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  • Archive for August, 2014

    THE MARIE-ANTOINETTE SUITE OF TAPESTRIES FROM BANTRY HOUSE

    Monday, August 18th, 2014
    THERE is as yet no estimate available on the Marie-Antoinette Suite of tapestries which come up at Bantry House on October 21.  They are unlikely to be cheap.  Edinburgh auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull will offer the tapestries – said to have been given as a gift to Marie-Antoinette by Louis XV on her marriage to the Dauphin of France – as individual lots.
    They rose coloured tapestries are La Bascule (The Swing), La Fontaine de l’Amour (The Fountain of Love) and Le Colin Maillard (Blind Man’s Buff).
    More locally there ought to be interest in a pair of portrait busts by the renowned Irish sculptor John Hogan (1800-1858) – whose best known masterpiece, The Dead Christ in flawless Carrara marble can be found in three versions at St. Finbarr’s (South) Church, Cork, St. Therese’s (Clarendon St.) in Dublin and the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Newfoundland.  Hogan’s busts of Richard, the 2nd Earl of Bantry and his wife Mary are estimated at 8,000-12,000.
    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for June 19 and August 9, 2014).
    John Hogan - Bust of Richard, 2nd Earl of Bantry (one of a pair with his wife Mary) (8,000-12,000).

    John Hogan – Bust of Richard, 2nd Earl of Bantry (one of a pair with his wife Mary) (8,000-12,000).

    The Marie-Antoinette Suite of tapestries from Bantry House to be sold as separate pieces - La Bascule (The Swing).

    The Marie-Antoinette Suite of tapestries from Bantry House to be sold as separate pieces – La Bascule (The Swing).

    The Marie-Antoinette Suite - La Fontaine de l'Amour

    The Marie-Antoinette Suite – La Fontaine de l’Amour

    The Marie-Antoinette Suite - Le Colin Maillard (Blind Man's Buff).

    The Marie-Antoinette Suite – Le Colin Maillard (Blind Man’s Buff).

     

    AN INTERNALLY FLAWLESS FANCY VIVID PURPLE-PINK DIAMOND

    Friday, August 15th, 2014
    The 8.41-Carat Pear-shape Internally Flawless (IF) Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink Diamond.

    The 8.41-Carat Pear-shape Internally Flawless (IF) Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink Diamond.

    AN 8.41-carat pear-shape internally flawless (IF) fancy vivid purple-pink diamond  comes up at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on October 7.  Cut from a 19.54 carat rough it ranks amongst the rarest and most desirable of coloured diamonds ever seen at auction.

     

    Internally Flawless clarity is extremely rare in pink diamonds, and virtually unseen in any significant pink diamond of Fancy Vivid or Fancy Intense colour grading ever sold at auction. It was mined by the world’s leading diamond corporation De Beers. The final cutting was completed in New York.  It is estimated at US$12.8-15.4 million.

    The stone will be previewed in Singapore, Taipei, New York, London, Geneva and Hong Kong.

     

    UPDATE: IT MADE A WORLD RECORD PRICE OF US$17.77 MILLION

    AN ENIGMA CIPHER MACHINE AT CHRISTIE’S

    Friday, August 15th, 2014

    An Enigma Cipher machine is one of the more unusual offerings at Christie’s second annual Out of the Ordinary sale in South Kensington, London on September 3.   The three rotor machine was the standard German ciphering machine widely used in World War II.  In several variants it was used, among others, by the German Navy, the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe and the Abwehr (Intelligence). It was regarded by the Germans as too complex to be broken. Its decipherment at Bletchley Park is credited in some quarters are shortening World War II by two years.  This version is estimated at £40,000-60,000.

    The top lot in the sale is a late medieval broadsword with an earlier Viking blade bearing the arms of the De Bohun family (£80,000-120,000).  Christie’s say it was possibly captured at the Battle of Hastings by Humphrey De Bohun.  Unusual pop memorabilia in the sale include the front door of Sir Paul McCartney’s childhood home, 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool (£6,000-8,000). Out of the Ordinary comprises over 180 lots with estimates from 500 to £120,000. A portion of the sale will be offered exclusively at Christie’s on-line with bidding from  August 27 to September 10.  Highlights of the online version include an elephant bird egg.

