palace and at the Palace of Versailles. (€500,000-800,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE €1,750,000 AT HAMMER
Online auctions – the art of living and the art of hospitality – get underway on June 8 and run to June 22 and June 23 respectively. There will be four live auctions on successive days beginning with masterpieces on June 14. With a remarkable gathering of nearly 800 pieces of French and European furniture Christie’s promise that these sales will be unmissable. Among masterpieces of classical furniture from the French Regency period to the Neoclassical and beyond is a Regence console from the collection of Coco Chanel who frequently invited him for dinner. A pot pourri vase is thought to have been acquired by the King of Naples around 1780 and a pair of monumental girandoles attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire were made for Tsar Paul I of Russia.
Louis XVI gilt-beechwood bergère stamped by N.-Quinibert Foliot, c1770 with fabric design by Georges Braque (€6,000 – 10,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE €157,500
A Louis XVI bergere with a textile designed by Georges Braque is one example of his taste for re-upholstering antique furniture with modern textiles. He loved the colour green for its calming and relaxing properties and a natural sponge painted in green by Charles Sevigny is a nod to another master of the art of mixing modern and classical works. There are masterpieces of modern art from his friend and collaborator Alberto Giacometti whose Woman Walking is estimated at €20-€30 million. This piece greeted visitors to the first drawing room in the home of Givenchy and Philippe Venet on Rue de Grenelle. A key painting by Joan Miro is titled Passage of the Migratory Bird and there are several works by Alberto’s brother Diego Giacometti (whose door knocker was at Château du Jonchet) and more contemporary pieces by Claudio Bravo and Francois-Xavier Lalanne. It promises to be a sale to remember, well worth exploring online.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for March 10, 2022)
A sale of 27 lots created by both Giacometti brothers will take place at Christie’s in New York on November 12 as part of their marquee 20th century week. Lots on offer represent their crucial contribution to the field of decorative objects, lighting, and furniture.
Highlights include an ‘Arbre Au Hibou’ table, circa 1980 ($200,000-300,000), and a ‘Grecque’ table, circa 1965 ($250,000-350,000) by Diego Giacometti.
There is a sculpture of Giovanni Giacometti, ‘Tête du Père Ronde II’ ($300,000-500,000) and a drawing of Diego, ‘Tête’ ($30,000-50,000) both by Alberto Giacometti.
In the Post-War and Contemporary evening sale Christie’s will be auctioning an Alberto Giacometti Cat estimated at$14-18 million
Highlights will be on view in Paris from October 19-21 and at the Rockefeller galleries in New York from November 4-11.
Diego Giaconette (1902-1985) – Table aux deux oiseau et coupelle vers 1978 sold for 962,500
The Giacomettis of Hubert de Givenchy auction at Christie’s in Paris today achieved a total of 32,748,500 with 100% of the lots sold above their pre-sale estimate. The top price of the evening was Diego Giacometti’s octogonal tableaux caryatides et atlantes, executed circa 1980 which made 4,162,500 (estimate: €600,000-800,000) establishing a new auction record for the artist.
Active international biddings demonstrated the continued demand for exceptional pieces with prestigious provenance. Hubert de Givenchy’s long collaboration and friendship with Diego Giacometti started in the 1960’s when Givenchy met him for the first time thanks to Gustav Zumsteg, the director of the fabric company Abraham.
The armchairs in patinated bronze by Diego Giacometti.
A pair of armchairs by Diego Giacometti once in the collection of Coco Chanel will come up at Christie’s in Paris on May 25. Made in 1963 and gifted by Chanel to her doctor they are estimated at 120,000-180,000. The armchairs are in patinated bronze. After the Libération Coco Chanel fled to Switzerland and settled near Lausanne, on the edge of the Lac Leman. She lived there for nearly ten years, occasionally travelling to Paris. At the Valmont Clinic, which she attended, she offered the chairs to her doctor in gratitude for the medical care received. They have stayed in his family until now.
Paule de Smedt, director of the decorative arts and design department at Christie’s in Paris said: “We are glad to present this beautiful pair of armchairs in our next evening sale. It gathers all the required criteria of the actual art market: works of art of high quality, in very good condition and from a prestigious provenance”.
