A Landmark Sale of Frances Elkins Creations
Christie’s unveils a landmark Frances Elkins collection, blending modernism and elegance in a rare single-owner design sale.
Christie’s presents a rare opportunity to acquire masterpieces from American Avant-Garde: The James D. Zellerbach Residence by Frances Elkins, a landmark single-owner collection debuting during Design Week on 12 June at Rockefeller Center, New York.
Commissioned in 1937 by San Francisco diplomat James D. Zellerbach and his wife Hannah, this extraordinary collection remains preserved in its original Pacific Heights setting.
Designed by the pioneering Frances Elkins, it features exceptional works by Alberto Giacometti, Jean-Michel Frank, Emilio Terry and Elkins herself.
Elkins, a defining figure in 20th-century American design, was among the first to introduce European modernism to the United States.
Her Parisian connections with Frank and Giacometti led to trailblazing collaborations, fusing classical form with avant-garde innovation.
Her interiors for the Zellerbach residence exemplify this vision, including two iconic Oiseau plaster sculptures by Giacometti and Frank’s sophisticated Aragon low table.
Victoria Tudor, Head of Sale, remarks, “Frances Elkins brought together elegance, eclecticism and fearless modernism. This collection represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of American interiors.”
