The June 10 sale of Design and 18th Century furniture from La Rêverie: The Collection of Sydell Miller totalled $17,956,500 and was 91% sold by lot and 98% sold by value, with 220% hammer sold above the total low estimate.
Bidders participated from 28 countries and 56% of lots sold above their high estimates. During Christie’s May marquee sales, fine art from Sydell Miller’s collection totalled $28,636,500, led by works from Barbara Hepworth, which set a new auction record for the artist, and Joan Mitchell, bringing the collection total to $46,593,000.
Leading the June 10 sale was François-Xavier Lalanne’s ‘Troupeau d’Éléphants dans les Arbres’ Table, 2001, depicting an elephant herd gathering under the branching shelter of an octagonal centre table, which sold for $6,630,000 above the estimate of $1,000,000-1,500,000, after a prolonged bidding battle.
Top lots of 18th Century furniture which surpassed their high estimates include a pair of consulat ormolu-mounted and brass-inlaid ebony meubles d’appui by Etienne Levasseur, circa 1800, which totalled $1,062,000 (estimate: $300,000-500,000), a pair of Louis XVI ormolu-mounted, pewter and lacquered tole-inlaid ebony and ebonized tables de café by Adam Weisweiler which realized $1,050,000 (estimate: $400,000-600,000), and a Louis XIV pewter and brass-inlaid ebony, parcel-gilt and boulle marquetry cabinet-on-stand Vienna, circa 1700 which sold for $834,000 (estimate: $150,000-250,000).
Other design highlights include a regal pair of ‘Sphinx’ sculptures by Claude Lalanne, which flanked the entryway to La Rêverie and sold for $725,000, a Diego Giacometti ‘Berceau’ table, modèle aux chats, conceived circa 1970 which totalled $637,500 and two unique pairs of commodes by André Dubreuil which sold for $200,000 each pair.
New world auction records were established for Leon Bronstein, We Waste No Time at All ($112,500), Jacques le Bescond, Claire obscure ($75,000), and Peter Schlesinger, Four columns ($45,000).
NOTABLE RESULTS
A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED, PEWTER AND LACQUERED TOLE-INLAID EBONY AND EBONIZED TABLES DE CAFE
BY ADAM WEISWEILER AND PROBABLY SUPPLIED BY DOMINIQUE DAGUERRE, CIRCA 1785
Estimate: $400,000-600,000
Price Realized: $1,050,000A PAIR OF LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED AND BRASS-INLAID EBONY MEUBLES D’APPUI
CIRCA 1790-1800
BY ETIENNE LEVASSEUR
Estimate: $300,000-500,000
Price Realized: $1,062,000
A LOUIS XIV PEWTER AND BRASS-INLAID EBONY, PARCEL-GILT AND BOULLE MARQUETRY CABINET-ON-STAND
VIENNA, CIRCA 1700
Estimate: $150,000-250,000
Price Realized: $834,000DIEGO GIACOMETTI (1902-1985)
‘BERCEAU’ TABLE, MODÈLE AUX CHATS, CONCEIVED CIRCA 1970
patinated bronze, glass
Estimate: $300,000-500,000
Price Realized: $637,500
NEW WORLD AUCTION RECORDS
LEON BRONSTEIN (RUSSIAN, B. 1951)
We waste no time at all
bronze with brown and dark green patina
Estimate: $4,000-6,000
Price Realized: $112,500JACQUES LE BESCOND (FRENCH, B. 1945)
Claire obscure
bronze with black and white patina
Estimate: $10,000-15,000
Price Realized: $75,000