France

Asian auction series now take place around the world throughout the year in the major centres of the art market. Paris held its latest staging this month at the beginning of the French capital’s Temps Fort or high season.

On July 3-4 French auction firm Rossini will be holding a sale entirely dedicated to fans when it offers the collection of Michel Maignan.

Giorgio de Chirico’s 'Nudo dormiente', c.1930, is among the works included in Galerie Alexis Pentcheff’s erotic art exhibition 'Qriosa: Secret Room of Indecent Objects', where it is offered for €200,000.

Folk art (or art populaire as it is known in France) has gained an increased following over the years.

A remarkable example of 16th century cross-culture art – a feather ‘mosaic’ picture made in Mexico for Christian conquerors – has been purchased at auction by the Musée du Quai Branly.

At the Drouot auction centre on June 6 the Paris firm of Binoche et Giquello will be selling a third instalment from a US collection of pre-Columbian works from Meso, Central and South America which is expected to realise in the region of €3m-4m.

Tribal art makes regular saleroom appearances in Paris, which is one of the major commercial centres in this sector.

Tribal art is a sector with truly international appeal and fairs and shows go on throughout the year across various locations.

A group of 15 works on paper by Salvador Dalí (1904-89) which were produced as Christmas card designs will be offered in Paris this summer. They are estimated to raise up to €1m at Artcurial’s Modern and Impressionist Art auction in Paris, writes Alex Capon.

Included in a mixed-discipline sale held in Paris by Daguerre (28% buyer’s premium inc VAT) at Drouot was a Sèvres bough pot in soft paste porcelain.

The highlight of a dedicated ceramics sale held at Drouot by Fraysse (22.17% buyer’s premium) was this large 16 x 22in (41 x 56cm) early French, Moustiers, faience basin made at the Clerissy factory.