Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000
Price Realized: $40,000 Includes buyer's premium
comprising one sofa and two armchairs
oak and fabric upholstery
sofa: 38 1/2 x 87 x 40 1/2 inches
armchair: 38 1/2 x 44 x 40 inches
The present suite's original upholstery bore the cloth label of Poteau & Cie Décorateurs 59, Rue de Turenne, 59 Paris. The authorship of this suite has been changed to 'after a design by Pierre Chareau.' It is probable that the firm Poteau & Cie was the manufacturer of this suite in the 1920s. What is unclear is the extent of the relationship between Chareau and Poteau & Cie.
Maurice Dufrene, ed., Ensembles Mobiliers: Exposition Internationale 1925, vol. III, Paris, 1925, pl. 14 (for a period photograph illustrating this armchair model in Chareau's dining room of une habitation coloniale at the 1925 Paris Exposition)
Maurice Dufrene, ed., Authentic Art Deco Interiors from the 1925 Paris Exhibition, reprint, Woodbridge, 1989, pl. 89 (for the same period photograph)
Property from the Collection of Seymour Stein
Sotheby's London, 29 March 1996, lot 277;
Sotheby's New York, 'The Collecting Eye of Seymour Stein,' 11 December 2003, lot 133
in as found condition, each with wear commensurate with age and use, some losses and staining to upholstery, the seat rail to one armchair detached, scuffs and abrasions to feet, the bottom back rail of the couch requires restoration, each with pronounced areas of restoration
If you are interested in bidding, please contact us to request more photos, or make an appointment for in-person inspection. To ensure prompt assistance, we recommend reaching out at least 24 hours before the auction by calling 212-353-2277 or emailing us at admin@capsuleauctions.com.
Condition reports are based on visual inspection by the Capsule team under typical office lighting. Unless otherwise noted, items are not examined under UV light in advance of sale. We do not guarantee the content of written or verbal condition reports. Remember, all lots are previously owned and all sales are final. The absence of a condition report does not imply that there are no condition issues with the lot.
Art has not been examined out of the frame unless otherwise stated. Frames, lampshades, or items described as “supplementary” are not considered integral to the value of the lot and are excluded from condition assessments. This includes any mat, mounting, glazing, hanging apparatus, case, box, or stand. Timepiece movements, lighting elements and items with mechanical or electrical components have not been thoroughly tested and are not covered under warranty by Capsule.
Legendary Sire Records co-founder, Seymour Stein, kick-started the era of punk and new wave music in the 1970s and ‘80s, by signing to the label such iconic artists as the Ramones, The Smiths, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Ice-T, and famously, in 1982, Madonna. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
Beginning in the early 1970s, while traveling as a young businessman throughout Europe, Stein developed an enthusiasm for early 20th-century art. Wherever he went, he sought out antique stores, art fairs, and major auction houses — ultimately forging a vast collection.
The Collecting Eye of Seymour Stein, Sotheby’s 2003 auction showcased Stein’s interest in Art Deco furniture and porcelain, metalwork and glassware, European Symbolist and Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Works from the distinguished collection were also included in Sotheby’s 2018, Victorian, Pre-Raphaelite & British Impressionist Art, auction.
Seymour Stein passed on April 2nd, 2023.
