NEW YORK, NY.- Christie's announced Anthology of Design: Masterworks from a French-American Collection, an extraordinary single-owner sale of design taking place on December 9th at Christie's New York. This visionary collection was assembled over the course of more than twenty years, built by a transatlantic collector with a formidable eye. Forward-thinking in his approach, the collector was ahead of his time, acquiring the best names before they were as highly coveted as they have now come to be. The collection consists of more than 100 objects that are defined by their rarity, integrity of form, and exceptional provenance. There are offerings of signature pieces from all leading icons in the field, bringing together the whimsy of Fran�ois-Xavier Lalanne, the discipline of Jean Prouv�, the geometry of Charlotte Perriand, the material freedom of Ron Arad, the architectural invention of Ettore Sottsass and the sculptural prowess of the Giacomettis.

Daphne Riou, Global Co-Head of Design, Christie's, remarks: “We are delighted to offer this outstanding selection of design this December that presents works from the finest designers throughout the twentieth century. Carefully chosen by a discerning eye over the course of two decades, this selection truly demonstrates a prescience for identifying the most covetable and timeless pieces, featuring an expansive array of the most sought-after works from all the great icons that have now come to define the world of design. The transatlantic spirit and universal appeal of the collection shines through, with a richly textured aesthetic, brings in elements of design that range from playful and organic to pristine, linear and measured.”

The collection's highlights are distinguished by exceptional rarity and provenance, including: A historic Set of Three Moutons de Laine from the second flock of sheep created by iconic French artist Fran�ois-Xavier Lalanne in the mid-1960s. The trio once belonged to renowned gallerist Alexandre Iolas, and were shown in the first ever exhibition of the Lalannes in the United States at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1967. The sheep are the top lot in the selection, expected to achieve $3 – 5 million. The sale will also feature a rare Charlotte Perriand Table de Luxe � rallonge m�canique conceived for the founding U.A.M. exhibition of 1930 (estimate: $600,000 – 800,000) alongside a number of exceptional Prouv� objects which are illustrative of the designer's lifelong pursuit for perfection, with provenances that trace back to the Prouv� family. Among these is a bicycle circa 1941 by Prouv� (estimate: $60,000 – 80,000), as well as the corresponding trailer attached to the bicycle owned by Prouv�. Together, these pieces offering a rare peak inside the ingenious mind of Prouv�: engineering applied not to the making of furniture, but to the mechanics and functionality of his daily life. Other highlights include a Breuer lounge chair from the former collection of Peggy Guggnenheim, a rare table by the Eames from their personal collection, and an exceptional ensemble of ceramics by Hans Coper and Lucie Rie with provenance going back to the important Lucie Rie, Hans Coper exhibition at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam in 1967.

Selected works from the collection will be touring globally, on view in Tokyo from November 4 –6, in Paris November 19 –24, and in New York with highlights on view during the Fall Marquee Week exhibition and the full collection on view ahead of the December sale.