Sotheby’s to sell Ariane Dandois’ Property

Tuesday, 14 August 2007 02:30

NEW YORK City - On October 25 & 26, 2007 Sotheby’s New York will present a sale of property from the legendary Galerie Ariane Dandois of Paris. Following a decision to close her gallery space on the prestigious rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré to pursue other interests, Ariane Dandois will offer nearly 800 lots of high quality Continental furniture and decorative objects. As an illustration of her eclectic and wide-ranging taste, the sale will feature both European and Oriental works ranging from the 17th to 19th centuries. Renowned for her elegant and often daring displays at the international art fairs such as the Paris Biennale des Antiquaires, The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair in London, the International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show in New York and the Palm Beach International Fine Art & Antique Fair, Ariane Dandois has been a force in the field for 34 years.

Prior to the auction, the entire 10th floor exhibition space of Sotheby’s in New York will be devoted to a week-long exhibition highlighting Ariane Dandois’ signature taste and style which will be designed by the celebrated decorator Juan Pablo Molyneux. A lavish, two-volume catalogue will be available in late September. More than half of the sale will be offered without reserve and in total the auction is estimated to bring $12/16 million.

The two-day sale will feature works with estimates ranging from under $10,000 up to $500,000. The majority of the sale will comprise 18th and 19th century Continental furniture and works of art, with a particular focus on Italian, French Empire and Baltic and Russian Neoclassicism. The sale will also include a wide variety of objects of the period, including chandeliers, mirrors and candelabras; paintings, drawings, watercolors and etchings from various countries; as well as Japanese screens and various Chinese objects.

Mario Tavella, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, said: “I have long been an admirer of Ariane Dandois’ career, particularly of her pioneering efforts to popularise Italian and Russian furniture in France, where French style has been traditionally dominant. Ariane has contributed to the extension of knowledge about Italian and Russian furniture in particular, and her academic catalogues have always been used as reference works.”

Pre-sale exhibition – October 20-24, 2007. Juan Pablo Molyneux will design the pre-sale exhibition which promises to be one of the great cultural events of the season. His vision will center around the eclectic nature of the collection, inviting buyers and visitors to embark on a journey through time and across continents. The furniture and objects will be arranged in a way that, by their very own nature and by their juxtaposition, will be thought-provoking and inspirational.