A luxurious mirror owned by Karl Lagerfeld has just sold for a record price at auction

The rare mirror from the designer's Paris studio sold for more than 4X more than the estimate

Karl Lagerfeld’ Paris studio
(Image credit: Getty)
Megan Slack's avatar
By
published

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. 

Karl Lagerfeld’ Paris studio mirror from auction

(Image credit: Bonhams)

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

Karl Lagerfeld’ Paris studio mirror, the designer in his studio

(Image credit: Getty)

'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. 

Megan Slack
Megan Slack
Contributor

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.

Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.

Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment.