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€6,660,713
On 16 February in Paris, Art Nouveau was decidedly in the limelight when the
former Japanese Garden Museum collection was sold by American collector for a
total of €6,660,713 (88.8% by lot, 90.3% by value) – or over €7 M, if we include the
three Émile Gallé pieces bought by Reims City Hall just before the dispersion
(Sotheby’s). These originally adorned the dining room of Henri Vasnier, owner of
the Pommery Champagne House in Reims. They consisted of a "Soir d’avril au
vignoble" console table, a "Herbes potagères" table and a pair of chairs. This total
put the sale in global first place in its category, Art Nouveau. René Lalique was the
main victor, taking up five places in the top ten, mainly with jewellery. Estimated
at no more than €300,000, a patinated bronze element from his "Femme ailée"
balustrade, created for the Lalique stand in the Exposition Universelle of 1900,
inspired a battle up to €1,240,750, and went to a foreign collector. This guardrail
consisted of five elements, with each figure in a different pose. A world record was
obtained by a piece of Lalique jewellery at €696,750, quadrupling its estimate: a
"Papillons et chauves-souris" pocket watch from around 1899-1900, in gold,
enamel and moonstones, with a butterfly decoration on the face and a
swarm of bats on the back (photo). After a high estimate of €120,000,
€312,750 went to a necklace of c. 1905, formed of a rod link chain in
blue-green enamel, holding a rock crystal pendant engraved
with a half-naked nymph in a blue-green enamel setting
enhanced with small navette diamonds, and also containing
a triangular diamond pendant. We leave Lalique for
Majorelle, who garnered €330,750 (within the estimate)
for an "orchid" desk of 1903, in carved mahogany,
marquetry and gilt bronze, with two branches topped
with glass lampshades by the Daum brothers
forming lights. This was bought by a European
collector. An imposing baby grand piano of 1903 by
Majorelle and Victor Prouvé, "La Mort du cygne",
swanned up to €300,750.
Sylvain Alliod
€696,750 René Lalique (1860 - 1945), "Papillons et
chauves-souris" enamel, moonstone and gold pocket
watch, circa 1899-1900. Signed.
AUCTION RESULTS THE MAGAZINE
Record for Art Nouveau