Notable highlights for collectors and connoisseurs include decorative tableware from the restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee.
Dorchester Collection‘s Hotel Plaza Athenee is to host an auction with Artcurial Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan prior to its temporary closure this October. Bringing the hotel’s centenary year to a close, the auction will offer a selection of furniture and works of art from throughout the property.
Notable highlights for collectors and connoisseurs include decorative tableware from the restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee; furniture and artwork from Le Relais Plaza; furniture from Le Bar designed by Patrick Jouin in 2001 (including the bar itself and Maurizio Galante’s sound tree); and other works of contemporary art from within the hotel.
A pre-sale viewing will be open to the public at the hotel from 4 to 6 October 2013. This will be followed by a five-part auction at Artcurial’s Hotel Marcel-Dassault on 7 and 8 October 2013 conducted by François Tajan & Stéphane Aubert.
The following pieces will be included in the auction:
Furniture from Le Bar:
- The seven-metre bar itself, made from a single piece of sculpted, rounded glass by Paris craftsman Patrick Desserme. The bar resembles a giant iceberg that lights up and changes colour when touched
- Maurizio Galante’s Sound-Tree, the innovative surround-sound speaker system which hangs from the ceiling of Le Bar
- Tall glass topped tables with stainless steel legs
- Louis XV-style metallic stools with leather seats
- Murano glass mini-chandeliers
- Anthracite Cassina leather sofas and armchairs
Furniture from Le Relais Plaza:
- Art Deco seats, wall-lights and jardinières
- A pair of torchères vases and a variety of bronze sculptures
Pieces from restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée:
- Armchairs which were designed especially for Alain Ducasse by Patrick Jouin in 2004
- Three large studded white leather panels used to privatise areas of the restaurant
- A totem designed by Patrick Jouin, inscribed with the French terms for various cooking techniques (on barde, on larde, on farce, on émince)
- Over 200 items of crockery and silverware, marked Plaza Athénée, Alain Ducasse – including a set designed especially by Maison Hermès
- The two bronze sculptures by Jean-Michel Folon (1934-2005): Deuxième Pensée (fork) and Troisième Pensée (spoon), made in 1996 for the restaurant (estimate: 50,000-70,000 euros apiece).
La Galerie des Gobelins, La Cour Jardin & The Lobby:
- Wrought iron standing-lamps from La Cour Jardin
- Sacho Hesslein plush velvet sofas
- Hand-embroidered cushions by Maison Lesage
- Louis XVI-style coffee-tables
- Decorative pieces made for La Galerie des Gobelins during its refurbishment in 2008
- Four black and white mosaic vases currently at the lobby entrance
- The reception and concierge desks
- A large circular carpet with interlacing decoration incorporating Hotel Plaza Athénée’s logo
- The hotel’s iconic letter-box
- Furniture, curtains and other items from the guestrooms, as well as the embroidered sheets by Maison Porthault reserved for the use of visiting royalty.
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