Phillips’ September Design Auction Achieves £4 Million

London 20 September '17

“The global demand for unique and important pieces of design was illustrated time and again throughout today’s sale, which totaled over £4 million. The auction was led by Diego Giacometti’s ‘Pair of 'Têtes de Lionnes' armchairs’, which far exceeded the high estimate. Notable results were also achieved for the unprecedented offering of museum quality ceramics. Phillips continues to hold the world auction record for British master ceramicist Dame Lucie Rie, with an exceptional result for the superlative straight-sided bowl, and continues to hold the top ten prices for Hans Coper, whose ‘Thistle’ form established a new world record for this typology. We saw further standout results by François-Xavier Lalanne, and masters of Italian design included Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa and Guglielmo Ulrich.”

- Alexander Payne, Worldwide Head of Design, Deputy Chairman, Europe

TOP TEN LOTS

Diego Giacometti, Pair of 'Têtes de Lionnes' armchairs, second version, conceived 1979, executed 1979-1985

Estimate: £250,000 - 350,000
Price Achieved: £450,600 / $608,310/ € 504,672

Jean Royère, Sofa and pair of armchairs, circa 1949

Estimate: £80,000 - 120,000
Price Achieved: £237,000/ $319,950/ € 265,440

Max Ingrand, Rare ceiling light, model no. 2243, circa 1958

Estimate: £25,000 - 35,000
Price Achieved: £162,500/ $219,375/ € 182,000

Lucie Rie, Straight-sided bowl, circa 1978

Estimate: £40,000 - 60,000
Price Achieved: £150,000/ $202,500/ € 168,000

Lucie Rie, Footed bowl, circa 1980

Estimate: £40,000 - 50,000
Price Achieved: £150,000/ $202,500/ € 168,000

Hans Coper, ‘Thistle' form, circa 1975

Estimate: £40,000 - 60,000
£131,250/ $177,188/ € 147,000

François-Xavier Lalanne, La carpe d’or, 1987

Estimate: £18,000 - 24,000
Price Achieved: £106,250, $143,438/ € 119,000

Jean-Michel Frank, Rare two-seater settee, circa 1936

Estimate: £100,000 - 150,000
Price Achieved: £106,250/ $143,438/ € 119,000

Pierre Jeanneret, Ten armchairs, 1955-1956

Estimate: £75,000 - 85,000
Price Achieved: £100,000/ $135,000/ € 112,000

Lucie Rie, Conical bowl, circa 1972

Estimate: £40,000 - 60,000
Price Achieved: £100,000/ $135,000/ € 112,000

NEW AUCTION RECORDS

Max Ingrand, Rare ceiling light, model no. 2243, circa 1958

Estimate: £25,000 - 35,000
Price Achieved: £162,500/ $219,375/ € 182,000

Arne Vodder, Chaise longue, circa 1950

Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000
Price Achieved: £30,000/ $40,500/ €33,600

Hans Coper, ‘Thistle' form, circa 1975

Estimate: £40,000 - 60,000
Price Achieved: £131,250/ $177,188/ € 147,000

*record for a ‘Thistle' form, previous record price: $75,000 set in 2013