NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s December Design sales in New York totalled $12,029,250 on Friday, 11 December, across a various owners Design auction, which achieved $8,063,000 and the dedicated sale of Important Tiffany from the Collection of Mary M. and Robert M. Montgomery, Jr., which realized $3,966,250.

The grouping of 34 lots from the collection of Mary M. and Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. was sold 100% by lot and far exceeded the high estimate for the group. The success of the sale is indicative of the quality of each piece, the discerning tastes with which they were acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, and the continued strength of the market for superlative examples by Tiffany Studios.

The top lot of the Montgomery Collection was a Twelve-Light Turtleback Tile 'Moorish' Chandelier, circa 1905 by Tiffany Studios, which achieved $550,000, more than doubling its high estimate, and setting an auction record for a Twelve-Light Turtleback Tile 'Moorish' Chandelier. The second highest price went to a Rare ‘Pebble' Table Lamp, circa 1901-1904, which also eclipsed its high estimate of $150,000, realizing $537,500.

The Montgomery Collection was also represented by a selection of jewelry included in Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale that took place on December 8. The group achieved $ $1,090,000, and brought the running total for the Collection of Mary M. and Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. to $5,501,095.

Continuing on the theme of strong prices for extraordinary lighting, the top lot of the various owner design auction was Josef Hoffmann’s Important Set of Three Light Fixtures, from the Dr. Hermann Wittgenstein Commission, Vienna circa 1906, which realized $774,000 against a high estimate against a presale estimate of $200,000-300,000. Eileen Gray’s 'Bibendum' Armchair, 1926-1928 claimed the sale’s second highest price having achieved $687,500. The armchair was followed by Gray’s ‘Aum Mane Padme Aum’ lacquer panel circa 1912, which sold for $612,500.