THE EXTRA ORDINARY COLLECTION OF AN EXTRA ORDINARY DESIGNER: LUXURY – COLOUR – TEXTURE, THE COLLECTION of DAVID COLLINS at CHRISTIE’S LONDON
- Oct, 31 2014
- By fabricebana
- Artisans, Artists, Auctions, Design, Designers, Exhibitions, Furniture, Lighting, London Town, Photography
- No comments
The talents of the multi-hyphenated David Collins and its manifestations in our lives have been storied in manifold articles on this blog since its creation, and today’s feature will reveal this time not the illustrious and magical bars, restaurants, hotels and stores Collins is associated and revered for around the world, but one of his residential projects. And a special one at that. His very own house and its ‘eclectibles’.
On 4 November, 2014 at 1pm at King Street, Christie’s will be offering at auction the collection of renowned interior architect David Collins. Following his untimely death in 2013, the estate sale, aptly named “Luxury – Colour – Texture, The Collection of David Collins”, crystallises his subtle yet distinctive vision that now pervades the contemporary aesthetic and urban landscape. His imagination and creativity brought to fruition luxury interior design and architectural projects across the globe. The projects created by his eponymous Studio, that carries the designer’s name and keeps his legacy alive and prosperous, represent deeply-textured interiors that feel simultaneously contemporary yet established, rooted in the life and traditions of their respective locations and exemplifying the designer’s extraordinary capacity to reinvent and reinterpret the past. Comprising 200 lots and with estimates ranging from £300 to £60,000, the sale is expected to realise in the region of £1 million.
The official preview being scheduled only this evening, A-Gent of Style was thrilled to be given an exclusive preview and private tour of the exhibition last night by Christie’s sales specialist Jeremy Morrison and Jodi Feder, Brand Manager of David Collins Studio – . As he walked up the main staircase into the Great Room and its annex on the first floor, A-Gent of Style couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder as the beautifully and meticulously curated room sets and vignettes unravelled before his eyes revealing for the first time the objets in situ – principally of or inspired by mid-century French taste, either vintage or manufactured by the Studio – that so far had only been available to see in print or online, and therefore permeated with a certain mystique.
This seminal sale and accompanying exhibition will provide discerning collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to, firstly, see the contents of mainly one unique house (Bramham Gardens, Kensington), to recognise the ultimate legacy of an aesthete before its dissipation to disparate new owners, and also to acquire exemplary works of art, pieces of furniture and memorabilia from Collins’s personal world.
Despite the undeniable sense of bittersweet feelings when the extra ordinary collection of an extra ordinary tastemaker such as David Collins is dispersed after a sale, the tangible sense of thrill and intrigue as to which appreciative acquisitors will win the bids and carry on his legacy and memory through his belongings and creations as well as the anticipation of seeing said objects resurface at auctions in the future (and then find out their new values!) only serve to make us realise that David Collins’s journey to enhance our lives is far from over.
Among the furniture, lighting, works of art, photographs and pictures by major 20th Century designers and artists included in the sale are works by Marc du Plantier, Jean Royère, Fontana Arte, Christian Bérard, Line Vautrin, Ado Chale, Wolfgang Tillmans, Steven Klein (including two photographs from the series ‘Madonna Rides Again’, which were a gift from Madonna), Nicolas Aubagnac, and Mario Testino. These are complemented by works conceived by the late David Collins and his eponymous Studio, in their signature style.
Highlights include a pair of floor lights by Paul Dupré-Lafon (estimate £30,000 – 50,000), a glass coffee table by Fontana Arte (£8,000 – 12,000) and a portrait of an acrobat by the French painter Christian Bérard (estimate £40,000 – 60,000).
To view the full catalogue, click here.
A special thanks to Christie’s and Jeremy Morrison, Senior Director and the sale specialist, and Jodi Feder at David Collins Studio for their help, trust and support.
