The personal art collection of Peter Simon, the founder of the fashion retailer Monsoon, is set to be auctioned at Christie’s in London this autumn. Comprising nearly 200 works, the collection is estimated to fetch between £86.5 million and £126.7 million.
The event, titled “Monsoon: The Peter Simon Collection,” is expected to be a landmark moment for the UK art market. Christie’s has confirmed that the sale represents the highest-value single-owner collection ever offered at its London branch within a single “marquee week.”
The auction is scheduled to take place across three dedicated sales during London’s Frieze Week in October 2026. The breadth of the collection reflects Mr Simon’s lifetime of global travel and his background in textiles, which began when he founded Monsoon in 1973 after being inspired by craftsmanship in India.
High-Value Masterpieces
The collection features a range of significant Modernist and “School of London” works. Among the most anticipated items are two paintings by Francis Bacon. His 1978 work, Figure in Movement, carries an estimate of £14 million to £18 million, while Study for a Figure (c. 1945) is expected to fetch between £4 million and £6 million.
Other notable pieces include a 1934 wood relief by Ben Nicholson, which is expected to bring in between £1 million and £2 million.
Mr Simon has reported that the decision to sell part of his collection is intended to “free his mind and walls to start in a new direction.”
Public Viewings and Auction Dates
For members of the public and collectors wishing to see the works before they are sold, Christie’s will host a series of exhibitions at its galleries in St James’s.
The viewing schedule and auction dates are confirmed as follows:
- Full Collection Public Viewing: 26 September to 1 October 2026.
- Collection Highlights Viewing: 8 October to 14 October 2026.
- Auction Location: Christie’s, 8 King Street, London.
- Auction Dates: 14 and 15 October 2026.
The sale coincides with Frieze Week, one of the most important periods in the global art calendar, drawing international collectors and curators to the capital. The auction house expects the provenance and quality of the Simon collection to attract significant interest from both private buyers and public institutions.
