DALLAS, TX.- In 1925, at the height of the Jazz Age, an exposition of modern design in Paris would come to define the 20th century, coining the term "Art Deco" and heralding a new style that balanced tradition with innovation, the natural with the geometric, and the handmade with the industrially-produced. On May 14, Heritage's Pursuit of Beauty auction celebrates the centennial of the legendary Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes:

"Paris had been planning another international exposition since the 'Universelle' in 1900, and it finally arrived in 1925," says Nicholas Dawes, Heritage's Senior Vice President of Special Collections. "The world united and rejoiced in what must be the most elegant exhibition in history, gilding the horrors of war and kickstarting the modern world. We are delighted to offer several rarities plucked from this period, and this very event, including spectacular furnishings by Ruhlmann and Cheuret and, for a smaller budget, an original show ticket and ephemera."

Meant to showcase France's dominance in luxury arts after World War I, the exposition marked a decisive moment in the history of design. It included 15,000 exhibitors from 20 different countries, and unveiled to the general public many ideas of the international avant-garde in architecture and decorative arts.

One exhibitor, the French sculptor Albert Cheuret, rented stall #33 on the Pont Alexandre III, where he presented his lighting, clocks, and furniture, most likely including this extraordinary Hibou (Owl) console. The stall was no doubt a bit of a gamble for the sculptor, who was less well-known than many of his peers. But it was a stunning success, and would launch Cheuret's career, culminating in monuments for the Montparnasse and Père Lachaise cemeteries in Paris, as well as the war memorial for the city of Cannes. Like others of his generation, Cheuret was inspired by the 1922 discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen to incorporate abstracted exotic animals in much of his design work. His striking depictions of birds (herons, raptors, pheasants or owls) in the angular, minimalist Art Deco style often took advantage of the contrast between dark metal and light stone, as in this console.

Another participant in the Paris Exposition of 1925, the legendary furniture designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, had his own pavilion, the Hôtel du collectionneur (House of a Collector), with full-scale displays of his furniture in palatial settings. Ruhlmann's luxurious craftsmanship is represented here by a rare set of 12 Cannelle Chairs from the collection of Andy Warhol. The designer Henri Rapin, who designed a number of pavilions at the Exposition, was a longtime aesthetic advisor to the porcelain manufacturer Sèvres. Only four examples were made of his monumental illuminated fountain in porcelain and bronze.

With the May 14 Pursuit of Beauty auction, Heritage also continues its strength in Tiffany Studios and French glass from the turn of the last century. "This season, Heritage is honored to present more than 30 works by Tiffany Studios, ranging from exceptional leaded lamps to Favrile vases to metalware," says Samantha Robinson, Heritage's Director of Decorative Arts. "Several lamps as well as a rare Peacock lamp base come from a single private Milwaukee collection, where they have resided for nearly 50 years. These fresh-to-market examples are presented now without reserve."

A trio of highlights among the lamps include this peony lamp with a rare, earlier Louis XVI base, as well as two with iconic shade designs, the jeweled dragonfly and the daffodil. Other objects from Tiffany Studios include a number of vases in their trademark Favrile glass, the soft, iridescent sheen of which animates this lovely paperweight vase with a design of morning glories.

Other highlights from the May 14th event include this lavender glass Femmes aux Colchiques (Women with Colchicums) vase from the Art Nouveau house Gallé, with a design attributed to the artist Victor Prouvé; a group of 10 lots of Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre, including this fanciful covered vase designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones, with columns of impish gold-and-black fairies climbing up the side; and American Art Deco cocktail sets, lamps and ash stands designed by Frankart, General Electric Company and others, from the Collection of Barry Van Hook.

With more than 200 works on offer, Heritage's May 14 Pursuit of Beauty event extends and expands the auction house's relationship to this favorite collector category.