Karl Lagerfeld’s First Estate Auction Fetches 12 Million Euros
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KARL’S COLLECTION: Part of Karl Lagerfeld’s estate has been sold, with Sotheby’s Monaco closing an auction Monday that brought in 12 million euros — roughly four times the pre-sale estimate.
The first section of Chanel’s former artistic director’s estate began selling Friday both in person, in Monaco, and online.
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In total, 582 lots were sold, with 96 percent fetching more than their high estimate. Those included everything from design and fine art to cars, sketches and clothing.
Sotheby’s said that even before the auction began, almost 1,500 potential bidders from 58 countries had already registered for the auction. One-third of the bidders were new to Sotheby’s.
Among highlights of the sale were the “Portrait of Karl Lagerfeld” by Takashi Murakami, which sold for 292,100 euros, against an estimate of 80,000 euros to 120,000 euros, and “Composition abstraite” by Mieczyslaw Szczuka, which sold for 82,550 euros, against an estimate of 1,000 euros to 1,500 euros.
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Fashion sketches included “Les trois muses Inès, Anna et Vicky” that went for 203,200 euros, and three “scrapbook” notebooks from the mid-’80s that took in 152,400 euros.
Gianni Versace’s “Portrait of Karl Lagerfeld” fetched 95,250 euros, versus an estimate of 300 euros to 500 euros.
A fan on which Lagerfeld had written “March 7th for Lorraine, for Lorraine, for Lorraine, Paris” changed hands for 82,500 euros.
Five pairs of fingerless Chanel gloves sold for 47,880 euros, while a Saint Laurent Paris black velvet jacket took in 35,280 euros. A Rolls-Royce Phantom from 2018 went under the hammer for 439,500 euros.
“Collectors, fashionistas and long-standing admirers of Karl Lagerfeld’s unique legacy and style came together this weekend, physically and virtually, to express their appreciation for one of the world’s greatest designers,” Pierre Mothes, vice president of Sotheby’s France, said in a statement. “There was an electric atmosphere for this incredible first sale, which saw explosive bidding, with buyers fighting hard for everything from Karl’s drawings to the art he chose to surround himself with, as well as many of his personal belongings.”
Lagerfeld had a penchant for exceptional furniture from the 20th and 21st centuries. The eight-part sale of his estate, which includes more than 1,000 items, also includes fine art, collectibles, tableware and personal objects, including household linens, his three Rolls-Royces, more than 200 fingerless gloves and a weathered Chanel tote in black croc, and a selection of suit jackets by Dior, Saint Laurent, Comme des Garçons and Martin Margiela.
The second part of Lagerfeld’s estate auction will take place in Paris. An online sale will run Dec. 6 to 16, while live auctions will take place with a session on Dec. 14 and two on Dec. 15. Part three of the estate action is planned for March 2022 in Cologne, Germany.
Lagerfeld never remained attached to possessions for long. “I find the joy of collecting, the fun of hunting for objects, the exciting thing,” he once told WWD. “But once I [win] it, I lose interest. I don’t want to be a curator living in a museum.”
For more, see:
Karl Lagerfeld Estate Auction to Kick Off With Dinner in Monaco
Karl Lagerfeld’s New Luxury Villas Will Gleam With Gold Dust
EXCLUSIVE: Cara Delevingne Is Collaborating With the Karl Lagerfeld Brand
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