    A THREE-ROTOR ENIGMA CIPHER MACHINE c1939 Number A-4127 (£40,000-60,000).  Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014.

    A THREE-ROTOR ENIGMA CIPHER MACHINE c1939
    Number A-4127 (£40,000-60,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

    AN EXTREMELY RARE LATE MEDIEVAL BROADSWORD WITH EARLIER VIKING BLADE AND BEARING THE ARMS OF THE DE BOHUN FAMILY, EARLS OF HEREFORD AND ESSEX (£80,000-120,000). Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014

    AN EXTREMELY RARE LATE MEDIEVAL BROADSWORD WITH EARLIER VIKING BLADE AND BEARING THE ARMS OF THE DE BOHUN FAMILY, EARLS OF HEREFORD AND ESSEX (£80,000-120,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014

    A wooden front door, late 1950s, removed from 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool, the childhood home of Paul McCartney (£6,000-8,000). Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014.

    A wooden front door, late 1950s, removed from 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool, the childhood home of Paul McCartney (£6,000-8,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

    A VERY RARE RADFORD MINI DE VILLE BY HAROLD RADFORD COACHBUILDERS LTD., 1964 (£40,000-50,000). Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014

    A VERY RARE RADFORD MINI DE VILLE
    BY HAROLD RADFORD COACHBUILDERS LTD., 1964 (£40,000-50,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014

     

    CHAO, PARKER, THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET AND SOTHEBY’S

    Thursday, August 14th, 2014
    The Black Label Butterfly Ballerina brooch.

    The Black Label Ballerina Butterfly brooch.

    The link between jewellery designer Cindy Chao, actress Sarah Jessica Parker and the New York City Ballet is the Ballerina Butterfly brooch to be auctioned in October.  Sotheby’s will sell the brooch, designed by Chao and Parker, to benefit the New York City Ballet in Hong Kong on October 7.  The Black Label Ballerina Butterfly brooch was completed over the course of two years, melding together Chao’s exceptional craftsmanship along with Parker’s discerning eye for style and design. The resulting creation is a diamond and conch pearl brooch featuring a 26.27 carat cushion-cut fancy brown diamond, three rough brown diamond slices, three pieces of conch pearls surrounded by 4,698 diamonds and fancy coloured diamonds. Inspired by the graceful beauty of ballet it can be worn either right-side up or upside-down to create two silhouettes.  It is estimated at US$750,000-950,000.

    The Black Label Masterpiece Butterflies are one of Chao’s coveted motifs and revered by collectors worldwide. This is Chao’s first art jewel collaboration.  “Sarah Jessica and I are two very different creative minds sharing the same artistic vision and passion” Chao said. “She truly appreciates the essence and soul of my creations, and I admire her innovative yet classic view of fashion and style”.

    UPDATE: IT MADE HK$9.4 million.

    IRISH GLASS AT ENGLISH AUCTION

    Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

    A County Antrim collection of  18th and early 19th century glass, which includes decanters from Bushmills, will be offered at Dreweatts and Bloomsbury’s Summer Sale at Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire on August 28.  The single owner collection was begun in the mind-1980’s with a focus on Dutch and Irish glass.  There is a late 19th century set of three cut and engraved spirit decanters from Bushmills, widely regarded as the oldest licensed distillery in the world.  The set, probably made for a tantalus, is inscribed:  The Bushmills Old Distillery Pure Malt, Co. Antrim, Ireland.  A pot still, the company’s original trade mark, is engraved in the centre.  It is estimated at £300-500.  A Dutch diamond engraved marriage goblet by Adam Frederik van Schurman (1730-1783), an amateur engraver related to the  engraver Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678), dates from 1757 and is estimated at £6,000-8,000.

    An Irish cut glass pedestal bowl c1800 (£200-300).

    An Irish cut glass pedestal bowl c1800 (£200-300).  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £450

     

    A set of three Bushmills cut and engraved spirit decanters (£300-500).

    A set of three Bushmills cut and engraved spirit decanters (£300-500).  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £550

     

    A Waterloo, Cork, decanter and stopper (£300-500).

    A Waterloo, Cork, decanter and stopper (£300-500). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £600

     

    An Irish decanter, possibly by Cork Glass Company, c1800 - cracked (£100.150).

