NEW YORK, Nov 17 — One of François-Xavier Lalanne’s most whimsical and iconic sculptures will be up for sale on November 23 at Sotheby’s. This marks the first auction appearance of a "hippo bar” by the French artist since 1986.

This hippopotamus bar was created in 1986 and acquired that year by the parents of the current owners. It is one of the many creations of François-Xavier Lalanne to reconcile art and function. "When we can sit down on a work of art, it becomes more familiar,” he used to say. His artistic vision gave rise to hybrid furniture such as a crocodile-chair, a sheep-bench, a gorilla-safe, a baboon-fireplace, a bird-bed and a fly-toilet.

Sotehby’s describes the piece going up for auction on November 23 as an "impressive” and "functional” "Lalanne masterpiece” of "impressive design.” One of the highlights of the sale, the bar is estimated at between €2 million and €3 million, However, this amount is significantly lower than the €8.32 million for which "Leopard I” was recently sold at Sotheby’s in Paris — a record for the French artist. 

Renewed interest in Lalanne

The hippopotamus bar will be auctioned off during the "Important Design” sale alongside other major pieces by the Lalanne couple. These include "Monkey II” by François-Xavier, estimated at €400,000 to €600,000; and two woolen ottomans from the former collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, estimated at €150,000 to €200,000. 

While art collectors have long shown their interest for Lalanne’s creations, the phenomenon has recently become more pronounced. Proof is the latest sale dedicated to the couple, organised by Sotheby’s on November 4 in Paris. It raised €80.9 million, more than five times the amount expected by the auction house. All the lots found buyers and 20 of them exceeded the symbolic million euro mark.