On March 25, Bonhams, California’s largest auction house, will showcase a variety of modern treasures in its newest Art & Design auction. The sale will focus on objects from major design movements of the last 150 years, including a gilded iron mirror that once famously hung on the walls of Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris studio. Dating back to 1948, the mirror was originally crafted by Gilbert Poillerat, one of the most renowned metalworkers of the 20th century. Poillerat’s commissions famously include an entirely bronze door for the S.S. Normandie as well as the railing for the Louvre’s iconic L’Escalier Daru, which leads up to the Winged Victory.
“The rare Poillerat mirror previously owned by Karl Lagerfeld is among the most special and historically significant wrought-iron works we have come across in 20th-century French metalwork,” says Bonhams director Jason Stein, who further described the work as being “massive in scale, intricately beautiful, and with the finest provenance.” It is perhaps then no surprise that it ended up in the hands of Lagerfeld, who was once described by André Leon Talley as having a “Versailles complex.” The 63-inch-tall mirror is delicately framed in gold drapery and scaling branches, topped with a luminous gold sun. After its life in Lagerfeld’s studio, it was acquired by The Pruskin Gallery, where it later entered into a private collection in California. Now it is listed at Bonhams with an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.
The auction will also feature a curated collection of modern design emblems, including an architect’s desk designed by George Nelson and decorative silver by Jean Puiforcat. (The estimates on those lots are $2,000 to $3,000 and $6,000 to $8,000, respectively.) In addition to the abundant design offers, there will be a unique collection of fine art by a selection of Latin American artists, with drawings by Alfredo Lam and surrealist paintings by Leonora Carrington. Although the auction will remain virtual, a live auctioneer will begin the bidding on March 25 at 10 a.m. PST, at which point bidders can participate via telephone or online. Viewers will be able to join or tune in through the Bonhams website.
