NEW YORK, N.Y.- A collection of costume designs by Alexandre Benois is another highlight of the auction. The nine-lot Benois group hails from A Distinguished Private Collection, including costume designs from the productive middle period of Benois’ career. After the great success of the Ballets Russes production of Petrushka in 1911, Benois’ reputation was assured. Benois had plans to collaborate with Nijinsky on basing a ballet on the music of J.S. Bach as early as 1913, but the plan ultimately came to pass in 1928, when he conceived and designed Les Noces de Psyché for the dancer Ida Rubenstein. The ballet, choreographed by Nijinsky’s sister Bronislava, allowed Benois to indulge his love of 18th Century French art. The costume designs for Psyché and