While fine art has long been seen as an investment class, high-end decor is following suit. Auction houses have taken note, steadily moving design into the same rarefied lanes once reserved for post-war art and vintage cars. According to Phillips and Christie’s, prices for 20th-century design have outpaced expectations, with works by Gio Ponti, Jean Royère, and Eileen Gray routinely fetching six-figure sums. At recent design auctions, 20th-century furniture has received serious bids, such as a Jean Royère “Ours Polaire” sofa fetching over $700,000 at Christie’s, and a bid for a Charlotte Perriand bookshelf surpassed six figures.

Why the shift? Simply put: scarcity, heritage, and narrative. Collectors are seeking pieces with a provenance and point of view — a story to tell beyond the showroom. We’re seeing a return to patronage — the idea that collecting design is a form of cultural stewardship. That a chair should be as considered as a painting, and that good taste may very well be the new portfolio strategy.

“Collectors are looking for pieces with provenance and point of view, a story to tell beyond the showroom.”

Gio Ponti (1891–1979)

The architect of modern Italian elegance. Ponti was a true polymath — an industrial designer, ceramicist, and founder of Domus magazine. His Superleggera chair (yes, the impossibly light one) is still a masterclass in restraint. But the real collectors’ pieces? His mid-century cabinets, desks, and lighting, particularly from his collaborations with Cassina and Fontana Arte.

MARKET INSIGHT: A Ponti sideboard can range from $20,000 to over $150,000, depending on provenance. Pieces designed for the Parco dei Principi Hotel or Villa Planchart command a premium due to their rarity.

Pierre Paulin (1927–2009)

If you’ve ever sunk into a low-slung chair and thought, this is what cloud nine must feel like, you probably have Paulin to thank. His designs — the Pacha, Mushroom, and Ribbon chairs — brought a new sensuality to modernism. But beneath the organic forms lies serious engineering. His furniture doesn’t just seduce; it endures.

MARKET INSIGHT: Original 1960s Paulin pieces (particularly from his Artifort years) can fetch $30,000–$80,000. Ligne Roset’s recent reissues have reignited interest, making vintage models even more desirable.

Eileen Gray (1878–1976)

Often overshadowed in her time (read: female, independent, and too avant-garde for the 1920s boys’ club), Gray’s work is finally getting its due. Her E-1027 side table is a cult classic, but deeper collectors are chasing rarer pieces — lacquer screens, tubular steel daybeds, and her early collaborations with Jean Badovici.

MARKET INSIGHT: Rare original works have sold for over $1 million. Even licensed reissues from ClassiCon have appreciated in value.

Jean-Michel Frank (1895–1941)

The minimalist before minimalism had a name. Frank’s interiors for the Rockefellers and the de Noailles were hushed, tonal masterclasses in understatement. He’s credited with elevating humble materials — parchment, shagreen, straw marquetry — to couture status.

MARKET INSIGHT: His parchment-wrapped pieces are especially prized. Originals are museum-level and rarely come to market, but when they do, prices can exceed $500,000.

Charlotte Perriand (1903–1999)

While Le Corbusier may have gotten the headlines, Perriand was the brain behind much of the form and function. Her modular bookcases, low-slung chaise lounges, and aluminum-and-wood combinations are now coveted by both design historians and hedge funders alike.

MARKET INSIGHT: Perriand’s pieces, especially from the Les Arcs resort commission, have skyrocketed in value. Expect to pay upwards of $100,000 for rare works.