    An Irish decanter, possibly by Cork Glass Company, c1800 – cracked (£100.150).  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £170

     

    A Dutch marriage goblet signed and dated by A.F. Schurman 1757 (£6,000-8,000).

    A Dutch marriage goblet signed and dated by A.F. Schurman 1757 (£6,000-8,000).  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

     

    GRAND BUREAU BY FRANCOIS LINKE HIGHLIGHTS SOTHEBY’S SHOW

    Wednesday, August 13th, 2014
    Grand Bureau by François Linke.

    Grand Bureau by François Linke.

    This magnificent Grand Bureau by Francois Linke is to be the star of the show at Sotheby’s third annual Age of Elegance – European Paintings, Furniture and Sculpture selling exhibition in Beijing and Hong Kong this autumn.  The 65 items in the exhibition have been selected to represent the pinnacle of European accomplishments in the fine and decorative arts from the rococo to the early 20th century.  The exhibition is to be held at the Grand Ballroom of the Kerry Hotel in Beijing on September 7 and 8 and at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from October 3-7 during Sotheby’s autumn sale series.  The Linke bureau is priced at US$6 million.

    To the left on the image is Affortunato Gori’s marble carving of the nymph Echo and on the wall is Gaston La Touche’s painting Fete galante from 1889.

    ORIGINAL ARTWORKS FROM THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS AT CHRISTIE’S

    Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

    Original artworks from the collection of The Illustrated London News Group will come up at Christie’s Interiors sale in South Kensington, London on October 7.  There are original illustrations from the world’s first illustrated weekly news magazine, The Illustrated London News, published from 1842 to 2003 and The Sphere, a weeklyillustrated newspaper published from 1900 to 1964. The illustrations highlight the role these publications played in chronicling British history. From their coverage of  World War I and World War II,  the wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Phillip Mountbatten and The Festival of Britain, The Illustrated London News documented key events of the time to its British and North American readership. Works on paper by leading artists and illustrators of the period, Bryan de Grineau, Steven Ward, Fortunino Matania and several oils by Terence Cuneo are featured.

    Gas Attack on British Troops in the trenches.

    Gas Attack on British Troops in the trenches.

     

    Fortunino Matania R.I. (1881-1963) The new munition workers: A busy scene in a shell factory (£700-1,000). Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014.

    Fortunino Matania R.I. (1881-1963)
    The new munition workers: A busy scene in a shell factory (£700-1,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

     

    Fortunino Matania R.I. (1881-1963) George V being crowned king by the Archbishop of Canterbury, June 22, 1911 (£500-700).  Courtesy Christie's Images Ltdl, 2014

    Fortunino Matania R.I. (1881-1963)
    George V being crowned king by the Archbishop of Canterbury, June 22, 1911 (£500-700). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltdl, 2014

     

    Terence Cuneo (1907-1996) Design for the front cover of The Illustrated London News Royal Wedding Number to commemorate the marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, November 1947 (£10,000-15,000). Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014

    Terence Cuneo (1907-1996)
    Design for the front cover of The Illustrated London News Royal Wedding Number to commemorate the marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, November 1947 (£10,000-15,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014

     

    Terence Cuneo (1907-1996) Design for the front cover of the Festival of Britain edition of The Illustrated London News, 1951 (£10,000-15,000).  Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014

    Terence Cuneo (1907-1996)
    Design for the front cover of the Festival of Britain edition of The Illustrated London News, 1951 (£10,000-15,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014

     

    INSPIRATION FOR JANE EYRE WINS HISTORIC HOUSES AWARD

    Tuesday, August 12th, 2014
    Norton Conyers

    Norton Conyers

    Norton Conyers near Ripon in North Yorkshire –  a house that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre – has won the Historic Houses Association and Sotheby’s Restoration Award for 2014.  The late medieval North Yorkshire home of Sir James and Lady Graham, extensively rebuilt in the 17th century, has been the Graham family home since 1624.  Charlotte  Brontë is believed to have visited Norton Conyers in 1839 and it was the inspiration for Thornfield Hall. The family legend of a “madwoman” secretly confined to an attic room might have given her the idea for the crazed Mrs Rochester.

