The hammer has just gone down on the most fashionable auction of the year in Los Angeles - where Karl Lagerfeld's opulent mirror sold for just under $238,000. The golden piece was made by French ironworker Gilbert Poillerat in 1948 before the fashion icon purchased the dramatic statement furnishing for his Parisian studio. The 63-inch-tall mirror led the Modern Design and art auction held by Bonhams Los Angeles last Thursday, March 25th.
The luxurious home decor structure sold for an auction record for a mirror of its kind. It was also the third-highest price a Karl Lagerfeld piece has raised at auction. The mirror achieved significantly more than 4X the initial estimate of between $30,000 – 50,000. During the same event, an electroplated copper and enamel bowl by enamel artist June Schwarcz similarly broke a world record result. These pieces were originally forecast to sell for around $3,000 – 5,000; however, they fetched $52,813 - more than ten times this estimate.
This grand price tag is perhaps justified when considering Karl Lagerfeld's legacy in the fashion industry. The German-born designer and creative powerhouse was the individual behind the modern face of Chanel before launching his eponymously named label.
In the wake of this extraordinary sale, Bonhams Director of Modern Decorative Art and Design Jason Stein announced the 'wrought-iron mirror designed by Poillerat is a masterful example of 20th-century design,' before admiring its 'symmetrical branch details, topped with golden drapery beneath a spiked golden orb'. Jason also labeled the mirror as an embodiment of 'the finest of the French designer's unmatched metalworking abilities.'
See: 30 chic and clever bathroom mirror ideas
'This remarkable result combined with the collective success of lots from various periods of modern design history—including the group of vintage radios—stands as a testament to the confidence with which buyers are actively engaging and the strength of the market for high-quality objects of noteworthy provenance,' he added.
See: Feathers, fringing and tassels are all welcome in the quirky new mirror trend adorning our walls
We'll be right back; we're just browsing new mirrors that can even begin to compete with the French chicness of Karl Lagerfeld's timeless masterpiece.
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