– Photos by Christie’s, David Collins Studio and A-Gent of Style –
20TH CENTURY DECORATIVE ART & DESIGN at CHRISTIE’S
- Apr, 28 2014
- By fabricebana
- Artists, Auctions, Design, Designers, Exhibitions, Furniture, Lighting, London Town
- 2 comments
As mentioned yesterday on the blog in the article dedicated to Phillips’ two significant sales tomorrow showcasing 19th century and 20th century important objets, today’s post will be featuring the third exhibition of an equally anticipated sale on Wednesday focusing on 20th century decorative art and design, orchestrated this time by leading international auction house, Christie’s. Never has it been more thrilling for A-Gent of Style to witness at the same in London two events celebrating some of his most cherished designers and ensembliers.
It was shortly after meeting Tessa Kennedy last month at Christie’s, South Kensington, at the exhibition for the sale of her lifetime collection (which you can view here) that A-Gent of Style unexpectedly caught sight in a corner of the hallway of a rare Jacques Adnet desk and chair from 1950 in oak, beautiful caramel leather adorned with the designer’s trademark stitching and brass round pulls on the drawers. After some investigation, A-Gent of Style found out the Adnet ensemble would be part of a 20th Century sale scheduled for the end April, which brings us to today’s feature.
Last Thursday late afternoon, A-Gent of Style was greeted by Jeremy Morrison, the sale’s specialist, at Christie’s King Street, who very kindly gave him a private tour of the exhibition (his team was hurriedly putting the finishing touch as he arrived) before it opened to the public the following day. Since the Michael Inchbald sale a few months ago, the space had been split in two distinct areas, both beautifully curated into elegant vignettes, one dedicated to the 20th Century Decorative Art & Design and the other to the Lalique: An Important Private Collection.
The first sale encompasses objets from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements and also post-war and contemporary design, featuring a variety of stylish yet practical pieces suited to the collector, the interior decorator, and the private customer alike. Amongst the carefully selected works are chandeliers, mirrors, wall lights, dining tables and chairs, alongside unique eye-catching works of art including striking Art Deco figures and works in glass by some of the finest craftsmen of the 20th Century. With estimates ranging from £2,000-120,000, discerning collectors will not want to miss the opportunity to acquire quality works by the leading designers of the last 120 years. The sale is expected to realize in excess of £1,200,000 over 124 lots.
The Art Deco selection is led by one of A-Gent of Style‘s favourite furniture designers, Marc Du Plantier, whose ormolu-mounted ebonised wood and verre églomisé occasional tables, one with a mermaid motif and the other centred by a centaur, dated 1940-41, make a rare appearance (estimate £30,000-50,000). Antony Redmile’s 1970s camptastic bust, composed of shells, malachite and quartz, is of high-impact and makes a strong visual statement (estimate: £7,000-10,000). Fontana Arte’s mid 20th C rare and large circular chandelier in gilt-metal and silvered brass, with 40 lights issuing from curved candlearms rubs shoulders with Ruhlmann’s elegant dressing table, circa 1930 in mahogany and silvered metal. A-Gent of Style also spotted Lelli’s quirky and playful ceiling light, c.1954, produced by Arredoluce, in painted aluminium and brass, and last but not least, a pair of lounge chair (deceptively comfortable despite their low back. And yes, we tried them) by Leleu, circa 1960, in silvered metal, brass and upholstery.
The exhibition is on show until 12pm this Wednesday 30 April and the auction will be at 2pm. You can view the full catalogue here.
The concomitant sale is the single owner collection Lalique: An Important Private Collection which will also take place at Christie’s King Street on 30 April at 1pm. The calibre of this private collection bears testimony to the discerning eye of the collector and is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary vision and creativity of the master glass-maker René Lalique, who continues to enthrall an international audience nearly seven decades after his death. Distinguished from previous collections which have appeared on the market in the last decades, this collection primarily focuses on large-scale vases in rare designs and a wide spectrum of colours. In addition to the jewel-like coloured works, there are a number of exquisite hand-crafted cire perdue vases and a selection of significant display items, such as Oiseau De Feu, which features a mythical firebird and is illuminated from below (estimate: £25,000-35,000). With estimates ranging from £2,500 to £150,000, the 83 lots have a low estimate in the region of £1.5 million. Christie’s has been selling Lalique since 1971 and has offered more Lalique at auction than any other auction house internationally. In 2013, Christie’s Lalique sale in London realised over £1.3 million, the highest total ever achieved.
