Some collections remain etched in our memories. Every day, a - Lot 0

Some collections remain etched in our memories. Every day, as auctioneers, we dream of discoveries like this one. A few years ago, a client asked me to meet some friends and see their exceptional collection. When I arrived at the apartment, I was amazed... A bouquet of Saint Éloi greets you above a Queyras chest on which glass objects are delicately placed. The corridor, lined with chests, Appian paintings from Lyon, terracotta and other carved wooden objects, leads to a Viallat tarpaulin and a Perriand enfilade. The living rooms are filled with ceramics by Jouve, Lurçat, Blin and Picasso, as well as designer furniture and works by Charchoune, Monory, Manessier and Schneider... The dining room is devoted to 19th-century painting by the Dupré brothers, Prins and the Lyonnais artists Ravier and Carrand, as well as to popular art in all its forms. Indeed, in addition to the paintings, the walls are adorned with paintings in hair or straw marquetry and superb canivets. In terms of objects, we're spoilt for choice with numerous snuffboxes, lace folders, Vierges noires du Puy and glazed earthenware by Talbot or Thuylant. The big names can even be found in the bedroom. Indeed, the work desk is by Prouvé, and the "dressing table" is none other than Jeanneret's desk N°9, with a Jouve basin mirror flanked on either side by sconces by the same ceramist. This highly eclectic collection has been shaped by a couple since the early '80s. When we meet, they tell me all about their life as bargain hunters, which is just as fascinating as their collections. Madame fell in love with folk art thanks to her father, and Monsieur devoted himself first to engraving and photography, then to contemporary art. Design and ceramics from the 50s and 60s have always been a shared passion, while in other fields they have contributed to each other's work. Regional jewelry, meanwhile, is Madame's area of predilection. This varied and exceptional ensemble will undoubtedly go down in the annals of auction sales. Jean-Marie SARRAU Associate auctioneer