: Important Twentieth Century decorative arts, including property
from the Doris Duke collection and other private collections, saw
substantial record prices realized at Christie's on June 15.
The auction, featuring 156 lots of which 129 found buyers, went
83 percent sold realizing an impressive $11,305,214.
"The sale was an outstanding success," commented Nicola Redway,
Christie's Twentieth Century decorative arts department head. "It
was a privilege and a pleasure to be able to offer such a
magnificent group of iconic material. Materials from one of the
collections offered included several works by Jacques-Emile
Ruhlmann and they totaled $4.3 million, almost tripling its
presale estimate of $1.6 million," he said.
"Similar bidding battles took place when the intricate dragonfly
lamp from the Doris Duke Collection and the rare bronze armchair
by Albert Armand Rateau chair were offered," he said, with
results surpassing presale estimates.
The Model no. 1793 bronze armchair by Armand Albert Rateau, circa
1919-20 established a record price paid at auction for a
Twentieth Century chair as it sold to Manhattan's DeLorenzo
gallery for an impressive $970,700.
A white gold leaf, black lacquer, iron and chromed metal stool by
Pierre Legrain, circa 1921-23, was another lot to establish a
record, this one for the artist, with it selling at $455,500.
Lacquer and gilt-bronze end table by Rhulmann, $388,300.
Rhulmann pieces included a chocolate brown lacquer and
gilt-bronze end table that set a record price paid at auction for a
table by the designer at $388,300, selling to DeLor-enzo gallery. A
silvered bronze and frosted glass table lamp, Jacques-Emile
Ruhlmann, circa 1925, also went to DeLorenzo at a record price of
$421,900.
Another record price paid at auction was set as a Tiffany
dragonfly leaded glass, turtleback tile, mosaic and bronze table
lamp from the Duke collection realized $455,500.
A carved mahogany stool by Marcel Coard, circa 1926-29, sold at
more than double presale estimates going to a Parisian gallery at
$309,900, a decorated and engraved "miroir aure boussois" glass
panel by Paul Jouve, circa 1930, realized a record price of
$298,700, a bronze study by Rembrandt Bugatti, circa 1911,
brought $265,100, and "Léopard au repos," a bronze study, cast
from the model by Rembrandt Bugatti, circa 1908 also brought
$265,100.
Prices include the buyer's premium charged.
