I mirrors of Yves Saint Laurent have set a new auction record at Sotheby’s, confirming the strength of the market for Claude Lalanne and for 20th-century French design.
Why did this Lalanne auction make history?
On April 22, the group of mirrors commissioned in 1974 by Yves Saint Laurent was sold by Sotheby’s for 33.5 million dollars, well above the maximum estimate of 15 million. The auction concluded after a lively challenge lasting 10 minutes.
The result set a new auction record for the artist. Additionally, according to Sotheby’s, it is the highest price ever paid for a design work at auction.
Where did the mirrors come from?
The lot came from the collection of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg. The couple had purchased the set in 2009, during Sotheby’s sale of Yves Saint Laurent’s assets, paying 1.9 million euros, equivalent at the time to 2.4 million dollars.
However, despite having homes in New York, Paris, London, and the south of France, they had not found space to display all the Lalanne. The decision to sell also reflects the now museum-like scale of these works.
What other results confirmed the Lalanne rush?
The sale included 16 lots signed by Les Lalanne, the French duo composed of Claude and François-Xavier. Their surrealist, playful, and decorative sculptures are highly sought after in international auctions today.
Among the most notable pieces, a pair of sheep from 1965 by François-Xavier sold separately for 2.3 million and 2.4 million dollars, both double the maximum estimates. Additionally, Pomme d’Hiver by Claude Lalanne, a large golden apple from 2009, reached 8.7 million dollars.
Her other large golden apple, Pomme de New York, was sold by Christie’s Paris on April 15 for 6 million euros, about 7.1 million dollars. In contrast to the new record, these results show a steady progression.
What does the market say about the value of these works?
According to recent data, interest in the Lalanne continues to grow. In December, a hippo-shaped bar by François-Xavier was sold by Sotheby’s for 31.4 million dollars, setting the previous record for the family.
Before that, a Végétale mirror by Claude passed through Sotheby’s in the auction of Pauline Karpidas‘s collection for 3.5 million dollars, now her third-best auction result. Overall, the market rewards rarity and museum-quality.
What was the context of the de Gunzburg collection?
The de Gunzburgs described their pied-à-terre on the Upper East Side as “New York on the outside, Paris on the inside”. The setup, built around key French designers, precisely defined the character of the apartment.
Among the results of the same sale were also a pair of tall mahogany cabinets by Alexandre Noll, sold for 537,600 dollars, below estimate. A sofa by Jean Royère, model Ours Polaire, reached 1 million dollars.
Additionally, a patinated bronze floor lamp by Alberto Giacometti fetched 1.1 million dollars, while a purple and blue spiral carpet by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann stopped at 307,200 dollars. The results confirm collectors’ attention to historical French design.
What will happen to the other pieces in the collection?
After leaving Yves Saint Laurent, Terry de Gunzburg contributed to the creation of the Touche Éclat concealer and later launched the luxury cosmetic brand By Terry. Her husband, Jean, was the chief scientific officer of the French biotech company Da Volterra.
Together they built a broad collection, between art and design, reflecting very precise tastes. Additionally, Florent Jeanniard, co-worldwide head of design at Sotheby’s, described the collection as one of the most rigorous and coherent of our time.
Jeanniard added that the New York home had become a complete artistic environment, where the decisive creations of the great artists and designers of the 20th century coexisted in harmony. In May, a second sale will present the couple’s art collection, with works by Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, and Agnes Martin.
For further references on the auction market, see also Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and ARTnews.
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.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
