NEW YORK, NY.- Christies announces an inaugural online-only sale dedicated to the Poétesse du Metal, Line Vautrin, exclusively available at
www.christies.com/linevautrin from 3 December through to 11 December 2014. As the daughter of a metal-founder, established in the early 1920s in Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine in Paris, from a very early age Line Vautrin had the opportunity to develop her creative talent with metals, experimenting and focusing on designing bronze jewellery for the modern Parisienne. From creating buttons in the late 1930s for the studio of Elsa Schiaparelli to imagining the most delicate and radiant mirrors in the 1950s, Line Vautrins career has been characterized by a great sense of playfulness, taking inspiration from the Mycenaen civilization through to French Poetry. Representing the great range of Vautrins artistic savoir-faire, the online-sale presents an exquisite selection of jewellery, boxes and mirrors, with starting bids ranging from £200 to £24,000.
The jewellery selection features bold and beautiful bronze necklaces, brooches and bracelets, alongside a group of delicate bronze powder compacts and boxes, imprinted with poems by Alfred de Musset and Charles Beaudelaire. The sale also includes six stunning mirrors adorned with pieces of coloured mirror-glass set into Vautrins favourite material, resin, which she patented and called Talosel. This online auction presents both new and seasoned collectors with the opportunity to acquire a piece of Vautrins artistry.
Xavier Brunswick, Specialist, 20/21 Design, comments: Following the strong results achieved for the selection of Line Vautrin mirrors and jewellery boxes in The Collection of David Collins, auctioned at Christies King Street on 4 November, we are very pleased to present an online sale dedicated to this celebrated designer. The sale encompasses all periods of Vautrins artistic development and the variety of techniques and materials she worked with, including a group of gilt bronze and enameled buttons from the start of her career, through to a particularly rare mirror from the 1960s titled Vieille France.
Vautrins talent and taste have captivated generations of enthusiasts, from such celebrated personalities as Brigitte Bardot, Françoise Sagan, Ingrid Bergman and Bettina Rheims, who have responded to her expressive translation of life into magical objects. This celebrated artisan remains one of the great figures of the evolution of 20th century jewellery design whilst also being a pure and whimsical representation of Parisian chic. The sale presents an opportunity for all those who enjoy and are inspired by Vautrins work, to own a part of this unique creative personality who ultimately earned the title Poétesse du Metal.