UKauctionnews

La Suite Subastas | Antiques, Art Nouveau & 20th Century Paintings

2012-02-24T17:05:00.000Z

Sotheby’s to Offer Roy Lichtenstein’s Sleeping Girl From 1964 in New York on 9 May 2012

2012-02-24T16:12:00.001Z

NEW YORK, NY - Sotheby’s Evening Sale of Contemporary Art on 9 May 2012 will feature Roy Lichtenstein’s Sleeping Girl from 1964 (36 x 36 in., 91.5 x 91.5 cm) – one of the high-points of the artist’s comic book inspired paintings and an icon of Post-War American art. The sexy blonde women of the comic book series are not only one of the most instantly recognizable icons of the Pop Art movement but continue the long, rich tradition of artists’ celebrations of the sleeping female form. Paintings from this series are featured in the collections of major institutions throughout the world such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York and this work has remained in private hands for the past 48 years. Sleeping Girl is estimated to sell for $30/40 million and will be shown in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, London and New York prior to the auction on 9 May.
“Sleeping Girl is one of the great masterpieces of the 20th century, counting iconic depictions of women by Pablo Picasso, Constantin Brancusi and Amedeo Modigliani among its peers,” commented Tobias Meyer, Sotheby’s Worldwide Head of Contemporary Art. “Lichtenstein’s ‘girls’ are arguably his most desirable works today and Sleeping Girl has been coveted since it was acquired in 1964, the year it was painted. It is astonishingly fresh and vibrant, as if it were painted yesterday.”

Sleeping Girl has not appeared on the market since it was purchased by noted West Coast collectors and philanthropists Beatrice and Phillip Gersh, from the Ferus Gallery in 1964. The Gershes were founding members of The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles (MOCA) and part of a distinguished group of collectors who established the modern and contemporary art scene in the region. Their commitment to supporting the arts in Los Angeles is evidenced in part by their generous donations of several major works to MOCA including Cubi III (1961), a stainless steel sculpture by David Smith and Jackson Pollock’s seminal painting Number 3, 1948 (1948), both of which are currently on view at MOCA as part of A Tribute to Beatrice and Philip Gersh: Gifts to The Museum of Contemporary Art through 27 February 2012. Passionate collectors, they rarely loaned their works to museum exhibitions, preferring to keep them at home, and in the 48 years since its purchase, Sleeping Girl has been exhibited only once, in the 1989/90 Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles exhibition Selections from the Beatrice and Philip Gersh Collection.

In the 1960s, The Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles was the port-of-call for all burgeoning collectors on the West Coast. The gallery championed the careers of artists such as Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha and Roy Lichtenstein, to name a few. Legendary dealer Irving Blum was at the helm of the Ferus Gallery when Sleeping Girl was purchased by the Gershes. At the time, works by Lichtenstein were rare and highly sought-after and he recalled that “Bea fought like a lioness for that painting.”

This transformation of mass-produced commercial images into the realm of Fine Art is unequivocally one of the most important principles of 20th century art practice, and Sleeping Girl is its crowning achievement. Sleeping Girl is the highpoint of Lichtenstein’s most acclaimed and sustained body of work, painted between 1961 and 1965, and stands out as the clear masterpiece among the single-figure, square-format paintings of women from 1964, with a perfect harmony of size, composition and color.

From the Old Masters to Brancusi and Picasso, the sleeping female muse has been celebrated in the visual arts and Lichtenstein’s romantic cartoon paintings make a compelling and dynamic contribution to that long tradition. Like Picasso, Lichtenstein was fascinated by women but in contrast to the modern master, works like Sleeping Girl are a vehicle for his innovation and contribution to 20th century art history, rather than homage to specific women.

A number of additional works collected by the Gershes will also be offered in upcoming auctions at Sotheby’s this season. Among them are a group of Contemporary works by artists including Mark di Suvero, Susan Rothenberg, Tony Cragg and Kiki Smith, some of which were exhibited alongside Lichtenstein’s Sleeping Girl in the 1989/90 MOCA exhibition, Selections from the Beatrice and Philip Gersh Collection. The offerings this spring will also include American Indian and African Works of Art. Further details will be available in the coming months.

UKauctioneers Weekend Update

2012-02-24T16:11:00.000Z

Welcome to your weekend update!

We have a great line-up for you this weekend, including Kent's ever popular two-part Saturday sale, a fantastic two day sale from newcomers Paul Beighton Auctioneers and some fab specialist sales from toys and diecast to music and film memorabilia.

Semley Auctioneers hold their monthly antique sale this saturday, as ever there is some beautiful furniture up for grabs plus militaria and sporting items. Click this link to view the full colour flash catalogue with turnable pages and zoom features.

Kent

Folkestone

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Antiques Fine Art and Collectables in Our Upstairs Saleroom Lots 1-199

ATTEND LIVE AUCTION
Sat 25th Feb 10am

Paul Beighton

South Yorkshire

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Two Day Antique Furniture and Fine Art Sale

Sat 25th Feb 10am

Carter's

Kidderminster

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Antiques and Interiors Auction

Sat 25th Feb 10am

The Auction Centre

Kidderminster

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Antiques and Collectables Auction

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Sat 25th Feb 10am

Kent

Folkestone

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Antiques Fine Art and Collectables Lots 200 Onwards
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Sat 25th Feb 10am

Willingham

Cambridgeshire

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Good Quality Modern and Fine Antique Furniture

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Sat 25th Feb 10am

Willingham

Cambridgeshire

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Rugs, Pictures, Silver, Jewellery, Militaria, Toys and Ceramics

ATTEND LIVE AUCTION

Sat 25th Feb 10am

Semley

Dorset

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Clocks, Barometers, Scientific & Militaria & Sporting Items, Antique Furniture & Objects

Sat 25th Feb 10:30am

Patrick Cheyne

Cheshire

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Antiques, Collectables and Fine Art

Sat 25th Feb 10am

A E Dowse

South Yorkshire

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Diecast, Tinplate and Collector's Toys

Sat 25th Feb 11am

Paul Beighton

South Yorkshire

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Two Day Antique Furniture and Fine Art Sale - Day Two

Sun 26th Feb 10am

Omega

Cheshire

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Vinyl, Music and Film Memorabilia

Sat 25th Feb 11am

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English & European Ceramics & Glass At Woolley & Wallis

2012-02-24T16:09:00.001Z

English & European Ceramics & Glass

Tuesday 6th March 2012 at 10.30am


Lot 200: A rare pearlware commemorative jug of Napoleonic interest, c.1803 Est: £500-700	Lot 269: A Spode small vase, c.1815 Est: £250-350	Lot 111: A dated Donyatt slipware puzzle jug, 1829. From a selection of slipware in the sale. Est: £700-1,000

The sale includes a good selection of English and Continental porcelain plaques with examples from KPM, Royal Worcester and Royal Crown Derby, including a fine pair by James Stinton.

There is also a selection of English delftware tiles, with several examples printed by John Sadler, fifty lots of blue and white English porcelain and early examples of Sèvres and Meissen.

