François-Xavier Lalanne’s copper sculpture-bar 'Hippopotame Bar' sold for $31.4 million at Sotheby’s in New York, more than tripling its $7–10 million estimate after a 26-minute bidding war among seven bidders. The work, commissioned in 1976 by patron Anne Schlumberger and unique in its copper execution, set a new auction record for the artist and became the most expensive work of design ever sold at auction. The sale capped a year of strong performance for Lalanne’s hybrid animal-furniture works, which have consistently outperformed expectations even in a tougher art market.
The result redraws the boundaries of the design category, confirming that top-tier functional sculpture can command prices rivaling fine art. It also underscores the growing appetite for unique, early commissions from the Lalannes, whose works have become a rare bright spot in the current market. The sale was preceded by Sotheby’s inaugural 'Creators & Collectors' dinner at its new Breuer headquarters, a strategic networking event that brought together figures from art, fashion, and philanthropy, signaling the auction house’s effort to cultivate a new generation of collectors.