Christie’s will bring to auction in Paris the collection of the Château de Tournay, bringing together historical furnishings, works of art, and a rare library of Enlightenment taste.
What is the historical origin of the Château de Tournay collection?
In the 18th century, the Château de Tournay belonged to the philosopher Voltaire, who left a mark still recognizable today. This summer, the furnishings, paintings, and the extraordinary library of the castle will be auctioned to the highest bidder.
Christie’s has scheduled two sales in Paris on June 17 and 18, dedicated to the entire collection: tapestries and furniture, works of art and silverware, paintings by old masters, impressionist and modern artists, as well as nearly 200 precious volumes dating from the 18th to the 20th century.
According to Hippolyte de la Féronnière, director of the Furniture and Art Objects Department and responsible for the sale, it is «quite rare to find a collection of classical decorative arts alongside a bibliophile’s library». The owner has indeed fully restored the castle to house his collections in a refined and coherent context, with the library perfectly integrated into the décor.
What are the most significant furniture and art objects?
Among the standout lots is a pair of fauteuils à la reine in extraordinary condition, stamped by Georges Jacob. Delivered in 1786 for the Château de Fontainebleau, they are documented in Le Mobilier royal français by Pierre Verlet, former chief curator of art works at the Louvre. The estimate is between 300,000 and 500,000 euros.
Alongside these seats, the selection includes a Régence-style writing desk veneered in lime with gilt bronze mounts, formerly in the collection of James de Rothschild, valued between 150,000 and 250,000 euros, and a Savonnerie screen, similar to a specimen kept at the Musée Nissim de Camondo, estimated between 8,000 and 12,000 euros. Together, these pieces aim at a collecting particularly attentive to provenance.
Many furnishings and decorative objects are conceived as coordinated suites, much appreciated in Europe and particularly in Italy from the 17th century onwards. In this collection, they stand out for the quality of the materials, which enhance an idea of cultured and measured luxury.
What role do rare materials and porphyry play in the collection?
The choice of stones is central: Egyptian or Swedish porphyry, along with marbles and granites with intense colors, celebrates the preciousness of the mineral and the mastery of the workmanship. The porphyry, the ultimate symbol of luxury and erudition, worked in Rome, rarely left Italy except to enrich the greatest European collections.
An obelisk clock, interpreting the late 18th-century taste for the ancient, is an emblematic example, with an estimate between 50,000 and 80,000 euros. Additionally, a pair of neoclassical pot-pourri vases, valued between 7,000 and 10,000 euros, and a library table veneered in porphyry, with an estimate between 30,000 and 50,000 euros, complete a set of decidedly rare effects.
How is the table service and Sèvres porcelain presented?
The table occupies a prominent place in the collection. In particular, there are several services from the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, of strong historical and decorative interest, which testify to the role of the manufacture in court diplomacy.
A service commissioned by King Louis Philippe I for the Château d’Eu stands out, with an estimate between 20,000 and 30,000 euros. Another service was purchased in 1839 by the Duke of Nemours, valued between 15,000 and 25,000 euros. Compared to other contemporary complexes, this concentration of high-provenance porcelains offers a particularly rich picture of court uses.
Which ancient, modern, and contemporary paintings will be auctioned?
The preview also includes a section dedicated to ancient, modern, and contemporary paintings. Among the works, a majestic View of Paris dated around 1670 is noted, with an estimate between 80,000 and 120,000 euros, documenting the urban taste of aristocratic collecting.
Alongside this view, there is a vibrant View of the Port of Algiers painted in 1921 by Albert Marquet, estimated between 40,000 and 60,000 euros. Additionally, a pastoral scene, A Meadow in Saint-Briac by Émile Bernard, is offered with an estimate between 50,000 and 70,000 euros, exemplifying the interest in lyrical landscapes of the early 20th century.
Completing the pictorial core is a work by François Rouan, in which the personal technique of weaving is expressed through the interaction of motifs and colors, with an estimate between 60,000 and 80,000 euros. In this way, the proposal embraces a wide chronological range, putting ancient masters and 20th-century research in dialogue.
Why is the Château de Tournay library so important?
The concluding part of the preview is dedicated to a selection of books of exceptional quality. The former owner of the castle, Voltaire, holds a place of honor with his Œuvres, bound with the coat of arms of Maria Feodorovna and estimated between 12,000 and 18,000 euros, in addition to the famous Kehl edition, valued between 10,000 and 15,000 euros.
The book collection also includes the great names of literary history, alongside illustrious provenances: from Montaigne to Maria Luisa, from Madame de Pompadour to Pablo Picasso, from La Fontaine to Léger. All volumes are in excellent condition, as emphasized by Vincent Belloy, specialist of the Books and Manuscripts department, for whom the collector had «impeccable taste and exceptional attention to the state of conservation, a decisive criterion for bibliophiles».
This collection, entrusted to Christie’s for the summer sale in Paris, offers a rare comprehensive view of historical furnishings, decorative arts, painting, and high-profile publishing, where the alignment between quality, provenance, and state of conservation makes it an exemplary case study for enthusiasts and market operators. For further details on conditions and the sales schedule, the official websites of Christie’s, the Musée Nissim de Camondo, and the Manufacture de Sèvres can be consulted.
Image: In situ view of a selection of lots from the Collections of the Château de Tournay © Christie’s images limited 2026, Nina Slavcheva
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
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