In the 18th century porcelain section are included several pieces decorated in the Giles atelier, rare pieces of Bristol, Plymouth, Worcester, Bow, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Pictured Right
Lot 411: A rare Vincennes small bottle or glass cooler, c.1750-52.
Est: £2,500-3,500.

View the Ceramics and Glass sale. More information from Clare Durham on 01722 424507. Catalogues are available at £12 (£15 including postage).

Live online bidding is available for this sale via the-saleroom.com

Viewing Times:
Saturday 3rd March, 10am to 1pm
Monday 5th March, 10am to 7pm
Tuesday 6th March, 8.30am-10.30am

Lot 527: A good Worcester quatrefoil chestnut basket, cover and stand, c.1768-70
Est: £1,000-2,000

Rare Chinese Bubble Bowl To Be Auctioned In Shrewsbury

2012-02-24T16:08:00.002Z

A rare Chinese ‘bubble’ bowl from the famous Brodie Lodge Collection is expected to sell for up to £30,000 when it goes up for auction at Shropshire’s leading fine art auction house in April.

The early Junyao bowl from the Song Dynasty, which has a diameter of just 8.5cms, has been consigned to Halls’ new Asian art auction at the Welsh Bridge saleroom in Shrewsbury on April 18. The auction has been arranged to reflect the growing market for quality antiques in China.

“The bowl is skilfully glazed in such a way that it looks like a bubble if you hold it at a certain angle,” said Halls’ fine art director Jeremy Lamond. “It was a way for the maker to show off their glazing skills.

“The Chinese market remains strong, with wealthy collectors wanting to take historical artefacts back to China.”

It’s not the first time that Halls has sold valuable pieces from the Brodie Lodge Collection, once recognised as one of the finest in Europe. Last April, 40 pieces of Chinese jade and ceramics from the collection sold for £174,000 in Shrewsbury, including a pair of Junyao small bubble bowls that made £31,000.

The collection was assembled by Brodie Lodge, inventor of the Lodge spark plug with a ceramic conductor, and his wife, Enid, in the 1940s. The couple decided to invest the money they were making from porcelain spark plugs into Oriental porcelain.

The collection featured at the 1948 exhibition of Oriental art at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and at the Oriental Ceramic Society.

Also consigned to the April auction are 50 pieces of 19th century and Republic period Chinese porcelain from the collection of Shropshire collector Dr Neil Kendall. The pieces are valued from £150 to £3,000.

“Dr Kendall has collected over a number of years and is now repositioning his collection,” said Mr Lamond. “The pieces in his collection are keenly sought after by buyers from mainland China.

“I believe there is a large amount of hidden and undervalued Asian art in Shropshire and surrounding counties and there has never been a better time to offer it at auction.”

Entries for the Asian art auction close on March 19. Contact Mr Lamond on Tel: 01743 284777 for more information.

Christie’s Tees Up The Most Important Private Collection Of Golf Art And Memorabilia Ever Assembled

2012-02-24T15:58:00.003Z

Charting The History Of The Game, The Collection Includes The Rarest Treasures From The Golden Age Of Golf

The Origins of Golf: The Jaime Ortiz-Patiño Collection 30 May 2012, London

London – On 30 May 2012, Christie’s will auction the world’s most important private collection of golf art and memorabilia. Passionately assembled over 25 years by Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, the founder of the world-famous Valderrama Golf Club, this historic collection includes some of the rarest and most valuable treasures representing the history of the sport, and its most notable personalities, from its earliest references in the 15th century to a programme for the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934. Presenting an unprecedented selection of historic clubs, balls, paintings, ceramics and books, the collection will offer approximately 400 lots and is expected to realise in excess of £2 million.

From its early origins in the East coast of Scotland, Golf is now one of the most popular sports in the world, and also one of the most lucrative; in 2011, the two highest earning sportsmen were Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Now played all around the world, golf’s rich history has unfolded over many centuries in Scotland. This collection charts and celebrates the history and development of the game, and includes golf clubs and balls used by some of the true champions of the Golden Age, including Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris, Young Tom Morris and Willie Park Snr. who, between them, won twelve Open Championships.

Art

The collection includes the preparatory oil sketch for the most famous painting in the history of golf. The Golfers by Charles Lees, R.S.A. (1800-1880) is the preparatory oil study for the painting which is now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The preparatory sketch measures 15½ x 24½ inches and represents a rare opportunity to acquire an original painted image which has since been copied the world over. It depicts a game in play during the October Meeting of 1847 at the Old Course, St. Andrew’s, between Sir David Baird and Sir Ralph Anstruther against Major Playfair and John Campbell Esq. of Glensaddle. It is expected to realise £120,000 to £180,000.

A portrait of John Whyte-Melville, who features in The Golfers, and who was referred to by the members of The Royal and Ancient as ‘the father of the club’, will also be offered at the sale (estimate: £80,000 to £120,000). Executed by Sir Francis Grant, P.R.A., a smaller version of the painting hangs in the Royal and Ancient clubhouse in St. Andrews. John Whyte-Melville is said to have played two rounds a day, three days a week until he was well over 85. He became a member of the Royal and Ancient in 1816 and was elected Captain in 1823. He played an instrumental role in the development of the club and laid the foundation stone of the clubhouse.

The Golf Course, North Berwick by Sir John Lavery, R.S.A., R.H.A., R.A. (1856-1941) will be offered with an estimate of £200,000 to £300,000. This painting is from a series of works the artist painted at the Scottish golf course in 1921 and 1922, another example of which is at Tate Britain having been presented by Lord Duveen. They are the most valuable and desirable modern depictions of the game.

Golf clubs

A leading highlight is the Morris Putter, a club owned by two of history’s most celebrated golf champions (estimate: £40,000 to £70,000). Crafted by Hugh Philp, a master club-maker based at St. Andrews whose thorn, apple and pear wood putters were particularly revered, it was owned and used by Old Tom Morris and his son Young Tom Morris who between them won eight Open Championships – perhaps while using this club. A group of eight professionals played the first Open Championship at Prestwick in 1860, an event won by Willie Park Sr., who would go on to win the event three more times. Runner-up in 1860 was Tom Morris Sr., known as ‘Old Tom Morris’, who went on to win the event four times, and who still holds the record as the oldest winner of the competition (46 years old in 1867). It was Tom’s son, Tom Morris Jr., who was golf’s first prodigy.

While his father was Open Champion, ‘Young Tom Morris’, when he was only 13, defeated him for the first time. He is the only player to have won the Open four times in a row and he still holds the record as the youngest ever winner of a major championship (17 years old in 1868). By the time he won the competition for the fourth time he was only 21 years old. He set a record score of 77 at The Old Course in St. Andrew’s that would stand for twenty years and in 1868 he scored the first ever tournament hole in one. He pioneered backspin, shaping shots and chipping, and his exhibition matches would draw crowds of thousands, including golf correspondents sent from London. Tragically he died aged 24 on Christmas Day in 1875, having already achieved so much, and having elevated the game to new heights.

