Paris, 24 October 2019 - The two-day auction of the personal collection of the late artist duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne drew to a close at Sotheby’s Paris tonight, with an outstanding €91,293,713 ($101,470,223) – four times the pre-sale estimates (est. €15.9 – 23m / $17.6 – 25.7m) and the highest total for a private art collection sold in France in the last 10 years. 100% of the lots offered over the course of the two-day sale sold and 96% of them achieved prices above high estimate.

The top lot of the sale was a monumental Rhinocrétaire (“Rhinodesk”) which realised €5,404,400 ($6,006,828), five times the high estimate of €700,000 - 1,000,000. A unique piece from 1991, this unique copper and metal rhinoceros is transformable into a writing desk.

A world auction record for Claude Lalanne was set yesterday evening, when her Grand Choupatte (“Cabbage Feet”), a large bronze cabbage on chicken legs from 2012, with versions included in the world’s leading museums and art collections, achieved €2,172,500 ($2,414,669) – ten times the high estimate (est. €150,000 - 200,000 / $166,000-221,000).

Florent Jeanniard, Head of 20th Century Design at Sotheby’s Europe, said: “The Lalannes’ oeuvre has a universal appeal which was reflected by the enormous excitement the sale generated around globe. The auction which gathered over 4,100 collectors from 43 countries is a huge tribute to the whimsical genius of the couple.”

Mario Tavella, Président-directeur général of Sotheby’s France and Chairman Sotheby’s Europe said: “The results achieved are testament to the immense contribution of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne to the history of 20th-century art. We are also very proud to have realised the highest total ever achieved for a Sotheby’s sale in France.”

topten_lunivers_lalanne.pdf