La Maison de Verre Auction Fetches $17 Million with Christie’s Paris

Bureau 'MB 624', vers 1929 by Pierre Chareau fetched almost $1 million at auction. Photo: Christie’s

A beloved icon of modernist architecture, Pierre Chareau’s Maison de Verre in Paris continues to be a wellspring of inspiration nine decades after its completion. With an exterior composed of translucent glass blocks embedded in a gridded steel frame, the supremely chic Left Bank dwelling was commissioned by tastemakers Annie and Jean Dalsace, who filled the apartment with major works of art by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Jean Lurçat.

Christie’s Paris auctioned the couple’s entire trove on October 7. In addition to the blue-chip works of art, there were more than two dozen pieces of Chareau furniture, among them rare chairs, desks, lamps, and even his famous Mouchoir game table—all a testament to his creative genius.

The sale brought in over $17.7 million in total—three times its presale estimates—and set a pair of new world auction records for furnishings by Chareau. The top lot was his MB 624 desk, which achieved almost $1 million, making it the most expensive desk by the architect ever sold at auction. All in all, the 51 Chareau lots represented the largest ensemble by the designer ever offered and fetched more than $12.5 million.