The early game was played using feather-filled golf balls and, in the main, bespoke wooden-headed golf clubs. Iron-headed clubs were extremely rare. A leading highlight in the golf club section is one of the rarest and most valuable early golf clubs in private hands. The square toe iron from the late 17th or early 18th century is an exceptionally rare early example of an early square-toe iron. Comparable to the two irons in the Royal Clubs of Troon – the oldest set of golf clubs in existence, which is currently on view at the British Golf Museum in St Andrews, the present club is believed to be one of only twenty recorded to exist. It is expected to realise £80,000 to £120,000.

An even earlier iron club is the Wemyss spur-toe light iron, a 17th century club formerly owned by James, the 5th Earl of Wemyss (1699-1756), a founding member of St. Andrews. Considered to be the earliest of iron golf clubs, the spur-toe was used for hitting out of the rough and evolved into the square-toe in the 18th century (estimate: £60,000 to £100,000). An 18th century long-nosed scared head putter believed to have been made by Andrew Dickson, a famed golf club maker from a family who are recorded to have been making clubs as early as 1629, is expected to realise £60,000 to £100,000. This club was exhibited at the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1901 which celebrated the oldest and greatest objects of Scottish history. The Royal Perth Putter from the late 17th or early 18th century is expected to realize £70,000 to £100,000. This is extremely rare as an early metal-headed putter, as opposed to a conventional wooden putter, and was previously in the collection of The Royal Perth Golfing Society, which was the first society to be granted Royal patronage by King William IV in 1833. Also from the same historical collection is a square-toe light iron from the 18th century (estimate: £50,000 to £70,000).

An extremely rare and early club made by James McEwan circa 1786 is expected to realise £40,000 to £60,000. The McEwan name was synonymous with golf equipment of the finest quality in the 18th and 19th centuries. Founded by James McEwan, the business was based at Bruntsfield Links, original home of The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh. By the turn of the 19th century, they were supplying the other golfing centres of Aberdeen, Montrose, St. Andrews, Perth and Blackheath. The present club is one of only three made by James McEwan known to exist, and was exhibited at the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1901 where it was described as ‘amongst the rarest golf items displayed.’

Golf balls

The early game involved hitting a wooden ball with a wooden stick, but the game was revolutionised in the early 17th century with the introduction of the ‘Featherie’ golf ball. These were often more expensive than a golf club and are thought to have contributed to the notion of golf as a rich man’s sport. A player would use the same ball for up to 6 months or more. A wet cowhide sphere was stuffed with a top-hat fill of wet goose feathers. As the cowhide dried, it shrank and as the feathers dried, they expanded, thus creating a hard, compact ball. The auction will offer a comprehensive range of Featherie golf balls, with estimates ranging from £5,000 to £20,000.

In the mid-19th century, the Featherie was replaced with the gutta percha ball, or the gutty ball. Gutta-percha is the evaporated latex produced from a rubber tree most commonly found in Malaysia. The new durability of the Gutta, together with its much lower cost, resistance to water, and improved run, provided rejuvenation to the game of golf, but not without some resistance. Allan Robertson, the greatest player of his age, was said to have initially burned gutty balls when they first appeared, and also dismissed his apprentice, Old Tom Morris, after he used the new type of ball in a tournament.

Robertson was later to embrace this new type of ball and the auction includes a great and fascinating rarity; an early Gutty ball made by Allan Robertson which is inscribed ‘a new kind of golf ball made of gutta-percha in the year 1849’ (estimate: £12,000 to £18,000). In 1858, Robertson became the first player to score under 80 on the Old Course – a feat he achieved using a Gutty ball. His death the following year prompted the golfers at Prestwick to host a competition to determine who was now the best golfer. This tournament was the first Open which is now celebrated as the oldest major golf competition in the world.

Chinese Export Porcelain

A Chinese export porcelain punch bowl from the late 18th century, painted with a depiction of a golfer, is an exceptionally rare depiction of the game of golf on Chinese porcelain. The depiction of the golfer is taken from a drawing by David Allan which formed part of the letterhead of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, and it is thought that this bowl may have been commissioned by them, or by the Chisholm Family whose arms are also depicted on the reverse. It is expected to realise £40,000 to £60,000.

The origins and development of Golf

The origins of golf are subject to frequent discussion and sometimes dispute. A number of early games which used a ball and a club are referenced in history including Jeu de Mail, an Italian game where a player had to loft a ball through various hoops, and Kolf which was played in Holland and which used heavy clubs and larger balls than we know today.

There is no dispute that Golf was played on the East coast of Scotland in the 15th century where the public land beside the sea was used by anyone with a club and ball. The looming threat of English invasion in 1457 saw King James II declare a Scottish Act of Parliament discouraging the playing of ‘gouff’ as it was interfering with archery practice; there are records of King James IV having bought clubs and balls from a bowmaker in Perth in 1502; and Mary Queen of Scots was famously reproached for playing golf in the grounds of Seton House so soon after the death of her husband, Lord Darnley, in 1567. According to tradition, Scottish exiles played golf at Blackheath, outside London, in 1608 when James VI of Scotland ascended to the English throne.

The first official rules of golf were written in 1744 by the Company of Gentlemen Golfers, later renamed The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, who now play at Muirfield in East Lothian. In 1800 there were only seven golf clubs or golfing societies recorded. By 1850 that figure had grown to seventeen. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that Golf developed into the modern format that we know today. The Founding Fathers of the modern game included Allan Robertson, the Park family, the Morris family and Hugh Philp. Many of the earliest pioneers were course professionals who made clubs and balls, tended the course and would play for money in exhibition matches that became a popular spectator sport.

The first Open Championship was played at Prestwick in 1860. The following decades saw interest in the sport grow internationally and exponentially. In 1864, Westward Ho! became only the second golf course in England. By 1880, golf courses could be found in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. By 1910, there were over 250 golf clubs in the USA, and nearly 1,000 in England. Today, there are estimated to be over 30,000 golf courses in the world, with over 50 million people playing the Royal and Ancient game.

*The collection will be on public view from 20 to 29 May at Christie’s London (8 King Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 6QT)

*Highlights from the collection will be on public view at the following locations:

New York: 16 to 21 March Christie’s, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020, USA

Hong Kong: 2 to 3 April Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

Dubai: 15 to 18 April Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, Godolphin Ballroom, Dubai

Click here to read the illustrated press release.

Pistols Owned By Scottish Aide-De-Camp To King George III For Sale At Bonhams

2012-02-24T15:46:00.004Z

Veteran Of The Seven Years War, The American War Of Independence And War Against Tipu Sultan In India

Duelling Pistols Owned By Officer Who Survived 18th Century Wars On Three Continents

This exceptional pair of Indian 28-bore silver-mounted flintlock pistols with silver barrels was owned by Lt. Col. Alexander Ross (1742-1827), whose extraordinary record of distinguished combat in theatres of war took place on three continents, Europe, America and India.

The pistols are estimated to sell for £30,000-40,000 at Bonhams next sale of Antique Arms and Armour on April 18th in Knightsbridge.

Ross was given them in India in 1792 by Lt. Col. Claude Martin (1735-1800), a Frenchman who deserted his army to join the East Indian Company, becoming Superintendent of Artillery and Arsenals to the Nawab of Oudh, and later establishing the Lucknow Arsenal in 1779.

