The Saint-Georges auction house, the oldest auction house in Toulouse, located rue d’Astorg, has had a makeover. Created in the 1970s, at the same time as the building bar, this 1,400 m2 hotel was demolished in the 1990s and rebuilt in its current form. “This auction house has long housed the two studies, Fournier and Marambat-de Malafosse,” recalls François de Malafosse, auctioneer. If this place is famous for its major auctions, it is impossible not to mention the sale made in 2008 with the sale of a Chinese seal that went to € 5,627,498. Never seen ! “
After this phase of work, the Marambat-de Malafosse study is now the only one to continue the activity. Faced with this superb space, the duo decided to also make it a cultural hub. Now, once a month, with a limited number of visitors, this auction house organizes conferences on the history of Toulouse art led by a speaker (curator, writer, etc.) as well as exhibitions. “Every Monday, we will have a visit from an expert who will talk about his field: books, numismatics (study of coins and medals), the military or contemporary Asian art. Free object appraisals will also be organized. “People love having forgotten objects appraised. The first takes place this Monday ”. Auctions, the place’s primary identity, are of course not forgotten. A hall renowned for its major auctions, in particular the one carried out in 2008 with the sale of a Chinese seal which sold for € 5,627,498. Never seen ! “On April 15, we are auctioning off furniture taken out of our reserves, enthuses François de Malafosse. actors Lino Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo, among others. A person with an atypical and original life, now in a retirement home in Pamiers “. Among this furniture are several frames that long ago housed paintings by Monet and Renoir. “Only the executives have stood the test of time”.
Covid: buyers on the rise
One would have thought that the auction sector had suffered from the covid crisis. “Not at all,” assures François de Malafosse. The art market has shifted on the Net inflating the number of buyers. Why ? The boredom of everyday life and the fear of banks have led people to favor the purchase of a painting or a gold jewel. This metal, which has become a safe haven, has climbed from 30 to 40% since the pandemic ”.
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