France

Christie’s is to appeal last month’s French court ruling that declared Droit de Suite is a charge on the vendor rather than the buyer.

Published in New York in 1977, The Vanished World Portfolio is a selection of a dozen photographs from the very many that were taken in the late 1930s in Cracow, Warsaw, the Carpathian regions and elsewhere in eastern Europe by Roman Vishniac (1897-1990).

With this year marking the centenary of the sculptor’s death, Auguste Rodin is much in the news. While the Grand Palais in Paris is marking the event with a major exhibition, Fraysse et Associés sold a 2ft 1in (64cm) high lifetime cast bronze figural group for €1.55m (£1.35m) at Drouot on March 22.

Technology has replicated the Dutch master’s work in a move the artist might have welcomed.

The way Droit de Suite is applied in France was affirmed by a French court ruling last month.

Filling much of a full-page advertisement in ATG No 2284 for the Pierre Bergé/Sotheby’s (24/20.5/17% buyer’s premium) sale in Paris on April 26 of books and manuscripts from the library of Jean A Bonna was the star turn – a stunning copy of Galileo’s Discorsi et Dimostrazioni matematiche of 1638.

Paris art and design fair PAD has lost its vetting committee following concerns about the brief time allowed to view stands.

Contemporary African art is currently much in vogue in the French capital.

Christophe Richème likes to mix periods and styles: a Napoleonic bridal vase sits alongside a 1970s shop display cabinet in his shop Pele-Mele Antiquités in Montmorot Lons-Le-Saunier in the Jura region.

Evelyne and Paul Khormaian are shown in front of their stand, which was packed with French kitchenalia and, in particular, domestic antique and vintage irons and clothes-pressing items.

Shown standing in front of a tall 18th century oak encoignure priced at €10,000 in his ‘stage-set’ stand is Philippe Renard.

Any item of African tribal art dating before the 19th century counts as a rarity, but the sculpture to be offered by Christie’s in Paris on April 4 is remarkable not only for its age but also its quality and prestigious provenance.

French 20th century ceramics are Philippe Chapeau’s speciality and this piscatorial platter by Robert Picault (1919- 2000) was for sale at Chatou priced at €1400.

Normandy-based Alicia de Rollond is the daughter of dealers, and she trades in French country-style brocante.

Christine Trémoulet sells ‘batteries de cuisine’. The range of copper pots, pans and tools used in professional kitchens include these late 18th/19th century shining copper moulds she supplies to some of France’s top chefs including Alain Ducasse and Michel Guérard.

Claudie Ferré, shown reflected in the table mirror on her brightly-lit stand, sells lighting from the Art Deco period to the 1970s, many by German designers.

French industrial furniture has a strong presence at this fair.

A day out at France’s largest brocante and the return of classic chic with a contemporary twist...