Alexander Ross was the youngest of five sons of Ross of Auchlossin. He entered the army as an Ensign in the 50th Foot in 1760, attaining the rank of Lieutenant a year later. His military record notes him as having served 'in all the actions after the beginning of the year 1760, with the allied army in Germany' during the Seven Years War (1756-1763).

In 1764 he purchased his rank with full pay in the 45th Foot, being promoted to the rank of Captain in 1775. During the American War of Independence he served as Captain of Grenadiers, participating in all of the principal actions before becoming Aide-de-Camp to Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquis Cornwallis, one of the key British commanders of the campaign. After the battle of Camden, South Carolina, in August 1780, Cornwallis sent Ross to England with the dispatches, recommending Ross as 'a very deserving officer' to the Secretary of State for the American Colonies, Lord George Germain and worthy of his patronage.

He was raised to the rank of Major in 1781, and returned to America in time to serve at the Siege of Yorktown where, alongside Colonel Thomas Dundas, he was one of the two British participants at the negotiations for the surrender of the town. Cornwallis' surrender resulted in his being placed on parole until the close of hostilities. He remained as such despite the efforts of Ross, who travelled to Paris in 1782 in an attempt to exchange an American diplomat in return for Cornwallis' release from parole.

Ross was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1783, shortly after the end of the war, and appointed Deputy Adjutant-General in Scotland. He was later transferred to the post of Adjutant-General in India after Cornwallis was appointed Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief there in 1786. He appears to have remained in this post until about 1794, during which time he 'was present in every action that took place', including the Third Anglo-Mysore War (1789-92) against Tipu Sultan, serving alongside Lieutenant-Colonel Claude Martin who was acting as an Aide-de-Camp to Cornwallis.

Cornwallis and Ross appear to have returned to England together, the latter having been promoted to Colonel the previous year and appointed Aide-de-Camp to King George III. That same year he was sent as military adviser on a mission to Vienna to discuss the possibility of placing the emperor's forces under Cornwallis' command, accompanying Earl Spencer and Thomas Grenville. Ross protested strongly, as he was about to return to Scotland on private matters, but was talked round by William Pitt and Thomas Dundas, although the mission eventually proved unsuccessful.

He received the rank of Major-General in 1795 and followed Cornwallis, now Master of the Ordnance, to Warley Camp, where he was appointed Surveyor-General of Ordnance in succession to the Earl of Berkeley, and whilst holding this post married Isabella Evelyn.

He was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the 76th Foot in 1795, Colonel of the 89th in 1797, and then of the 59th in 1801, and expressed the wish to retire along with his old commander that year. However, Cornwallis prevailed upon him to remain in service, and the following year he was appointed Lieutenant-General, finally attaining the rank of General in 1812 and later being made Governor of Forts George and Augustus in Scotland.

On his retirement he leased Lamer Park in Hertfordshire, and in 1826 the year before his death was granted the crest of an upright branch of myrtle or laurel. His only son, Charles, went on to marry Cornwallis' grand-daughter and to edit Cornwallis' correspondence, published in 1859, in which he described his father as Cornwallis' 'most intimate friend'.

“The Texan Who Conquered Russia”

2012-02-24T15:40:00.003Z

Russian Art, Silver, English Furniture, And Jewels From One Of America’s Greatest Pianists

The Van Cliburn Collection To Be Offered At Christie’s New York On May 17

New York- On May 17, Christie's is honored to present a sale of over 150 exceptional works from the personal collection of Van Cliburn, one of America’s greatest pianists. The collection comprises superb examples of English furniture, Russian Art, Silver and Jewels reflecting Mr. Cliburn’s refined taste and the private passion of a sophisticated connoisseur. With estimates ranging from $1,000 to
$250,000, the total sale is expected to achieve in excess of $3 million.
William Strafford, Head of Private Collections, said: “It is a tremendous honor for Christie's to offer the Van Cliburn Collection, which reveals a uniquely personal side to this supremely talented musician. Mr. Cliburn's passionate pursuit of perfection in his music is reflected in the superb works of art he acquired for his personal collection, with historically important and rare examples of English furniture and silver complimented by dazzling works of art from Russia, a country where he remains revered today.”

Van Cliburn said: “From the beginning of my concert life, I would spend my earnings from performances searching for something beautiful of timeless quality to remember different concerts in various cities. I have always found throughout my life that beauty raises your consciousness and provides incalculable inspiration. I hope that some of the beauty that has inspired me for decades will find others who appreciate them as much as I always have.”

Van Cliburn
Van Cliburn (b. 1934) is one of America’s greatest pianists in the history of music and a persuasive ambassador for American culture. Since his historic 1958 victory at the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Mr. Cliburn has reached across political frontiers with the universal message of beautiful music. In that same year, he appeared on the cover of Time Magazine who billed him “The Texan Who Conquered Russia.” Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he began piano studies at age three and was twelve when he made his orchestral debut with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. After graduating from Kilgore High School, he studied at Juilliard School in New York City. Mr. Cliburn has received more than twenty honorary doctorate degrees. He has provided scholarships at many schools worldwide and has performed for every President of the United States since Harry Truman and for royalty and heads of state in Europe, Asia, and South America. He has received the Kennedy Center Honors, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Order of Friendship from President Vladimir Putin, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and recently President Barack Obama honored Mr. Cliburn with the National Medal of Arts.

Further details of the sale and catalogue will be available by April.

Auction: The Van Cliburn Collection May 17, 2012
Viewing: Christie's Rockefeller Galleries May 12-16, 2012

RESULTS: Sotheby's London Sale of Finest and Rarest Wines Brings Total of £1,049,675 / $1,658,487

2012-02-23T15:29:00.001Z

Sotheby’s London Sale of Finest and Rarest Wines, Spirits & Vintage Port on 22 February 2012 brought a total of £1,049,675 ($1,658,487), against a pre-sale estimate of £907,410 - £1,149,380 ($1,433,708 – 1,816,020), with a sell-through rate by lot of 87.2% and by amount of 87.7%.

Commenting on the auction, Stephen Mould, Head of Sotheby’s European Wine Department, said: “We were delighted with yesterday’s sale results, with strong bidding on mature vintages of Bordeaux and wines from Domaine de la Romanée Conti due to a resurgence of Asian buyers. There was also great interest in Rhône wines with many of the Guigal lots exceeding their high estimates along with red Burgundy from top producers such as Rousseau from the same collection, which was also fiercely contested. This demonstrates the broadening interest in different wine regions of Asian collectors. Asian buyers accounted for 44% of the sale by lot, including the top 10 lots. 59% of lots sold achieved prices above the high estimate. Online bidders bought 15% of lots while an active room bought 16% of lots. We look forward to our next auction in London on March 21 which features three magnificent collections.”

Click here to read the full press release.

The Prince Gong Jade Mountain - Chinese Imperial Jade Gift Surfaces At Bonhams

2012-02-23T11:41:00.002Z

A stunning discovery at Bonhams turns out to be a gift passed between two of the most important statesmen of the late Qing Dynasty, who attempted to modernise China and represented the Qing Dynasty in diplomatic negotiations with Western powers.

