Taste of the Royal Court: Important French Furniture and Works of Art from a Private Collection

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The sale Taste of the Royal Court: Important French Furniture and Works of Art from a Private Collection was well received, realising £6,676,250 /$10,281,425/€9,246,606. The star of the sale was Marie Antoinette’s exquisite armchair from one of her most personal retreats, the Pavillon Belvédère in the ‘Jardin Anglais’ of the Petit Trianon, which sold for £1,762,500/ $2,714,250/ €2,441,063, setting a new world record price at auction for an 18th century chair (estimate: £300,000-500,000). It is the only surviving armchair from the most expensive suite made for the French queen.

Will Strafford, Senior International Specialist and Amelia Walker, Head of Sale: “We are very pleased with the results of this sale, in particular the magnificent Royal fauteuil en bergère made for Marie Antoinette, the only surviving armchair from the most expensive suite of seat furniture ever ordered by the queen, which achieved a world record price for a single 18th-century chair. The results are a testament to the discerning and refined taste of the collector, whose focus on rare furniture and works of art of the highest quality, superlative craftsmanship and with distinguished provenance was reflected in fierce competition in the saleroom for pieces such as the extraordinary Hamilton Palace agate ewer and basin.”