Anyone who has enjoyed the glamour of a David Collins designed interior, whether a restaurant such as The Wolseley or the sublime mise-en-scène of the Apartment at the Connaught, will be intrigued by this sale offering furniture and artworks from the late architect's London home.  Aptly titled "Luxury – Colour – Texture", the auction on November 4 comprises 192 lots from the Kensington property and features pieces by major 20th-century designers and artists (Fontana Arte, Line Vautrin, Wolfgang Tillmans, Steven Klein etc) which are complemented by furniture conceived by Collins and his Studio team. Estimates range from £300 to £60,000 and the sale is expected to realise in the region of £1 million.  "Christie's is honoured to offer this collection which gives all those who enjoyed and were inspired by his work the opportunity to see how he furnished and lived in his own London home," said Jeremy Morrison, senior director of the 20th-century decorative art and design department at Christie's.  "David lived in Bramham Gardens, Kensington for most of his London life," explains David Kendall, communications director of David Collins Studio. "He bought the ground floor apartment in 1985 and purchased the flat above when he could, joining the two together to create the duplex space he wanted," he adds.  Jeremy Morrison selects the sale highlights, while David Kendall discusses their provenance:  Most interesting provenance: The David Collins Studio sofa used by Mario Testino (Lot 148). This was the sofa used in the iconic Vanity Fair photoshoot of Diana, Princess of Wales, which Mario Testino took in 1997.  "The sofa was created for the iconic DPOW shoot and then was subsequently sold and donated to a charity auction and bought by a friend of David’s. David adored the sofa because of the very special and unique cotton boucle fabric that it was upholstered in – when you look closely at the warp it has a very uniform square pattern that we had never seen before. The texture is very subtle, but very refined – David bought the sofa back because he loved it so much." David Kendall  Top lot: The Acrobat by Christian Bérard (Lot 21). Also known as Bébé, Bérard was a French artist, fashion illustrator and designer who was the darling of fashionable society of the age, working with Jean-Michel Frank, Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Jean Cocteau.  "The Acrobat was bought at a Sotheby’s sale and I remember he was on the phone bidding until he secured it. There are a lot of Bérards in the collection, the sketches and watercolours are so simple and yet communicate so much, while the paintings are so theatrical not just because of their composition but because the characters they depict are so expressive." DKEstimate: £3,000-5,000  Most unusual item: One of the most eye-catching lots is the unique pair of chandeliers (Lot 68)from the drawing room. These are the result of a collaboration between David and the Austrian firm Lobmeyr, who went on to produce these light fittings in a smaller size. Full of impact yet very subtle, these are the largest versions Lobmeyer ever made.  "Lobmeyr are wonderful collaborators and their creations are second to none in terms of their quality. The David Collins Studio chandeliers are almost like a 3D puzzle when lit. They also feature at the restaurant Bob Bob Ricard – they are very versatile." DKEstimate: £20,000-40,000 (for the pair)  The dark horse: The bespoke chest of drawers from the bedroom (Lot 37) which encapsulates David’s sense of style and utilises his signature blue. Utterly refined, modern but with an acknowledgement to the past, this hugely practical piece would grace any international home.  "The blue suede voyager chest is at once nautical, references a steamer trunk and is very geometric." DKEstimate: £5,000-6,000  The curator's pick: I’m a huge fan of the pair of Orion side tables by Nicolas Aubagnac (Lot 88). Designed in 2011 by the critically acclaimed French designer, these are eminently graceful and of wonderful proportions, made of the finest materials and the first examples in a small edition of just 12. A great start, or addition, to any collection.  "The kaleidoscopic ebony veneer take on their own geometry and create distorted landscapes in the veneer – the tables were shortened to be used as side tables." DKEstimate: £3,000-5,000  The Luxury - Colour - Texture: the collection of David Collins sale is on at 1pm on November 4. The lots can be viewed from Friday October 31 until the morning of Tuesday November 4
The forthcoming sale at Christie's features exquisite art and furniture from the Kensington home of the celebrated late architect David Collins