A magnificent and important pale green jade mountain, dating from the 18th century, and dedicated by Li Hong Zhang to Prince Gong will be the highlight of Bonhams next Chinese Art Sale on May 17th in New Bond Street, London.

Estimated to sell for £400,000 to £600,000, the large jade boulder is carved as a mountain peak in high relief with four sages and an attendant on a narrow ledge above a stream, amidst a mountainous landscape with pine and wutong tress. The reverse side is carved with bare rocky cliffs and pine trees, with a nine character inscription incised on an overhanging precipice with traces of gilt, reading: Jin Feng Gong Qing Wang Chen Li Hong Zhang (‘Humbly Presented [to] Prince Gong [by] Minister Li Hong Zhang). It comes with its original 19th century carved wooden stand. The artwork stands 14 1/2in (37cm) wide and 7in (18cm) high.

The history of this rare royal gift can be first dated to ownership by:

Li Hong Zhang, GCVO (1823-1901), Premier of the Viceroyalty of Zhili, a leading statesman during the late Qing Dynasty who gifted it to Prince Gong,Yixin (1833-1898), formally known as Prince of the First Rank, the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor (reigned 1821-1850) and half brother of the Xianfeng Emperor (reigned 1850-1861), who served as Prince-Regent during the Tongzhi Emperor’s reign (1861-1875). The carving was then passed on by descent to his grandson, Prince Gong.

When next heard of it was owned by the renowned Japanese dealers Yamanka & Co., who offered it for sale through the American Art Galleries, New York, on 22 February 1913, as lot 252 in The Remarkable Collection of the Imperial Prince Kung of China. It was subsequently sold at auction in London on 27th May 1963 to an English private collection of important jade carvings, and thence by descent to the current owner.

Asaph Hyman, Director of Bonhams Chinese Art Department, says: “We are delighted to have discovered this historically important work of art, presented by the leading statesman Li Hong Zhang to Prince Gong. This exceptional jade carving not only embodies the superb craftsmanship of the jade carvers of the 18th century, but is a unique representation of the relationship between two of the most important statesmen of the late Qing

Dynasty, who attempted to modernise China and represented the Qing Dynasty in diplomatic negotiations with Western powers. The jade mountain was previously treasured in the Prince Gong Palace in Beijing until it was sold by his grandson. It has been cherished by two generations since it was last acquired in 1963.”

Fountain Pens Share The Headlines With Chinese Silk Robe

2012-02-23T11:10:00.001Z

An early 20th century Chinese silk robe sold and a collection of fountain pens made the headlines as they went under the hammer at a successful collective auction in Shrewsbury yesterday (Wednesday).

The robe, embroidered with flowers, insects and birds was sold together with an embroidered Chinese apron skirt for £2,150 to an Internet bidder from Taiwan, while the collection of 44 fountain pens and one propelling pencil by Conway Stewart from the 1950s and ‘60s made £1,900.

The silk robe and skirt were consigned to Halls’ auction at the Welsh Bridge saleroom by a Shropshire couple who had inherited them from an uncle.

Jeremy Lamond, Halls’ fine art director, said: “The market for Chinese textiles has really taken off in the past couple of months, following the strong demand for porcelain and anything relating to Chinese art.”

Continuing the Chinese theme, a blue and white porcelain brush pot from the Qing dynasty sold for £650 and an early 20th century silk panel embroidered with exotic birds and mounted on a bamboo pole made £340.

The collection of fountain pens is believed to have belonged to a travelling salesman, as many of pens still carried their original labels.

A Bank of England white £100 note dated 1936 and a 1697 Exchequer bill entitling the bearer to £5 with interest of a farthing a day sold for £700 and £600 respectively. The banknotes were bought by a Shropshire investor as an investment in the 1980s.

Paintings also performed well, with a contemporary gouache study of an orchid by W. Mupill making £1,250, a watercolour and pastel drawing of a coastal landscape by Mary Lloyd Jones selling for £700 and an oil painting of beached fishing boats and fisherfolk in a coastal landscape, attributed to Charles William Anslow Thornley, making £650.

Four English portrait miniatures also sold for £650 and an oil by John Thomson of Duddingston of anglers in a landscape made £500.

The auction included a liftetime’s collection of decorative hatpins and hatpin holders from an elderly Shrewsbury collector, which sold in four lots for £400.

An extensive 18-setting canteen of silver plated cutlery sold for £520 and an associated three piece silver tea service made £460 as the silver piece were in great demand.

In the watches section, a gentleman’s nine carat gold cased, open faced pocket watch made in Chester in 1916 sold for £500 and a George III silver pair cased verge pocket watch found new home for £380.

The furniture section was headed by a pair of Vernis Martin vitrines with gilt metal mounts, which sold for £800, while an early 20th century oak cabinet/chest in the Gothic revival style sold for £500.

The ceramics section was headed by an attractively decorated Wiltshaw and Robinson Carlton Ware coffee service that sold for £520, while a 19th century polychrome Prattware pot lid depicting the Allied generals with a rare marbled flange made £220 and collections of Beswick and Royal Albert Beatrix Potter models made £200 and £180 respectively.

Textiles made a successful debut in the auction with a 100 per cent clearance of 21 lots, which included a mink coat and shrug and collection of stoles that made £210.

The books section included the auction catalogue of the Lilleshall Estate, Wellington in 1912, which sold for £210.

“There was a buzz in the saleroom which wasn’t there in 2011,” said Andrew Beeston, Halls’ senior auctioneer and valuer. “The market appears to be focused on small, decorative items and precious metals. It was also pleasing that the market for 19th and 20th century decorative pictures showed a marked improvement.”

Chinese Furniture And Jades Top Bonhams March Asian Decorative Arts Auction

2012-02-23T10:10:00.003Z

San Francisco—Bonhams is pleased to announce its Asian Decorative Arts sale, March 13 in San Francisco. The auction will feature a variety of fine items at this 600-plus lot session, over 400 of which are Chinese. The sale will include a broad array of late 20th century huanghuali and hardwood furniture from a Los Angeles collection, as well as a fine assortment of jade and hardstone decorations. Also on offer will be a wide assortment of fine snuff bottles from various collections.

Headlining the sale is a great selection of Chinese huanghuali and hardwood pieces from various collections. The most noteworthy lots include two finely carved 18th century huanghuali veneer fragments now mounted together in a single frame (pictured, est. $8,000-$12,000), an elegant lao huali meditation chair (est. $7,000-$9,000) and a pair of huanghuali arm chairs (est. $5,000-$7,000).

There will also be an excellent assortment of more than 140 lots of Chinese decorative porcelains on offer, with special emphasis on monochrome and blue and white wares for the domestic and export markets. Of the monochrome pieces, there are a number of interesting Dehua figurines, most notably a graceful pair of Dehua porcelain figures of Magu (est. $5,000-$7,000). A selection of excellent polychrome enamels will also be available, including a pair of famille rose enameled porcelain landscape plaques, intricately painted in bright enamels (est. $5,000-$7,000).

