GENEVA.- Today, Piguet announced its Autumn sales to be held from 23 to 26 September at 51 rue Prévost-Martin.

For the first time in Switzerland, a fascinating collection of Natural History and Palaeontology featuring a full dinosaur skeleton will be auctioned.

As part of the Autumn sales, Piguet Auction House is organising its very first sale dedicated exclusively to 21st century art with works from the Manja Gideon collection. This collection will be exhibited in its original setting; an exceptional modernist villa in Cologny. Complementing the collection in this ideal interior will be an array of designer furniture, contemporary works of art and modern furniture (viewing in Cologny).

A total of almost 3,000 lots including paintings, jewellery and watches, leather goods, silverware and tableware will be auctioned with a global estimate of CHF 4 to 5.8 million. "We are delighted with these major exhibitions, which are boosting the French-speaking Swiss market, to the delight of an ever more varied public," comments Bernard Piguet, Director and Chief Auctioneer.

First auction of Palaeontology and Natural History in Switzerland
The sales offer collectors and the curious the opportunity to take a fascinating journey back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. Visitors will discover specimens in a perfect state of conservation that constitute real relics of our past.

A 470 million year old trilobite block (lot 302 estimated at CHF 1,000-1,500) alongside many ammonites, fossils and meteorites feature in the sale. A lunar meteorite estimated at CHF 5,500-6,500 (lot 288) is also up for auction.

This is a rare opportunity as lunar meteorites are the only sources of lunar rocks available to purchase for private collections. A Tyrannosaurus Rex tooth (lot 327 estimated CHF 3,000-5,000) will compete with a rare mandible of another mythical predator, the Allosaurus fragilis (lot 337 estimated CHF 32,000-40,000).

The star of the sale remains the impressive Maximus skeleton. It is an exceptional, complete and authentic 3 metre long skeleton of a Thescelosaurus Neglectus dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (70 million years old) (lot 338 on page 1 estimated at CHF 200,000-300,000). The quality, detail and colour of the bones are unique. This specimen is also distinguished by its excellent conservation (overall estimate of the 61 lots in the CHF 463'000-684'000 collection).

The Manja Gideon Collection
Cologny (Large)Another collection, another world, another era; the Manja Gideon collection immerses us in contemporary art, "ultracontemporary" art even.

Manja Gideon, a humanist and philanthropist, built her universe of art in Geneva over a period of 20 years. She tirelessly attended international fairs, such as Art Basel and visited renowned Swiss and international galleries (Galeries G. Bärtschi, E. Perrotin, C. Gebauer, Blancpain, C. Moser, S. Studer, etc.). This passion lead her to collect exceptional works of art and to build a collection. The great names in contemporary art, some of them for the first time on the auction market, will be auctioned off with very attractive estimates on Monday 23 September at 7pm: Stephan Balkenhol, Christian Boltanski, Joana Vasconcelos, Sylvie Fleury, Marina Abramovic, Nan Goldin.

These works provoke, question and test. During her lifetime and in relation to her collection, Manja Gideon said: "The works I buy are like stones with which I build my universe. They express an opinion, a thought, and awaken sensations within me”. She surrounds herself with artists who challenge the codes of art (C. Sherman, C. Parker, V. Beecroft...). Many works affirm the destruction of intellectual, moral and cultural shackles that separate the conception of the body, sexuality and femininity. One example is Cindy Sherman's Broken Doll series, which questions children's impulses (lot 240 on the right estimated at CHF 4'000-6'000).

Manja Gideon conceived her collection in an exceptional environment: that of her villa in Cologny, which she completely transformed less than 10 years ago. Piguet Auction House has the opportunity to display this collection in its incredible original setting in Cologny, accompanied by designer and contemporary furniture by designers such as Philippe Starck, Le Corbusier and Jean Prouvé. Among this selection is a Mondrian 2 cabinet by Koni Ochsner (1933-1995) for Rothlisberger (lot 115 on the left estimated CHF 4,000-6,000) and a Coconut chair by Georges Nelson (lot 76 estimated CHF 1,000-1,500).

Jewellery, Watches and Old Masters also in the spotlight this September
In parallel with these two specialised sales, Piguet Auction House will present 1,200 items of jewellery and watches. In the Fine Watches category, there is a Rolex Day-Date wristwatch estimated at CHF 15,000-20,000 (lot 1212) as well as a rare ultra-thin skeleton pocket watch by Patek Philippe (lot 1194, estimated at CHF 15,000-20,000). In Fine Jewellery, enthusiasts will not be disappointed with a large diamond ring of more than 11 carats (lot 1395, above estimated at CHF 120'000-180'000) or a diamond and platinum Art Déco bracelet by Cartier (lot 1394, estimated at CHF 80'000-120'000).

The paintings and sculptures session will include a fine selection of works by old masters, featuring a wedding scene from the studio of David Teniers Le Jeune (1610-1690) estimated at CHF 30,000-50,000 (lot 724), drawings by Hubert Robert, Swiss Art (Hodler, de la Rive, Vallotton, etc.) and Modern and Contemporary Art (M. Abakanowicz, M. Haas, T. Kantor, etc.).

Finally, the Online sales will include a total of 1,400 lots and will offer a very wide variety of items. They will end on 23 and 24 September at 1.30 pm. The public viewing of these lots will be held at the same time as the traditional sale from 20 to 22 September at 44 and 51, rue Prévost-Martin in Geneva.