Auction Results: 'Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design' at Christies
June 16 '11
New York
Last week saw the Christies sale of 'Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design', featuring 208 works of collectible design from across the world, including furniture by Jean Royére and German master Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Art Deco from Etienne Drian, Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Jean Dunand and contemporary pieces from Ron Arad and Maarten Bass.
The sale also included a piece of one of the most iconic monuments in the world; A Helical Lacquered Iron Staircase Section from The Eiffel Tower, 1889, by Gustave Eiffel. This piece was extracted from The Eiffel tower in 1980 when the original spiral staircase was replaced (the tower was originally conceived as temporary structure for the 1889 Exposition Universell). This, along with 23 other staircase pieces were then either given to French Museums including Musée d’Orsay or auctioned in 1983. This piece reached $92,500, comfortably within its estimate of $80,000 - 120,000.
Pieces by Claude Lalanne continued to sell well, with three galvanised copper and bronze chairs from 1988 each reaching well above their estimates. Each chair was estimated to reach $25,000 - 35,000, but instead sold for $86,500, $92,500 and $98,500.
The highest price realised was for a Jean Dunand piece (circa 1930) - a Lacquer and Eggshell Gueridon. This piece almost doubled its estimate of $250,000 – 350,000, reaching $638,500.
Of the four 1990 Ron Arad pieces, three were sold. Two lots of side tables took just over their estimates, (one lot estimated at $6,000 - 8,000, bringing in $8,750, the other estimated at $3,000 - 4,000, bringing in $5,000). Arad's patinated steel wardrobe came in just under estimate at $62,500 (estimated at $70,000 - 90,000).
A chair of burnt lacquered plywood by Maarten Bass, entitled 'Where there's smoke', 2004, soared above its estimate of $3,500 - 5,500, selling for $18,750.
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Jean Dunand: Lacquer and Eggshell Gueridon (c1930) Estimated at $250,000 – 350,000, Sold for $638,500
Gustave Eiffel: A Helical Lacquered Iron Staircase Section from The Eiffel Tower (1889) Estimated at $80,000 - 120,000, sold for $92,500
Claude Lalanne: Chair galvanized copper, bronze (1988). Estimated at $25,000 - 35,000, sold for $98,500
Maarten Bass, 'Where theres smoke' Chair (2004). Estimated at $3,500 - 5,500, sold for $18,750
Ron Arad, patinated steel wardrobe (c1990). Estimated at $70,000 - 90,000, sold for $62,500