An excellent number of bronzes and metalwork will also be on offer, including a Ming dynasty gilt bronze Buddha seated on a lotus-form plinth (est. $3,000-$5,000) and a Tibeto-Chinese gilt bronze figure of Manjushri (est. $4,000-$5,000)

A fine selection of more than 60 decorative jades will be available, including a pair of spinach jade rectangular plaques with gilt and silver painted decoration (est. $3,000-5,000) and a pair of lavender jadeite oxen (est. $4,000-$6,000).

A great variety of textiles from different collections will also be offered, most notably a kesi-woven silk panel from the 19th century, depicting Xiwang Mu (est. $4,000-$6,000) and a fine pair of intricately worked yellow silk ground embroidered cushion covers (est. $3,000-$5,000).

There is a select group of just over 100 lots of Japanese art featuring a fine assortment of netsuke and okimono. Also on offer in the Japanese section will be a selection of interesting metalwork, including a champlevé enamel-decorated bronze Kannon from the Meiji/Taisho period (est. $5,000-$7,000).

Illustrated catalogues for both sales will be available online in the preceding weeks, for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com.

Auction preview: March 9-11, San Francisco
Auction: March 13, San Francisco

UKauctioneers Midweek Update

2012-02-22T14:11:00.000Z

In the true tradition of Shrove Tuesday we all raided the kitchen cupboards and stuffed ourselves full of delicious syrupy pancakes last night.

If you missed out on sweet treats and need a pick-me-up, take a look at our lovely lots below!

Top lots include a Stratford Place mock tudor dolls house in Bushey Auctions' sale tomorrow, and a Guild of Handicrafts green glass claret jug by Robert Charles Ashbee in Strides Friday sale.

Thomson Roddick

Carlisle

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Antiquarian and Collectable Books and Related Ephemera and Effects.
Thur 23rd Feb 11am

Adam Partridge

Cheshire

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Two Day Antiques and
Fine Art Sale - Day One

Thur 23rd Feb 10am

Special Auction Services

Berkshire

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Cigarette Cards, Trade Cards, Stamps, Postcards and Ephemera

Thur 23rd Feb 10am

Gardiner Houlgate

Wiltshire

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Specialist Watches

Thur 23rd Feb 11am

Bushey

Hertfordshire

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Specialist Toy Auction

Thur 23rd Feb 1pm

Special Auction Services

Berkshire

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Cigarette Cards, Trade Cards, Stamps, Postcards and Ephemera

Thur 23rd Feb 10am

Adam Partridge

Cheshire

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Two Day Antiques and
Fine Art Sale - Day Two

Fri 24th Feb 10am

Stride and Son

Cheshire

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Antiques and

Collectables Auction

Fri 24th Feb 10am

Gardiner Houlgate

Wiltshire

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Specialist Clocks and Related Items

Fri 24th Feb 11am

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Sale Room: Gardiner Houlgate

French gilt metal and white marble figural two train mantel clock, the movement with outside countwheel striking on a bell signed J. Mayer a Paris, the 3.25" white dial within a drumhead casing supporting a seated literary gentleman, over a rectangular base with egg and dart frieze, 11.5" high; also a gilded spelter figural mantel drumhead timepiece, 9.5" high (2)

Hammer Price: £340.00

For more catalogues go to www.ukauctioneers.com

Bonhams Goodwood Festival Of Speed Auction Attracts More Significant Motor Cars

2012-02-22T12:17:00.001Z

Two Important Entries Consigned From The USA To Headline Alongside The Daniels Collection

Bonhams is pleased to announce an almost unstoppable momentum of major consignments to the annual Bonhams auction at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed event on Friday 29th June 2012.

‘The Corgi’ Rolls-Royce
The 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Double Pullman Limousine, is one of the most recognisable of the company's famed 'Silver Ghost' production to survive. An opulent and imposing design in name and style it echoed the luxurious 'Pullman' Railway carriages pioneered by American George Pullman, with coachwork constructed by the finest quality coachbuilder of its day Barker & Co. of South Audley St., London.

Unique in its detail, the car has always been cherished. It was delivered new to John M. Stephens in South Croydon, a known connoisseur of the brand who had purchased the first ever Silver Ghost that Rolls-Royce had delivered. Where others of its brethren suffered an inglorious or more utilitarian fate in the First World War, chassis number 1907 remained unharmed and since the Second World War it has graced a handful of the world's finest known automobile collections, those of John C. Sword and Denis de Ferranti in the UK and latterly those of Richard Solove and John M. O'Quinn in the USA.

In the mid-1960s following its sale as part of the famed Scottish Sword Collection it was chosen by Corgi Toys to be a model in their 'Corgi Classics' series, and thereby being identifiable to car enthusiasts of all ages, who named it simply as 'The Corgi'.

It is perhaps best described by Sports Car Market magazine as 'a masterpiece of elephantine Edwardian elegance', and is considered the most recognizable behind ‘AX201’, the Silver Ghost that is still retained by the factory.
'The Corgi' celebrates its 100th Birthday this year and is undoubtedly one of the world's most iconic Rolls-Royce motor cars ever built and bidding is expected to surpass £2,000,000.

Ettore Bugatti’s Bugatti
The 1938 Bugatti Type 57C formerly owned by Le Patron Ettore Bugatti is another exceptional car on offer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed auction. Equipped with numerous factory-fitted features it is believed to have been constructed to the last design created by Jean Bugatti, and it may have been presented to Le Patron as a birthday present from the workers in his factory.

In 1939, when it became clear that a German invasion of France was imminent, Bugatti factory driver Robert Benoist smuggled the car to a safe hideaway for the duration of the war, only narrowly avoiding capture in the process.

After the war and the death of Le Patron, the car returned to the factory and was a favourite of Pierre Marco, the Director General of Bugatti, who drove it regularly. It remained in the care of the factory until 1959 and during this time was fitted with numerous extra fittings including the three-spoke steering wheel, special Lockheed hydraulic brakes and distinctive radio set.

Subsequent owners have acknowledged how significant the car has been and its purchase bordered on an interview process to determine whether the new buyer was worthy of ownership - Jean de Dobbeleer in Belgium, Lyman Greenlee in Indiana and William Howell of Oklahoma all passed the test, and all of them have cared for the car with meticulous levels of preservation.

The Bugatti has rarely been shown, although visitors to the 1985 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance were privileged to see it alongside the six Bugatti Type 41 Royales. It is expected to sell for over £1,000,000.
James Knight, Group Head of Bonhams Motoring Department, comments, “This sale is gathering tremendous momentum and promises to be one of the most memorable sales in decades. Owners of significant motor cars acknowledge that offering their vehicle in the same sale as The Daniels Collection and other fine entries guarantees them an opportunity to sell their own important car very well.”

From Lips To Whips – Bellmans (West Sussex) To Sell The Luxury Contents Of A Substantial House – Saturday, March 10

2012-02-21T17:02:00.004Z

On Saturday 10th March, Bellmans in Billingshurst, West Sussex will offer for sale the antique and modern contents of a luxury and substantial house including an eclectic mix of artwork, furnishings and collectables.

Highlights include a whip from the Indiana Jones film series, the Bocca Marilyn Lips Sofa and contemporary furniture by the cabinet makers, Senior & Carmichael.

Click here to read the full press release.

