The immense power of the tastemakers is what the last week sale of Jacques Grange’s remarkable and unparalleled collection clearly demonstrated. Although it has not evaluated in the face of history, we can certainly call this historical event. Grange is an interior decorator to some of the world’s most stylish tastemakers, Yves Saint Laurent, and Caroline of Monaco, just to name two. And he is so much more than that. Grange is a legend. A pupil of famed decorator Henri Samuel, he has developed an amazing eye for collecting, and has been considered the father of the curated interior décor. A true connoisseur with the allure of celebrity tastemaker, the two-day auction has witnessed remarkable results in all categories, totaled $33,323,392. Grange’s love for the work of sculptors François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne was revealed in fifteen examples of extraordinary pieces. The Les Autruches Bar soared to $7,267,729 (one of only six examples, three of which are held by institutions) and the Deux Moutons formerly in the collection of Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé fetched $1,841,833. Alberto Giacometti’s arresting bronze sculpture Masque aux serpents was sold for $602,206; and Alexandre Noll’s mahogany Fauteuil brought $1,067,066. Similar results were seen in the modern and contemporary art categories. Exploring the power of the tastemakers in history of today will be the topic of a new course which I will start at the New York School of Interior Design in the spring. Registration opens next month. Above: Francois-Xavier Lalanne, Two Moutons, 1969, Estimate 500,000-700,000 EUR, Sold 1,569,000 EUR.
François-Xavier Lalanne LES AUTRUCHES BAR, 1967-1970 Estimate 700,000 — 1,000,000 EUR LOT SOLD. 6,191,150 EUR
Alexandre Noll ARMCHAIR, CIRCA 1947 Estimate 400,000 — 600,000 EUR LOT SOLD. 909,000 EUR
Guy de Rougemont OCCASIONAL NUAGE TABLE, DESIGNED IN 1972, REALISED IN 2006 Estimate 30,000 — 50,000 EUR LOT SOLD. 150,000 EUR
Josef Hoffmann M 92 TABLE LAMP, CIRCA 1904 Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 EUR LOT SOLD. 237,000 EUR
Eileen Gray TABLE, CIRCA 1935 Estimate 120,000 — 150,000 EUR LOT SOLD. 187,500 EUR