Claude Lalanne's Banquette Crocodile made $513,162 in a design auction at Sotheby's Paris on May 24.

The Banquette Crocodile was produced in a run of eight

Lalanne is a French designer known for her eccentric works, which are often animal themed. She also worked with her husband Francois-Xavier under the name Les Lalannes.

Another Banquette Crocodile (eight were made in total) achieved $482,500 at Christie's in 2009.

Cecile Verdier, co-head of the Sotheby's design department, comments: "This evening's success showed the extraordinary solidity of the market, with increasing participation from Asian collectors - not only as new bidders in this category but also as new buyers in the differing sectors of Design."

In total the sale pulled in $8.6m, the highest ever for a design auction.

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