Sotheby's London to Sell the George Daniels Horological Collection

2012-02-21T16:14:00.001Z

Sotheby’s London is pleased to announce the Single Owner sale of the George Daniels’ Horological Collection, which will take place in London on 6th November 2012.

George Daniels (19 August 1926 – 21 October 2011) was a world-known horologist and the most important of the 20th Century. He was the only watchmaker ever to have received a CBE and a MBE for his services to horology, and was the inventor of the Daniels revolutionary ‘Co-Axial’ escapement developed during the 1970s, designed to run unaffected by the deterioration of its lubricant.

This personal collection of clocks and watches comprises those pieces he made and retained for his own pleasure and fine and rare examples by some of the most famous makers of the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries. Consisting of approximately 130 lots, and estimated to fetch in the region of £5 million, the sale will be a tribute to a life devoted to horology. Many of these special pieces have been unseen in public for many years.

All proceeds from the sale of the collection will go to help the George Daniels Educational Trust

Click here to read the full press release.

Edvard Munch's Iconic Masterpiece 'The Scream' To Be Offered at Sotheby's New York in May 2012

2012-02-21T16:09:00.002Z

Sotheby’s is honoured to announce that Edvard Munch’s masterpiece The Scream will lead its Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale in New York on 2 May 2012. The iconic work is one of the most instantly recognizable images in both art history and popular culture, perhaps second only to the Mona Lisa.

The present version of The Scream, which dates from 1895, is one of four versions of the composition and the only version still in private hands. It will be on view in London for the first time ever, with the exhibition at Sotheby’s opening on 13 April. In New York, and also for the first time ever, it will be on exhibition at Sotheby’s in advance of the sale beginning 27 April. The work is owned by Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, whose father Thomas was a friend, neighbor and patron of Munch.

“Munch’s The Scream is the defining image of modernity, and it is an immense privilege for Sotheby’s to be entrusted with one of the most important works of art in private hands” commented Simon Shaw, Senior Vice President and Head of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art department in New York. “Instantly recognizable, this is one of very few images which transcends art history and reaches a global consciousness. The Scream arguably embodies even greater power today than when it was conceived. At a time of great critical interest in the artist, and with the 150th anniversary of his birth in 2013, this spring is a particularly compelling time for The Scream to appear on the market. For collectors and institutions, the opportunity to acquire such a singularly-influential masterpiece is unprecedented in recent times.”

Mr. Shaw continued: “Given how rarely true icons come to the market it is difficult to predict The Scream’s value. The recent success of masterpieces at Sotheby’s suggests that the price could exceed $80 million.”

Click here to read the full press release.

Sotheby’s Europe Season Highlights March - April 2012

2012-02-21T15:41:00.004Z

Click here to read the full press release.

Chagall, Miró And Warhol Prints On Offer At Bonhams In May

2012-02-21T12:42:00.002Z

San Francisco—Fine prints will make their way onto the auction block May 1 at the Prints sale at Bonhams in San Francisco, also simulcast in Los Angeles.

At the forefront of the sale’s highlights will be The Story of the Exodus, a complete and signed, 1966, in-color set of 24 lithographs by Russian/French early modernist Marc Chagall (1887-1985) estimated at $30,000-$50,000. The set depicts the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the oppression of the Chosen People of Egypt, the flight and call of Moses, among others.

Five years after Chagall finished The Story of the Exodus, in 1971, Spanish surrealist painter and sculptor Joan Miró (1893-1983) completed another of the May auction’s leading lots: Le Gardien de Nuit, a colored lithograph, numbered 8/30, featuring a telephone amidst red, black, gray and blue designs, with small accents of green and yellow (est. $12,000-$16,000).

Also in the sale, completed that same year, will be Colored Flowers made of paper and ink, a signed and framed, colored lithograph, numbered 36/50, by British-born pop artist David Hockney (born 1937) featuring seven colored flowers in a vase on a surface with a variety of colored pencils (est. $15,000-$20,000).

A later highlight from Hockney that will be on offer is Pool Made with Paper and Blue Ink for Book, a 1980, signed, in-color lithograph, numbered 943/1,000, depicting bright blue water in a swimming pool under a diving board, and offered along with Paper Pools, the accompanying book (est. $8,000-$10,000).

Of the upcoming sale, Fine Prints Department Director at Bonhams, Judith Eurich, said, “The sale is particularly strong with works from the early 20th century by Chagall, Miró and Picasso.”

Additional auction highlights include earlier and later works than the aforementioned.

From American artist Andy Warhol (1928-1987), will be Bighorn Ram, from Endangered Species, a 1983, signed screenprint on Lenox Museum Board, numbered 119/150, depicting a ram facing the right, in vivid colors (est. $12,000-$16,000).

An earlier work will be Selbstbildnis, a 1922, signed print on laid handmade paper, numbered 44/60, by artist Max Beckmann (1884-1950) that depicts his self portrait in the woodcut process that was particularly popular in the 1920s by the German Expressionist artists (est. $10,000-$15,000).

The sale’s illustrated catalogue will be available online in the weeks preceding it, for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com.

Auction Preview: April 28-30, San Francisco; April 21-23, Los Angeles
Auction: May 1, San Francisco (simulcast in Los Angeles)

Sotheby’s London February 2012 Contemporary Art Evening Auction Totals £ 50.7 / $79.7/ €60.7 Million – Above Its Pre-Sale High Estimate

2012-02-21T12:27:00.004Z

- 2 Artist Records Established For A. R. Penck and Albert Oehlen -

- Of the Lots Sold, 63.2% Achieved Sums Above Their Pre-Sale High
Estimates -

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 --- Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction tonight realised the exceptional total of £50,688,450/ $79,672,106/ €60,719,674, surpassing pre- sale high expectations (estimate: £35.8-49.7 million*). The auction established extremely strong sell- through rates of 90.5% by lot and 94.6% by value and saw two artist records at auction set for A. R. Penck and Albert Oehlen. Buyers from 20 countries participated in the auction, which also witnessed 9 works sell for over £1 million, and 21 lots sell for over $1 million.

Following last November’s auction record for a work by Gerhard Richter**, the top selling-lot of tonight’s sale was Abstraktes Bild (numbered 768-4) - one of the most vivid and commanding works from the artist’s cycle of abstracts executed in 1992 - which sold for £4,857,250/ $7,634,626/ €5,818,498, exceeding its pre-sale high expectations (est. £3-4 million). The work appeared at auction for the first time this evening.

The second highest price established this evening of £4,297,250/ $6,754,418/ €5,147,674 was paid for the artist’s Eis (“Ice”) of 1981, which saw competition from no fewer than seven bidders both in the saleroom and on the telephones, more than doubling its pre-sale low estimate (est. £2-3 million). The price achieved represents the auction record for a landscape by Gerhard Richter. This photo realist work is the definitive paragon of the artist’s landscape paintings.

Sharing the third highest price the evening, of £4,073,250/ $6,402,334/ €4,879,345, was Gerhard Richter’s Abstraktes Bild (“Rot”) and Jean Michel-Basquiat’s Orange Sports Figure:
• Abstraktes Bild (“Rot”), executed in 1991, saw competition from three telephone bidders and sold above its high estimate (est. £2.5-3.5 million). The work is a prime example of Gerhard Richter’s intellectual inquiry into abstraction.