    Sir James and Lady Graham, a former museum curator, began the restoration of Norton Conyers in 2006. Their assiduous work over the past eight years revealed fascinating layers of history, which visitors will be able to discover in July of 2015, when the house reopens to the public.  The restoration enhanced many features mentioned by Brontë in her description of Thornfield Hall: the battlements around the roof, the lawn, the rookery, the broad oak staircase lit by a high latticed window, the high square hall and the mad woman’s room in the third storey attic. Following the discovery of a staircase leading to the attic a secret door has been created in the 19th century panelling, opening the space to the public for the first time. Finds made during the restoration process include Tudor painted boards hidden behind 18th century plaster and a 1760’s wallpaper.

    Richard Compton, President of the Historic Houses Association commented: “Norton Conyers is a very special house, steeped in history. It has been so sensitively and painstakingly restored in recent years by its very knowledgeable owners, Sir James and Lady Graham. I always look upon Norton Conyers as a classic HHA Member property whose owners are so dedicated towards the maintenance of this special place. Great care has been taken to respect the history and development of this historic house and in so doing, over the past eight years, successive layers of history have been uncovered. The HHA is delighted that this award is being made to mark and celebrate the Grahams’ remarkable achievements”.

    Great Hall, Norton Conyers courtesy of Sir James Graham.

    Great Hall, Norton Conyers courtesy of Sir James Graham.

    Staircase leading to the attic.  Courtesy Sir James Graham.

    Staircase leading to the attic. Courtesy Sir James Graham.

    IRISH WOMEN ARTISTS EXHIBITION MOVES TO CLANDEBOYE

    Monday, August 11th, 2014
    The James Adam Summer Loan exhibition – Irish Women Artists 1870-1970 – has moved to the Ava Gallery, Clandeboye Estate, Co. Down from St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin.  The exhibition highlights the significant role women played in the history of Irish art from the foundation of the Watercolour Society to the introduction of modernism and the founding of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art from 1943.  The non selling exhibition  includes artists like Sarah Purser, Helen Mabel Trevor, Maria Dorothy Webb, Mildred A Butler, Rose Barton, Mainie Jellett, Evie Hone, Elizabeth Rivers, Norah McGuinness, Letitia Hamilton, Grace Henry, Lady Glenavy and Estella Solomons with sculpture by Hilary Heron and Gerda Fromel.  It is at Clandeboye until September 5.  Here is a sample:

    Camille House (b1929) - House in Calary

    Camille House (b1929) – House in Calary

    Hilary Heron (1923-1977) - Crazy Jane 1

    Hilary Heron (1923-1977) – Crazy Jane 1

    Sarah Purser (1848-1943)  - A Visitor

    Sarah Purser (1848-1943) – A Visitor

    Maria Dorothy Webb (1850-1900) - Girl in an Orchard

    Maria Dorothy Webb (1850-1900) – Girl in an Orchard

    Maiie Jellett (1897-1944) - Fear Not Mary,

    Maiie Jellett (1897-1944) – Fear Not Mary,

     

    A GIFT FROM KING GEORGE III AT BANTRY AUCTION

    Saturday, August 9th, 2014

    A gift from King George III, a pair of full length portraits of the King in coronation robes and Queen Charlotte, will come up at the Bantry House auction by Edinburgh based Lyon and Turnbull next October 21.  The auction offers much of interest to specialists and collectors, not least these gifs from the King to the First Earl of Bantry in recognition of his role in repelling the French invasion in Bantry Bay in 1797,   Richard White was created Baron Bantry and Viscount Bantry in 1800 became Earl of Bantry in 1816.  The portraits, from the studio of Allan Ramsay, are estimated at 30,000-50,000.

    This website will keep readers posted about lots in this important sale, which includes exquisite 18th century Gobelins tapestries from the Palace of Versailles and an important Russian iconostasis, or portable icon on a stand.

    Studio of Allan Ramsay - Full length portrait of King George III in coronation robes.

    Studio of Allan Ramsay – Full length portrait of King George III in coronation robes.

    Studio of Allan Ramsay - full length portrait of Queen Charlotte.

    Studio of Allan Ramsay – full length portrait of Queen Charlotte.

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for June 19, 2014)