CHRISTIE'S TO OFFER YVES SAINT LAURENT'S EVERYDAY OBJECTS

THE 18th CENTURY PORCELAIN YVES SAINT LAURENT ATE FROM, A CARTIER WATCH HE USED TO WEAR, THE LEOPARD-PRINT COUCHES AND GILDED CHAIRS HE LOUNGED ON: IT'S ALL TO HIT THE AUCTION BLOCKS AS THE LATE FRENCH COUTURIER'S LONGTIME PARTNER LIQUIDATES THEIR ART AND KNICKKNACK FILLED RESIDENCES. THE SALE, ORGANIZED BY CHRISTIE'S FROM 17 - 20. NOVEMBER, IS THE FOLLOW UP TO THE BLOCKBUSTER AUCTION EARLIER THIS YEAR OF YVES SAINT LAURENT AND PIERRE BERGE'S EXTENSIVE ART COLLECTION. BILLED AS "THE SALE OF THE CENTURY", THE FEBRUARY AUCTION INCLUDED MASTERPIECES BY PICASSO, INGRES. THIS TIME AROUND, THOUGH, IT'S NOT THE CHEF D'OEUVRES BUT THE THOUSANDS OF WORKADAY OBJECTS, INCLUDING FURNITURE, RUGS, LAMPS AND CUTLERY, THAT ARE TO BE DISBURSED. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A 1949 GOUACHE PAINTING BY FERNAND LEGER ESTIMATED AT $75,000 TO $105,000, A PAIR OF GUILDED ARMCHAIRS SPECIALLY ORDERED BY QUEEN HORTENCE OF HOLLAND FOR THE 1812 COSTUME BALL THAT ARE EXPECTED TO FETCH $15,000 AND ELABORATE CRISTAL CHANDELIERS ESTIMATED AT $65,000. THE SHOW IS ALSO FULL OF QUIRKY AND STRANGE OFFERINGS INCLUDING A CAVIAR SERVICE SET MADE FROM SHELLS WITH DIMINUTIVE MOTHER OF PEARL KNIVES, A COLLECTION OF BONE-HANDLED MAGNIFYING GLASSES, A 19th CENTURY BILLIARD TABLE IN WALNUT AND A LARGE COLLECTION OF FANCY DAGGERS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. MUNDANE OFFERINGS ARE TO INCLUDE YELLOW COTTON CURTAINS, POTS AND PANS AND METAL LAWN CHAIRS. MANY OF THE OBJECTS LACK THE KIND OF DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGIN THAT ACCOMPANIED THE LOTS AT THE FEBRUARY SALE. "IT'S REALLY VERY INTIMATE AND VERY PERSONAL AND VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST AUCTION, WHICH WAS MADE UP OF MUSEUM QUALITY PIECES", A CHRISTIE'S SPOKESMAN SAID. ;BEYOND THE USUAL OBJECTS, WE EXPECT TO GET BIDDERS WHO ARE SEDUCED BY THE IDEA OF OWNING SOMETHING THAT WAS ONCE USED BY YVES SAINT LAURENT BUT COULDN'T AFFORD ANYTHING FROM THE FIRST SALE." AMONG A HANDFUL OF MYTHICAL 20th CENTURY DESIGNERS, SAINT LAURENT IS WIDELY CREDITED WITH MODERNIZING WOMEN'S WARDROBES BY POPULARIZING LADIES' PANTS. SAINT LAURENT DIED IN 2008, AGED 71, AFTER A YEARLONG BATTLE WITH CANCER. SOON AFTER HIS DEATH, SAINT LAURENT'S BUSINESS AND ROMANTIC PARTNER BERGE DECIDED TO LIQUIDATE THE COLLECTION THE TWO MEN SPENT DECADES PAINSTAKINGLY AMASSING, GUIDED IN LARGE PART BY THEIR OWN AESTHETIC. THE PROFITS FROM THE SALES ARE TO HELP FUND THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS. THE OBJECTS FROM THIS MONTH'S SALE WERE TAKEN FROM SAINT LAURENT'S LEGENDARY LEFT BANK APARTMENT ON RUE BABYLON, HIS OFFICE, AN APARTMENT BELONGING TO BERGE AND THE COUPLE'S CHATEAU GABRIEL IN NORMANDY.