“Discovering the Château du Sailhant is an unforgettable experience. This impressive structure, perched on a rocky spur, houses a remarkable collection assembled by Mr. Lombardi, paying homage to the Medieval period and to the heritage of Auvergne.”
— Marie de Calbiac, Regional Director, Aguttes

Discover

Château du Sailhant, Auvergne ©Florian Brioude

Dispersal of the Joseph Pell Lombardi Collection, in several parts

Starting in July 2025, Aguttes will auction approximately 160 lots gathered at the Château du Sailhant in Auvergne. While most will be presented during the “Haute Époque” (Early Art) sale on July 3, 2025, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, other works and objects will appear across several other sales: Modern Art, Furniture & Decorative Arts, and Automobilia.
Among the highlights of the Haute Époque sale on July 3, 2025, is a rare enthroned Virgin and Child “Sedes Sapientiae”, estimated at €80,000–140,000.


Lot 240 – Rare Enthroned Virgin and Child “Sedes Sapientiae” carved in walnut wood
Hollowed back (sealed with a wooden panel).
France, Auvergne, late 11th – early 12th century
Height: 77.5 cm – Width: 36 cm – Depth: 17.5 cm
(traces of ancient polychromy, visible wear, losses, restorations, numerous wrought iron nails, added elements)
PROVENANCE
– Believed to have been acquired in Auvergne around 1930 by Madame Marais [letter from François Bigot dated January 18, 1998].
– Acquired from the Marais heirs by Gabrielle Laroche through François Bigot.
– Acquired by Joseph Pell Lombardi from the above [invoice dated December 8, 1998].
– Private Collection of Joseph Pell Lombardi, for the chapel of his Château du Sailhant (Cantal).
Estimate: €80,000 – €140,000

“As someone from Auvergne, encountering the Enthroned Virgin in the Sailhant chapel deeply moved me. These Romanesque Virgins evoke the pilgrimages of old — to Rome, to Clermont, and finally to the smallest villages of Cantal, where such figures were kept in humble churches and paraded through the streets on major religious festivals. The momentum behind this movement must have been enormous, for despite the centuries and their ravages, many of these statues survive. They all follow a similar model, inspired by the Golden Virgin of Clermont.”
— Claude Aguttes, Chairman, Founder of the House and Auctioneer

This Virgin sits hieratically on a throne, her arms outstretched presenting her Divine Child seated (detachable), dressed in a toga and holding the open book of Holy Scripture in his left hand. The right hand of the Christ Child, likely raised in blessing, is now missing. This extremely rare sculpture belongs to the archetypal corpus of the “Sedes Sapientiae” or “Throne of Wisdom”, a key Romanesque iconographic theme. The abundance of such sculptures in Auvergne can be explained by the local origin of the imagery. Expert Grégoire de Thoury recalls that in the 10th century, Abbot Robert of Mozac (near Riom) received a vision of the Virgin Mary bathed in celestial light, enthroned and holding the Christ Child on her lap. She instructed him to construct both a cathedral and her image. Thus, under the guidance of Robert, Bishop Stephen II of Clermont had the first “Sedes Sapientiae” made — a treasure of gold and gems later destroyed during the French Revolution.


Lot 250 – Large Gothic chandelier known as an “Apostelleuchter”
Architectural design in three registers, wrought and tinned iron, with traces of gilding and ancient polychrome.
Twelve lower lights with a central upper candle holder.
Upper section shaped like a tower with four pinnacles, above a crown of Gothic triangular pediments, surmounting a circular base with applied fleurons.
Southern Germany, late 15th – early 16th century.
Height: 130 cm – Diameter: 65 cm
(damage, visible losses and alterations)
PROVENANCE
– Hermann Historica Sale, Munich, May 16, 2003, Lot 235.
– Private Collection of Joseph Pell Lombardi, for the chapel of his Château du Sailhant (Cantal).
Two similar chandeliers are preserved at the Bavarian National Museum in Munich (MA 3451/52), originally from churches in the Dachau region.
Estimate: €4,000 – €6,000

Lots numbered 240 to 255, and 283 to 285, also come from the Château du Sailhant, including this large Gothic chandelier (lot 250), estimated at €4,000–6,000.
As part of its fall season, Aguttes will also present a selection of paintings from the Château du Sailhant. This group includes around thirty works, notably by Maurice Busset (1879–1936), an Auvergne painter and wood engraver, as well as Jules Zingg (1882–1942), a painter, illustrator, and engraver. These landscapes of Auvergne and scenes of rural life — mostly modern works — will be offered with estimates ranging from a few hundred to several thousand euros.

“Auvergne artists blended Romantic and Realist movements in French art. They captured nature’s grandeur and emotional force while depicting daily life with precision and detail, offering a glimpse into the everyday world of rural Auvergne and contributing to a broader interest in realist themes.”
— Joseph Pell Lombardi, Architect


Château du Sailhant ©Florian Brioude

Additionally, collectors can admire a scaled-down model of a Bugatti (estimated €5,000–10,000) with a working engine, along with a model of a Blériot aircraft.


1996 – Bugatti Type 59
Beautiful children’s car crafted by Mark Al Harris
Metal bodywork
Electric motor
Dimensions: 50 x 81 x 190 cm
Estimate: €5,000 – €10,000
©Florian Brioude

Château du Sailhant: Safeguarding Heritage and the Joseph Pell Lombardi Collection


Jospeh Pell Lombardi, architecte installé à New York ©Mark Seliger

Behind the Château du Sailhant stands a devoted preservationist: Joseph Pell Lombardi. This American architect undertook the restoration of a centuries-old structure with deep historical roots.

“Preserving the Château du Sailhant required assembling a collection of Auvergne art and objects. The artworks in the salon are arranged as they would have been centuries ago. Likewise, the other rooms feature period chandeliers, prayer stools, candlesticks, carved objects, weapons, furniture, utensils, and clocks — all representative of Auvergne taste and heritage.”
— Joseph Pell Lombardi, Architect

The Château du Sailhant sits atop a volcanic spur in the commune of Andelat (Cantal), about six kilometers northwest of Saint-Flour. Its strategic position offers sweeping views of the Ander Valley and reflects its medieval defensive function. Mentioned as early as the 11th century, the fortress has undergone numerous construction and restoration phases over the centuries. Its current architecture combines Romanesque and Gothic elements, with interior renovations dating to the Renaissance.

Abandoned for a long period, the château underwent a major restoration campaign beginning in the 1990s under Joseph Pell Lombardi’s direction. Born in 1940 in New York, this American architect and real estate investor is a pioneer in the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. In 1969, he founded his own practice — one of the first dedicated to historic restoration at a time dominated by modernist architecture. He also published a bilingual book (French and English), The Book, Château du Sailhant, tracing his career and the restoration of his five residences.
The Château du Sailhant is one of his signature achievements. He undertook the conservation of this 12th-century medieval fortress, secured its classification as a historic monument (as of September 13, 2019), open to the public.

In 1978, Joseph Pell Lombardi acquired and converted Liberty Tower (New York), a 33-story neo-Gothic skyscraper, into residential condominiums — the first major office-to-residential conversion in Manhattan’s financial district. He also restored the Armour-Stiner House (Irvington, NY), a unique octagonal home and the only known residence shaped like a domed Roman temple. His achievements have earned him numerous honors, including the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Silver Medal for Tourism in 2019.

Upcoming auction
Haute Époque
Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 2:30 PM in Neuilly-sur-Seine

Public Viewing:
Monday, June 30 to Wednesday, July 2, 2025: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday, July 3, 2025: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM