The private collection of the designer David Collins is to be auctioned at Christie's King Street site in London next week. The auction house has collaborated with David Collins Studio to recreate parts of the designer's home.
Collins passed away last year at the age of 58. And for the designer's friends – and he collected many along the way – the pre-sale presentation was an affecting reminder of Collin's taste and talent for creating permanent sets that made movie stars of everyone.
His studio, thriving and with ongoing projects around the world, was as central to the remarkable renaissance of London's restaurant and hotel scene as any superstar chef, conjuring up a series of now iconic restaurant and bar interiors.
The designer expertly matched Deco and Mid-Century influences with a confident, controlled use of materials, creating spaces of cinematic sweep and glamour. And David Kendall, the studio's communications director, says, Collins used his home as a testing ground for new ideas. 'These are pieces that he loved. But he also used his home to try out ideas and develop them. His house was always evolving.'
The 200 lots in the sale include the studio's own designs but also a number of 20th-century French and Italian designs, including pieces by Marc du Plantier, Jean Royère, Christian Bérard and Nicolas Aubagnac – as well as photography from Wolfgang Tillmans, Steven Klein and Mario Testino.
David Kendall, the studio's communications director, says, Collins used his home as a testing ground for new ideas
The 200 lots in the sale include the studio's own designs but also a number of 20th century French and Italian designs. Here, Kendall talks us through some of the key pieces in the sale...
Lot 56: Ceiling light, by Paco Rabanne. This light was located at the top of Collins' stairwell and whilst made of brass is actually very light, the delicate layered squares of brass allow for movement and cast a very beautiful shadow
Lot 10: Set of six 'Churchill' armchairs, by Philippe Hurel. These dining chairs have been upholstered in emerald green satin to match with the green silk dining room
Lot 22: 'French School Occasional Table'. This glass table is very elegant and refined in its size and is what attracted Collins to buy it. He had a number of mid-century glass tables including those by René Coulon (lot 13) and lot 2, the 'Italian School Coffee Table', which all sat together in his dining room
Lot 112: Chair, by Jacques Adnet. The work of Adnet is something that Collins collected; he had this chair upholstered in navy blue, his favourite colour. Adnet’s work is highly functional but also decorative
Lot 123: Sofa, by David Collins Studio. This sofa was located in his study and has been upholstered in the most perfect shade of deep blue satin
Lot 122: Guy Bourdin print. Purchased from a show at Phillips, the designer loved the fact that it was slightly risqué, slightly whimsical, quite funny but very beautiful and engaging
Lot 133: 'Transat' chairs, by Eileen Gray. This was Collins' favourite chair design and he often purchased these chairs whenever them came to auction. These were actually found lacquered in blue, which of course made them even more appropriate
Lot 78: 'Orion' cabinet, by Nicolas Aubagnac, is a piece that the studio has worked with and used a number of times. This piece is very special and was purchased by Collins from one of Aubagnac's PAD exhibitions and has been finished in ebony and mica
Lot 83: 'Klismos' chairs, by TH Robsjohn-Gibbings. These have always been with Collins and are a design classic as much as anything, their imposing scale and proportion is what makes them so special
Lot 64: Lounge chairs, by David Collins Studio. These slipper chairs are a David Collins Studio design and have featured in a number of projects from MahaNakhon to the Connaught Apartment. These have been upholstered in three fabrics including the almost neon yellow piping and featured in Collins' dining room
Lot 160: Wall lights, by Giò Ponti. These were purchased from an auction at Phillips and the use of metal and gold brass colour made them fit in with the overall tone of Collins' home
Lot 35: 'Ribbon' chairs, by Pierre Paulin. Collins always had these chairs and had them upholstered in his signature blue velvet. They sat in his bedroom where they were as much pieces of sculpture as furniture
Lot 63: 'Freischwimmer', by Wolfgang Tillmans. Collins was very inspired by the wonderful effects of the light on the inks used to create the piece. This sat in his drawing room and everything in the room worked around the photograph because of its scale and presence
Lot 40: These wingback armchairs have been upholstered in a bespoke fabric where the colours and threads where selected by the late designer and the feet of the chairs triple-gilded
Lot 45: Bowl, by Jean Besnard. Collins collected the works of Besnard and was entranced by the use of his work with ceramics and use of enamel to create these wonderful very lustrous and special pieces, which look so contemporary in spite of originating in the 1920s
Lot 67: Tables, by Ingrid Donat. These were purchased from the Carpenters Workshop Gallery by Collins and the wonderful texture of the bronze are redolent of many of the themes referenced in David Collins Studio’s work including antiquities, geometry and nature itself
Lot 164: 'Copacabana' chairs, by Mathieu Mategot. Collins purchased these in Paris and used them on his terrace during the summer months
ADDRESS
Christie's
8 King Street
St James's
London SW1Y 6QT
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