• Jean Michel-Basquiat’s Orange Sports Figure – an unrivalled pictorial masterpiece and an exceptionally rare- to-auction work – sold above its high estimate (est. £3-4 million). Within the past two weeks, during the pre- sale view, Sotheby’s Contemporary Art department, made a major discovery in relation to the artist’s working process. Specialists learned that the painting, which was painted in 1982, the definitive year for Basquiat’s oeuvre, was signed by the artist in invisible ink only detectable using UV light, which significantly contributes to the scholarship on Basquiat’s short-lived career.

Discussing the results, Cheyenne Westphal, Sotheby’s Chairman of Contemporary Art Europe, said: “We’re extremely pleased with the results of tonight’s sale and the above-estimate total of £50 million which we achieved. We witnessed a huge depth of international bidding right across the auction, with buyers coming from no fewer than 20 countries. Gerhard Richter once again dominated, with all six of his works selling for an aggregate sum of £17.6 million, above the combined estimate for the group of £14.8 million, with four of the pieces falling within the top-ten selling works in the sale***.”

Commenting on the performance of the British Art Section of the sale, Oliver Barker, Deputy Chairman Sotheby’s Europe and Senior International Specialist, Contemporary Art, said: “British Art performed very well this evening. We are delighted with the prices achieved for Lucian Freud’s ‘Lord Goodman’ and ‘Gorse Sprig’ works, and the record for an Egyptian palette series work by Bridget Riley and the sterling record for a work by Howard Hodgkin.”

Following the strong prices achieved for works on paper by Lucian Freud in 2011, highlighting this evening’s British Art section of the sale was an offering of exceptional and encyclopedic fresh-to-market private collection of drawings by the renowned School of London artist. Together, the works on paper realised a total of £2,372,650 /$3,729,331, surpassing the combined pre-sale estimate of £1,450,000-2,000,000. Freud’s masterful black charcoal on paper portrait Lord Goodman, executed in 1985, led the group, achieving £735,650/ $1,156,295/ €881,235 against a pre-sale estimate of £400,000-600,000 and his Gorse Sprig, which came to the market for the first time in nearly 40 years, surpassed pre-sale expectations selling for £577,250/ $907,322/ €691,488 (est. £300,000-400,000).

Further British Art Highlights:

Continuing Sotheby’s successes in the field of British Art, Francis Bacon’s early work Figure with Monkey sold for £1,833,250/ $2,881,502/ €2,196,049 (est. £1.8-2.5 million) and Bridget Riley’s Tabriz sold well-above its high estimate for £457,250/ $718,706/ €547,740 (est. £250,000-350,000), setting the auction record for an Egyptian palette series work by the artist.

Works Sold for Charity:

Damien Hirst’s Beautiful Strummerville Spin, The Future is Unwritten Painting was another of the evening’s successes, selling for £445,250/ $699,844/ €533,365 (est. £200,000-300,000). Executed in 2010, the work was donated by the artist to Strummerville, The Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music, of which he has been a trustee since the charity's inception. It was sold tonight to help fund the foundation and continue their work.

Chinese Art:

This evening also established strong prices for celebrated Chinese artist Zao Wou-Ki’s works, which also come from the prestigious single owner collection of works offered in New York last November, Abstraction Figuration: 28.12.99, a piece testament to the artist’s skillful blurring technique, achieved £1,833,250/ $2,881,502/ €2,196,049 (est.£500,000-700,000) and 10.01.91, a poetic landscape capturing Zao’s skill with colour, brought £1,609,250/$2,529,419/€1,927,720 (est. £600,000-800,000).

Italian Art:

Stand-out results were also achieved in this evening’s auction for Italian art with the sum of £2,057,250/$3,233,586/€2,464,379 achieved for Alberto Burri’s Nero Plastica, a marvellous volcanic topography of molten black plastic, which carried a pre-sale estimate of £800,00-1,200,000).

Artists Records:

LOT 54
A. R. PENCK
METHODE, FERTIGZUWERDEN ESTIMATE £90,000-120,000
Sold for £325,250 / $511,228
Previous record: £252,500

LOT 59
ALBERT OEHLEN UNTITLED
ESTIMATE £200,000-300,000
Sold for £445,250 / $699,844
Previous record: £434,364 / $698,500

Record for a Gerhard Richter landscape

LOT 13
GERHARD RICHTER EIS (ICE)
ESTIMATE £2,000,000-3,000,000
Sold for £4,297,250 / $6,754,418
Previous record: £2,596,000

Record for a Bridget Riley ‘Egyptian Series’ work

LOT 35
BRIDGET RILEY TABRIZ
ESTIMATE £250,000-350,000
Sold for £457,250 / $718,706
Previous record: £367,200

Record for the artist in sterling only

LOT 45
HOWARD HODGKIN GOSSIP
ESTIMATE £250,000-350,000
Sold for £481,250 / $756,429
Previous record: £402,480 / $792,000

Notes to Editors:
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium.
**Abstraktes Bild from 1997, which sold for $20,802,500 at Sotheby’s New York),
***The six works by German artist Gerhard Richter realised a combined total of £17,655,500 (est. £10,550,000-14,850,000).

Click here to read the top ten sales reports.

Invaluable Live! Auction Update | Fine Art, Rugs, Collectibles & More

2012-02-21T12:25:00.001Z

Auction Update

Coming This Week

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21 February 2012

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Sotheby’s to Offer Roy Lichtenstein’s Sleeping Girl From 1964 in New York on 9 May 2012

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“The Texan Who Conquered Russia”

RESULTS: Sotheby's London Sale of Finest and Rarest Wines Brings Total of £1,049,675 / $1,658,487

The Prince Gong Jade Mountain - Chinese Imperial Jade Gift Surfaces At Bonhams

Fountain Pens Share The Headlines With Chinese Silk Robe

Chinese Furniture And Jades Top Bonhams March Asian Decorative Arts Auction

UKauctioneers Midweek Update

Bonhams Goodwood Festival Of Speed Auction Attracts More Significant Motor Cars

From Lips To Whips – Bellmans (West Sussex) To Sell The Luxury Contents Of A Substantial House – Saturday, March 10

Sotheby's London to Sell the George Daniels Horological Collection

Edvard Munch's Iconic Masterpiece 'The Scream' To Be Offered at Sotheby's New York in May 2012

Sotheby’s Europe Season Highlights March - April 2012

Chagall, Miró And Warhol Prints On Offer At Bonhams In May

Sotheby’s London February 2012 Contemporary Art Evening Auction Totals £ 50.7 / $79.7/ €60.7 Million – Above Its Pre-Sale High Estimate

Invaluable Live! Auction Update | Fine Art, Rugs, Collectibles & More

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Artfact Live! Auction Update | Artwork, Antiques, Toys & More

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Hugo Collection At Christie’s Victor, Charles, Georges, Jean: The Story Of One Family 4th April 2012 In Paris

William Trood Paintings Shine At Bonhams Auction

Rare Cook Islands Pole-Club Highlights Oceanic Art Auction At Bonhams