FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2025 
A Record-Breaking Week at Drouot : Nearly 15 lots exceed €100,000 in just two days
T he auctions held on 3 and 4 June 2025 at Drouot confirmed collectors’ appetite for rare and singular pieces, from Puisaye stoneware sculptures to signed Cartier jewels. Nearly 15 standout lots crossed the €100,000 mark over the course of these two days.
Puisaye Stoneware: Two Frogs Leap to €455,000
The sale of a private collection of Puisaye stoneware, organised by Thierry de Maigret, was a resounding success, with 100% of the lots sold. Never before presented on the market, the collection revealed a distinctive body of work rooted in the region’s heritage, balancing rusticity and refinement.
Two animal sculptures by Jean Carriès (1855–1894)—a leading figure in the late 19th-century revival of ceramic art—each achieved €455,000, setting a new auction record for the artist. Hunched Frog and Rabbit-Eared Frog, both dated 1892, were fiercely contested by international collectors.
Among other standout works, two pieces by Paul Jeanneney far exceeded expectations: a monumental gargoyle holding a lizard and a toad fetched €227,500, while the dramatic composition Phoenix, Toads and Fantastical Creatures sold for €162,500—exceptional results for the artist at auction.
Two animal sculptures by Jean Carriès (1855–1894)—a leading figure in the late 19th-century revival of ceramic art—each achieved €455,000, setting a new auction record for the artist. Hunched Frog and Rabbit-Eared Frog, both dated 1892, were fiercely contested by international collectors.
Among other standout works, two pieces by Paul Jeanneney far exceeded expectations: a monumental gargoyle holding a lizard and a toad fetched €227,500, while the dramatic composition Phoenix, Toads and Fantastical Creatures sold for €162,500—exceptional results for the artist at auction.
Exceptional Jewels: Emeralds and Diamonds in the Spotlight
At Fraysse & Associés, the sale dedicated to jewellery and precious objects produced strong results, led by remarkable pieces: a draped necklace with emeralds and diamonds, signed Cartier, sold for €289,125, while a pendant set with a pear-shaped diamond weighing over 11 carats fetched €219,735. The stone recalled the legendary gems once mined in Golconda.
Solid Results for Classical and Modern Art
The Masters – Les Siècles Classiques sale (Millon) saw several works exceed the €150,000 threshold. Chief among them was a still life by the great 17th-century Dutch master Balthasar van der Ast—Basket of Fruit, Vase of Flowers and Shells on a Ledge—which sold for €195,105.
In the same sale, a pair of 18th-century-style Venetian octagonal mirrors, composed of antique elements, brought €182,105. Featuring repoussé and gilded copper frames and rock crystal flower motifs, they reflect the refinement of Venetian craftsmanship. Inspired by models in the monastery of Guadalupe, they belong to a prestigious corpus once acquired by the Spanish court. Comparable examples featured in the collections of Chanel, Rothschild and Van Zuylen.
Finally, modern art and design also shone, with €201,500 realised for an Étoile floor lamp by Alberto Giacometti, created for Jean-Michel Frank around 1936 (Daguerre). A landscape by Gustave Courbet—La Vallée de Bonnevaux—joined a new collection for €177,920 (Doutrebente).
In the same sale, a pair of 18th-century-style Venetian octagonal mirrors, composed of antique elements, brought €182,105. Featuring repoussé and gilded copper frames and rock crystal flower motifs, they reflect the refinement of Venetian craftsmanship. Inspired by models in the monastery of Guadalupe, they belong to a prestigious corpus once acquired by the Spanish court. Comparable examples featured in the collections of Chanel, Rothschild and Van Zuylen.
Finally, modern art and design also shone, with €201,500 realised for an Étoile floor lamp by Alberto Giacometti, created for Jean-Michel Frank around 1936 (Daguerre). A landscape by Gustave Courbet—La Vallée de Bonnevaux—joined a new collection for €177,920 (Doutrebente).