You can view the full catalogue here.
A-Gent of Style would like to thank Christie’s and especially Jeremy Morrison,
the 20th C design sale’s specialist, for all their help and support.
– All photographs by A-Gent of Style and Christie’s –
DESIGN and THE ARCHITECT at PHILLIPS LONDON
- Apr, 27 2014
- By fabricebana
- Architecture, Artists, Auctions, Design, Designers, London Town
- 2 comments
If it is significant relics from the 20th century (and some of the 19th century) you are seeking, you will be delighted to hear that London is currently blessed by three exhibitions and forthcoming sales by two prominent auction houses.
Today’s feature will look at the first two sales A-Gent of Style saw this week. Advance warning: not only are there in this feature incredibly beautiful and exceptional objets that discerning collectors will undoubtedly snap (Max Ingrand’s mirror in big diamond-shaped mirrored and cut glass is a sight to behold) but also a Polar Bear on the loose.
Last Wednesday saw the preview of two important sales coming up next Tuesday, April 29, at Phillips. A-Gent of Style attended the evening drinks reception at Howick Place’s vast headquarters gathering significant and rare pieces never seen together before. Ranging from furniture, drawings, buildings, models, lighting and equipment from the 19th, 20th and 21st century, the pieces cover the Arts & Crafts, Wiener Werkstätte, Art Deco, Modernist and Bauhaus design periods.
Not too dissimilar to Artcurial’s Design of the 20th C sale last May in Paris (reviewed here), A-Gent of Style was delighted to be re-acquainted with some of his favourite designers and ensembliers such as Royère, Ruhlmann, Adnet, Dupré-Lafont, Giacometti, Ponti, Ingrand, Perriand, Jeanneret, Prouvé, Henningsen, Fontana Arte, Borsani, Lelii to name but a few amongst the vast selection of eminent game-players of last century’s design scene. An absolute treat for A-Gent of Style, self-proclaimed 20th century design junkie.
This Design sale comprises 214 lots. Jean Royère’s important and unique ‘Tour Eiffel’ extendable dining table circa 1963 has the highest estimate at £300,000 – 400,000, followed by Diego Giacometti’s ‘Carcasse’ low table ‘petit modèle à la chauve-souris’ circa 1979, estimated at £200,000 – 300,000.
And joy of joy, there is an appearance of a Jean Royère ‘Ours Polaire’ sofa, circa 1952, estimated at £200,000 – 300,000 which will be a great addition to our ever-growing Polar Bear retrospective.
You can view the full catalogue here.
The second sale, ‘The Architect’, was created and curated by American starchitect Lee Mindel (who gave a brilliant talk at the beginning of the evening about his curation), and brings together some of the best designs by architectural stars from the past two centuries in 103 lots. It will celebrate the contributions architects have made to our environment through the furniture, objects, and equipment they’ve invented in response to the buildings they’ve conceived.
Carlo Mollino’s unique and monumental ceiling light, designed for the Casa Orengo, Turin, 1949 is estimated at £220,000 – 280,000 and Jean Prouvé’s demountable entry lodge, from Ferembal, Nancy, circa 1943-1944, has a low estimate of £180,000 – 240,000.
You can view the full catalogue here.
Here are A-Gent of Style‘s snapshots regrouping both sales. Viewing is still in full swing at Howick Place, SW1, today 12pm-6pm and then up until Tuesday 10am-6pm. Both auctions, which will be straight after each other, will start at 2pm. Happy bidding!
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