PARIS (AFP) – The auction of a spectacular private collection of Art Deco furniture and art objects smashed records last week and raised nearly 60 million euros (76 million dollars), Christie’s Paris said.

The sale saw the highest price ever raised at auction for a collection of 20th century

decorative art — 50 million euros — and a new world record for a single 20th century work of art, the auction house said.

At the highest-selling auction in France in more than 15 years, 13 lots sold for more than one million euros, and 19 new world auction records were set.

The auctioned items came from the collection of Simone and Claude Dray, and also included modern and contemporary artworks.

The records included 4.1 million euros for a pair of chased and gilt bronze jardinieres by Armand Albert Rateau — the highest price raised at auction for a 20th century work of art.

A 1920 bronze dressing table by Rateau, one of the most important designers of his era, raised three million euros — more than five times its pre-auction estimate.

Other highlights included a double-sided screen by Edgar Brandt, which went for nearly two million euros, as well as Rembrandt Bugatti’s “Asian Elephant”, which sold for close to one million.

Among the sculpture and paintings sold on the second day of the auction were “Lailla” by Kees van Dongen, one of the artist’s best nudes, which raised more than three million euros.

The 296-object collection was amassed over a 25-year period by the Paris couple.