Marie Laurence Tixier

CO-FOUNDER & AUCTIONEER

CONTACT:

+33(0)682115426 mltixier@mauriceauction.com

MARIE LAURENCE TIXIER IN THREE DATES:

Graduated as an auctioneer in 2003. Became the director of the Jewelry department at Christie's Paris in 2008. Joined Cartier as an expert/buyer for High Jewelry colored stones in 2019.

Her favorite object:

My pair of aluminum earrings by JAR given to me by my husband and left on my pillow on the morning of our wedding. A miniature work of art that I often wear.

Her city:

Paris, forever! For its beauty, energy, and the dynamism now found in the art market, its great private collections housed in strong architectural locations.

What was the turning point to become an auctioneer?

My studies at the Ecole du Louvre and an internship with auctioneer Hervé Poulain at the Palais des Congrès. The auction room was then called Maurice Rheims. Its modernity, taste for racing cars and contemporary art sensitized me to the fact that the profession of auctioneer could be practiced differently with a strong entrepreneurial imprint.

HER BEST SALE MEMORY

The sale of Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry in New York at the Rockefeller Center. A collection of jewelry lovingly assembled by a true connoisseur, a brilliant woman with an extraordinary personality embodying, in herself, all the glamour of American cinema. An incredible atmosphere between fervor and madness during the evening sale, the room packed to the brim, the long minutes to sell the historic Peregrina pearl... with New York as the backdrop.

Her muse: 

Numerous women inspire and touch me. Simone Veil, Gisèle Halimi, Simone de Beauvoir, Emilie du Chatelet, Louise Bourgeois, Toni Morrison, Jeanne Toussaint, Michelle Obama, my daughter Gabrielle.

Her guilty pleasure? 

A glass of Meursault. I share with my family a passion for wine and a taste for the good things in life. I confess to having a broad preference for Burgundy wines and Côtes du Rhône.

MARIE-LAURENCE'S CAREER

After studying law, history, and art history at the École du Louvre, Marie-Laurence joined Christie's in 2008 as director of the Jewelry department and auctioneer.

Passionate about the history of jewelry and a gemologist, she has worked on numerous European private collections and discovered many important pieces for sales in Paris and Geneva.

Her catalogs are renowned for the quality of their selection and presentation. Her sales have a very low rate of unsold items and showcase exceptional jewelry and gemstones that achieve prestigious results. She has on her track record the sale of a fine pearl for 1 million euros, a 6.48-carat Colombian emerald for 450,000 euros, and a 7.05-carat Kashmir sapphire sold for 600,000 euros. In 2016, she honored the avant-garde of contemporary jewelry by creating the "Creation Now" section, which set several records for artists, including the Korean designer Sam Tho Duong.

As a generalist auctioneer, she sources works and collections in other specialties, including the wine department, old paintings, handbags and accessories, and works of art, with a beautiful collection of gold boxes sold in Hong Kong for 1 million dollars. She is a recognized hammer and has directed numerous sales for Christie's, including the prestigious Hospices de Beaune sales.

In 2019, she joined Cartier as a color stone expert and reference.

She selects and purchases precious stones for High Jewelry pieces and works closely with the creative studio. Closer to clients, she participates in High Jewelry events as an expert and follows special orders. Passionate about art and the world of jewelry, Marie-Laurence always puts her clients' interests first.

Her expertise and network of international clients make all the difference.

Salomé Pirson

Co-Founder & Auctioneer

CONTACT: 

 +33 (0)670017294 spirson@mauriceauction.com

SALOMÉ PIRSON IN THREE DATES:

Born in 1990. Graduated from H.E.C. Paris in 2017. Organized the sale of all the furniture from the Ritz for a total of over 7 million euros in 2018.

HER FAVORITE OBJECT:

An Enzo Mari vase given to her for her graduation as an auctioneer in 2015. She loves to insert floral arrangements from her florist and dear friend Thierry Féret.

HER CITY:

Rome, where she lived for a year and tries to go every year. It's hard to tire of the winding streets, museums, churches, and especially the smells that permeate this city... She particularly loves to visit the Villa Medici, a timeless place perched above Rome, simply the most beautiful place in the world in her eyes.

HER BEST MEMORY OF AN AUCTION:

There are several, and she hopes her best memory is yet to come, but for now... the rediscovery of a mysterious Art Deco Cartier clock in 2020, unknown to the Cartier archives, sold for nearly 400,000 euros to a foreign client.

HER MUSE:

Her mother, an endless source of inspiration. Perhaps also Gabrielle Chanel for her modernity, her freedom of thought, and her taste for accessories and jewelry.

HER GUILTY PLEASURE:
Indulging in gourmet food. She's always up-to-date on the latest restaurants to try, and otherwise spends her time in the kitchen or discovering a new specialty store. She wants to taste everything, all the time! Call her if you're looking for a good meal ;-)

SALOMÉ'S CAREER 

Salomé holds a Master's degree in Art Market from the Sorbonne under the direction of Philippe Dagen. She became a licensed auctioneer for voluntary and judicial sales in 2015 and completed her education by pursuing an excellent commercial training program at H.E.C. Paris.

Salomé Pirson was quickly recruited by a major international auction house in Paris to organize the sale of the Hotel Ritz. She then set a world record for a hotel furniture sale, totaling 7.3 million euros. She then joined the development team of the 20th and 21st-century art division under the direction of François Tajan, managing a panel of collections and clients between France and Monaco, where she developed her network and a very fine understanding of the market in Design, Modern Art, and Contemporary Art.

In Monaco, she organized the first outdoor sculpture trail followed by an auction totaling over 5 million euros in sales. Since becoming independent in 2020, she advises and guides her clients in their approach to selling or acquiring works of art. Additionally, with a passion for the world of jewelry, Salomé passed her gemology certificate at the National Gemology Institute. In 2021, she rediscovered a mysterious Cartier Art Deco clock missing from the archives, selling for nearly 400,000 euros.

Originally from eastern France but with a heart for Italy, Salomé is available to work in these regions. Regularly, Salomé appears on screen :) as a consultant on the show "Affaire Conclue: Vos objets ont une histoire" on France 2.