Sunday, November 3, 2013

Felix Marcilhac Collection to be sold at Sotheby's Paris

Hello dear readers.  I read in the French press over the summer that renown French art historian and 20th century design dealer Felix Marcilhac would be selling his personal collection via Sotheby's.  Recently Sotheby's Paris put forth a press release with additional details but scant few images to sate my overtly visual nature.  Fortunately, I was able to take-in a preview exhibition at Sotheby's New York headquarters open now through Friday, November 8th.  Do see it be for it closes.  Here is a run down of everything on view.
Jean Michel Frank, Pair of Armchairs, circa 1938, Shagreen and Oak, €250,000-300,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Marcel Coard, Occasional Table, circa 1925, Ebony and Green tinted Shagreen, €60,000-80,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Andre Groult, Occasional Table, circa 1926, Shagreen, €100,000-120,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Paul Iribe, "Nautile" Armchair, circa 1913, Carved walnut, €150,000-200,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Detail of above  Photo: Aestheticus Rex
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Pierre Chareau, "SN1" Stool, circa 1925, Walnut, €15,000-20,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Glass vessels by Maurice Marinot
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Glass vessels by Maurice Marinot
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Glass vessels by Maurice Marinot
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Glass vessels by Maurice Marinot
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Raphael Delorme, "Repetition", circa 1925, oil on canvas,  €15,000-20,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Bernard Boutet de Monvel, "Woman", oil on canvas, €40,000-60,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Raphael Delorme, "Composition", circa 1925, oil on board, €15,000-20,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Jean Dupas, "Femme en Buste", oil on panel, €20,000-25,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Jean Dupas, "Woman in Fur", circa 1929, oil on panel, €25,000-30,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Jacques Majorelle, "Les Deux Amies", 1941, Tempera with gold and silver on paper,  €250,000-300,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Joseph Csaky, "Tete de Femme", 1924, gilt and silvered bronze on palmwood base, €60,000-80,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
Gustave Miklos, "L'Homme et Son Destin", 1929, patinated bronze on black marble base, €250,000-300,000
Image: Aestheticus Rex
The works are exquisite, and the press release reveals that the sale will have some 300 lots by top makers many with stellar provenances...including Jacques Doucet.  This point brings me to press images that were also displayed including one of the gilt bronze statue below...
Woman with Bird, gilt bronze    Image via Sotheby's
Unfortunately this image was not labeled but the model is familiar to me.  The same model was part of the collection of Jacques Doucet seen at the entrance of his "Oriental Cabinet"within his Studio at Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Jacques Doucet's "Oriental Cabinet"  Image: L'Illustration, 3 May 1930 
Detail showing sculpture   Image: L'Illustration 3 May 1930
The 3 May 1930 issue of L'Illustration attributes the sculpture to Constantin Brancusi but I always had my doubts.  A boldface name like Brancusi would have been featured in the press release....and it is not.  However, the press release does mention Ossip Zadkine and a little research led me to discover that this is indeed a Zadkine model known as "Jeune Fille a al Colombe".  I am very much hoping that it is from Doucet's collection.  The sale is not until 11 March 2014 so we will have to wait until the catalogue is issued in February.  Until next time--AR