Only 16 complete Ming Dragon Carpets are known to exist. At Christie’s Exceptional Sale in Paris last month one of the sold for €6,881,000 nearly double its low estimate. It depicts two five-clawed dragons chasing a flaming pearl with scrolling clouds above and rolling waves beneath. Like all Ming carpets, this example was once a dark imperial red which has now faded to a golden yellow.
Bought by an American couple on their honeymoon in 1920 the carpet would originally have been placed beneath the emperor’s throne in Beijing’s Forbidden City. ‘It is in amazing condition,’ said Christie’s specialist Louise Broadhurst. ‘It’s rare to find one that hasn’t been cut in some way.’
Nile Rodgers 1957 Fender Stratocoaster electric guitar made $150,000
The collection of multi Grammy award winning Nile Rodgers made $1.6 million at Christie’s in New York last night. The 100% sold auction was to benefit the We Are Family Foundation founded by Rodgers and dedicated to the visions of a global family by creating programs that promote cultural diversity. A rare Porsche 911 Slantnose Targa was the top lot of the sale. It made $200,000. It is one of only nine made. A 1957 Fender Stratocoaster solid body electric guitar with gold plated hardware made $150,000. There was competitive bidding from collectors participating from 16 countries via phone, online and in person.
Rodgers pioneered a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like “Le Freak,” (the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records) and sparked the advent of hip-hop with “Good Times”. Nile transcends all styles of music across every generation with a body of work that’s garnered him inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
It has been a record year at Sotheby’s so far in 2021. Driven by strength and depth of demand and an influx of new collectors the consolidated sales at the company now stand at $7.3 billion. This is the strongest total in Sotheby’s 277 year history.
With more than 20 sales still to go, Sotheby’s standout year to date results includes auctions with a running total of $6 billion and private sales achieving $1.3 billion. As auctions rebounded and clients responded to a seamless digital and physical experience new sale formats and categories attracted a wider audience. A record number of bidders joined in Sotheby’s sales – 44% them new to the auction house. A rise in quality works coming to the market is meeting strong demand from new and established collectors.
A view of the white glove sale of the Macklowe Collection, which made $676.1 million in New York in November
The only Darwin Microscope to have ever been offered at auction made £598,500 at Christie’s in London today. This is a record for a 19th century microscope. It came up at a sale of valuable books and manuscripts. The Gould type microscope by Cary was gifted by Charles Darwin (1809-1882) to his son Leonard Darwin (1850-1943) in 1864. It had since passed by descent through the family for nearly 200 years.
FRANÇOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008) ‘MOUTONS DE LAINE’, SHEEP AND TWO OTTOMANS, 1969-1971
Two days of design sales at Christie’s in New York achieved $18,162,375. The iconic ‘Moutons de Laine’ by François-Xavier Lalanne was the top lot of the sale. It made $1,590,000. Works by Alberto Giacometti from the collection of a member of the Matisse family – ‘Lampe Coupe aux deux figures’ and a ‘Grande Feuille’ floor lamp respectively made $930,000 and $1,170,000. Notable results were also realised for iconic designs by the French master Jean Royère, including a beautiful and rare ‘Croisillon’ sofa which sold for $562,500 as well as an exceptional ‘Ours Polaire’ salon suite, a sofa and armchair, which totalled $1,110,000.
This late George III cut glass 12 light chandelier, described as possibly Irish, comes up at Sotheby’s Town and Country, A Private Collection sale which runs online until December 14. Acquired from Denton Antiques, London in 2003 it is estimated at £15,000-£25,000. The sale also features an Irish cut glass pedestal bowl and a pair of Irish 18th century glass oval wall mirrors by Gresley.
UPDATE: The chandelier sold for £16,380, the pedestal bowl made £504 and the oval mirrors made £6,300.
Digging up Glass by David Hockney at Whyte’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE €950 AT HAMMER
An etching by David Hockey, a watercolour by Robert Gregory, son of Lady Gregory who was mourned by Yeats, a sculpture by Edward Delaney and Christmas cards by Patrick Scott all feature at Whyte’s affordable timed online Christmas art and collectibles sale of 278 lots. It runs until next Monday evening. Digging up Glass by Hockney, number 53 from an edition of 100, dates to 1969 and is from a suite of illustrations for Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm. It is estimated at €700-€1,000.
Meantime with everything from some Midleton Very Rare Whiskey to a 1960 Chateau D’Yquem from Sauternes (€900-€1,100) the selection at the James Adam timed online sale is enough to tickle any palate. The timed online sale runs to next Wednesday (December 15).
Pair of large silver sauceboats by Matthew West, Dublin 1794. UPDATE: THESE MADE 4,400 AT HAMMER
Christmas is coming and there is still time to pick up stuff. In fact next week is unusually busy with a raft of last minute Christmas auctions. Given that the need to make merry is very great under the sorry circumstances of this year a pair of very large Irish George III silver sauceboats at the James Adam At Home sale next Tuesday might be just the thing for the festive Christmas table. Made by Matthew West in Dublin in 1794 this pair, complete with scroll handles and hoof feet, are functional, big and beautiful. Estimated at €2,000-€3,000 they take pride of place in a silver section where the selection ranges from decanters, cutlery and strawberry dishes to wine funnels, ladles, plated candlesticks and salts. Lot 20 is a Cork silver sugar bowl stamped sterling and estimated at €600-€800.
An attractive George IV serpentine front bookcase with twin glazed doors would definitely add a touch of superiority to any home office. It is estimated at just €600-€1,000, The catalogue cover lot is a burnt orange leather Chesterfield sette (€1,500-€2,000).Reproductions of the distinctive Art Nouveau work of Czech illustrator Alphonse Mucha were all the rage with the advent of high street art print shops in the 1970’s and are never out of fashion. A pair of lithographic poster prints on board by Mucha with the trade label G Garrault, Rue Pigalle, Paris – Spring and Summer – are estimated at €4,000-€6,000.
Lot 386 is an unusual and historic papier mache picture frame made for the Royal Art Union by the English artist Charles Frederick Bielefeld. The union was established in 1839 to promote fine arts in Ireland. The frame is estimated at €1,000-€2,000.This At Home auction is ideal for those looking for a less traditional gift from a selection of furniture, furnishings, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics and jewellery. The catalogue with 485 lots is online. This is just one of a larger than usual number of last minute pre-Christmas auctions in Ireland next week. Normally the season in Ireland would have more or less wrapped up by the first week of December. It underlines how 2021 has been different. In terms of auctions, easy availabilty and online activity it has not been at all bad for much of the antique trade.
Mid 19th century Royal Irish Art Union picture frame by Charles Frederick Bielefeld UPDATE: THIS MADE €1,000 AT HAMMER
This c1780 pair of Louis XVI gilt console tables made a hammer price of €14,000 at Sheppards today. Sheppards four day sale of the Cronin Collection of Seafield House, Donabate continunes on December 9 and 10.
This first edition of the 1570 Atlas by Abraham Ortelius made a hammer price of €96,000 over a top estimate of €60,000 at Fonsie Mealy’s Rare Books and Collectibles sale in Dublin today. An original engraved facsimile copy of the American Declaration of Independence issued by Order of Congress in 1823 and executed by engraver William Stone made €48,000 at hammer over a top estimate of €30,000.
