Pieces of furniture by Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh sold at record prices during an auction sale held by Christie's in London on November 6th 2002. Born in Glasgow in 1856, Mackintosh created many avant-garde pieces, which met great success in Austria though not in England.
Mackintosh's pieces remained neglected for a long time on the art market but the discrepancy was finally corrected during this sale. Thus, several major pieces were notably acquired by the Glasgow City Council all at big prices despite a rather cold assistance.
A chair with a high back from the tea room of Catherine Cranston at Argyle Street sold for 594,195 euros while a small cream-coloured table went for 147,749 euros.
An ebony secrétaire with a sliding writing-desk, the two doors inlaid with ivory cubes with a enamelled plaque on its central portion went for 1,404,000 euros to the Glasgow City Council, which acquired three other major pieces, including two chairs from Catherine Cranston's living room in Nitshill with a lilac oval medallion sold for 234,150 euros and 218, 540 euros. However, several chairs, which carried some rather abusive estimates, remained unsold.
Adrian Darmon
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