New York – Christie’s continued its series of auctions today with Design, a live various-owner sale of more than 170 fine objects from the 20^th and 21^st centuries. The sale saw lively and engaged bidding throughout, realizing $17,667,216 and selling 91% by value and 154% hammer above low estimate. This stands as the highest total for a various owner Design sale at Christie’s. Combined with Monday’s auction, The Spirit of Paris: An Important Private Collection of 1920s & 1930s Design, the running total for the week of design sales is $29,177,286. Design sales will continue on Friday with Tiffany Masterworks from the Garden Museum: A Private Collection.

The Design sale was led by 'Table Berceau, modèle aux Renards' by Diego Giacometti from a distinguished New York Collection, originally commissioned by Lee Kolker and with a detailed with a fox motif. Estimated at $1,400,000-1,800,000, the lot far surpassed its high estimate to sell for $3,180,000. Other leading highlights included two lots by François-Xavier Lalanne, both of which doubled their high estimates: an exceptional ‘Table aux Antilopes’ realized $3,060,000 against an estimate of $1,000,000 – 1,500,000 and a flock of three ‘Moutons de Pierre’ achieved $1,320,000 against an estimate of $400,000 – 600,000. The rare white ceramic low table by Georges Jouve from the Collection of Annette Friedland sold for an impressive $441,000 against an estimate of $100,000-150,000. The iconic ‘Mesa’ Table by T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings achieved a world record for the artist, selling for $428,400, more than double its low estimate of $200,000.

The Miottel Museum: Highlights from the S.S. Normandie, a notable group within the sale, collectively sold for $1,228,500—more than doubling its high estimate of $500,000. The collection was led by a Jean Dupas Panel from the Mural ‘The Rape of Europa’ from the Salon of the S.S. Normandie, circa 1934, which sold for $302,400, ten times its high estimate of $30,000.

Daphné Riou, Senior Specialist, Head of Design, Christie’s Americas,  comments: “At Christie’s, we are truly honored to steward the most exquisite design objects of the finest provenance from the 20th and 21st centuries. With several important private collections and impeccable provenances, the results of this sale demonstrate the strength of the market for exceptional quality and rarity. We were thrilled to see superb results throughout the sale, led by the spectacular Diego Giacometti table from a distinguished New York collection, which sold for more than $3.1 million and the unique Lalanne ‘Table aux Antilopes’ which achieved more than $3 million.”