Les Collections du Château de Gourdon

Day 3

March 31 '11
Palais de Tokyo
Paris

On March 31 '11 Christies is holding the final three auctions of Les Collections du Château de Gourdon. The morning and afternoon auctions are focusing on the collection's antiques and paintings. In the evening, at 6pm, bidders will be presented with a wonderful collection of art nouveau and art deco design.

This final auction of the collection reveals the dedication of the collector. There are multiple lots from each designer; giving the unique opportunity to see the evolution of a designers career.

Scott Reyburn has already made the connection between Les Collections du Château de Gourdon and 2009's Yves Saint Laurent sale in his recent article in Bloomberg.
One can't help but get excited over the various Eileen Gray lots in this auction. Will we see another record?

I am most interested in the work Gray created for her 1930's Paris apartment on Rue Bonaparte

Meuble de rangement estimated at €300,000 - €500,000 is a storage cabinet, of pearl-grey painted wood and aluminium, composed of open shelves and cupboard compartments, fitted with pivoting corrugated aluminium drawers, with copper pulls, retaining original key.

Christie's writes:

This cabinet was designed typically by Miss Gray to serve both as a storage unit and as an architectural element, helping to articulate the spaces in her bedroom. The drawers that open by swinging out from a single pivot hinge are a feature that Miss Gray incorporated in a number of furniture designs of around 1925-35.

Tête de lit et bibliothèque murales estimated at €300,000 - €500,000, is a headboard-bookcase, of pearl-grey painted wood, wired for electricity and fitted with intergral lamp and pivoting metal table surface.

Christie's writes:

This cleverly considered fitted furnishing element was designed by Miss Gray for her Paris bedroom to serve various potential needs. At the head of the bed is a unit incorporating reading light, controls panel and adjustable side table; and this extends to the corner of the room to meet a series of shelves that constitute an asymmetrical yet balanced construction of intersecting lines. Here are the distinctive graphic refinement, technical inventiveness and practicality that characterise Miss Gray's design process.

With all eyes on Gray, will newsworthy design sales be made tonight?

Tête de lit et bibliothèque by Eileen Gray