“Tentation” Sale: A Triumph for Lipchitz and a Byeri Reliquary

This second part of the aptly named “Tentation” ("Temptations") sale—tempting, indeed—featured 15 works from across the centuries ( see the article “An eclectic selection led by Hubert Robert”: Gazette no. 21, p. 66 ), whose sole watchwords were originality and excellence of execution. After the disappointing failure to sell Joachim Murat's magnificent saber, made by the famous armorer Boutet ( see the article “A Boutet saber for Prince Joachim Murat, Grand Amiral de l'Empire” on the cover of Gazette no. 19 ), the sale proceeded without a wrong note to the music of Claude François (1939-1978), whose dazzling stage…