Auction introduction: On October 3rd, Christie’s Paris has the privilege of presenting Modern Reign, Tribute to the Maharajah of Indore, an exceptional private collection assembled in the early 2000s by a passionate collector. At the heart of this selection are some twenty works from the collection of the Maharajah of Indore commissioned for his Manik Bagh palace (1930-1933). Half of these pieces were presented at the Modern Maharajah exhibition organised at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs of Paris (2019–2020). A true masterpiece designed by the German architect Eckart Muthesius for Yeshwant Rao II Holkar (1908 -1961), Maharajah of Indore, the palace of Manik Bagh has left its imprint on the history of the decorative arts by illustrating the visionary personality of a sovereign enamored with modernity. Throughout this section, we are invited to discover creations that are as sophisticated as they are revolutionary, including an impressive ensemble by Eckart Muthesius (1904-1989) himself, notably the iconic pair of armchairs from the library, upholstered in red faux leather, as well as others by Ivan Da Silva Bruhns (1881-1980) and Djo-Bourgeois (1898-1937), all of whom used innovative forms and materials. The iconic beds and dressing table designed for the Maharajah and the Maharani by Charlotte Alix and Louis Sognot are also among the highlights of the selection. The collection is enhanced by other extraordinary pieces by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann (1879 - 1933), among which collectors will have the opportunity to acquire the personal desk of the greatest French décorateur-ensemblier of his time. Made from Makassar ebony, this masterpiece represents the high point of the artist's career, brilliantly combining chrome and exotic wood, a perfect example of his functional, technical yet aesthetic evolutionary style in the wake of the Modern movement.