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    • Archive for March, 2012

    QING DYNASTY VASE SELLS FOR 120,000 IN DURROW

    Monday, March 12th, 2012

    The Qing Dynasty cloisonne vase which sold for 120,000. (Click on image to enlarge).

    A Qing Dynasty vase in the form of a duck made 120,000 against an estimated of 15,000-25,000 at Sheppards sale in Durrow.  It was bought by a collector on the west Coast of the United States who faced stiff competition from an English bidder in the room and from internet bidders in Beijing and Hong Kong.

    The cloisonne vase  was the top lot in a three day sale of over 1,400 lots that was 84 per cent sold. The last day of the auction was devoted to Asian lots. A bronze Qianlong vase decorated with butterflies and foliage made 30,000 against an estimate of 3000-5,000.

    Sheppards are currently putting together a four day Irish sale which will be held to coincide with the Kilkenny Arts Festival in August.

    Posted in AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES | Comments Off on QING DYNASTY VASE SELLS FOR 120,000 IN DURROW

    TEFAF SILVER JUBILEE AT MAASTRICHT

    Sunday, March 11th, 2012

    Pair of blue and white pear-shaped bottle vases Kangxi at Kunsthandel Jacques Fijnaut bv Silver & Works of Art.

    With an insistence on quality underpinnings its success TEFAF, the European Fine Art Fair, celebrates its silver jubilee at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre in The Netherlands from March 16 to March 25, 2012. This year there is a spectactular new entrance hall with a light installation by artist Leo Villareal.

    Two-fold paper screen Japan,Edo period, 17th century at Gregg Baker Asian Art.

    A special silver jubilee book, Celebrating the Best, 25 Years of TEFAF Maastricht, published to mark the Fair’s Silver Jubilee, looks at its part in what has been a turbulent quarter of a century in the history of the art market. Authors, Paula Weideger, Will Bennett, Diana Cawdell and Gareth Harris, have talked to the dealers who founded the Fair, those who work behind the scenes, some of the private collectors and museum curators who buy there, people of Maastricht and others who have contributed to its success.

    There will be 260 art and antiques dealers from Argentina, Austria, Belgium,  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay at TEFAF.

    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.comfor January 5 and January 18, 2012).

    Lucas Cranach the Elder (Kronach 1472-1553 Weimar) Tondo of Martin Luther Oil on wood, diameter 12.5 cm at Senger Bamberg Kunsthandel.

    Pierre Hache (1703-1776), in the workshop of Thomas Hache (1664-1747) Commode with three drawers and a marquetry top France, Louis XV period, circa 1730-1740 at Galerie Perrin.

    Posted in ART, COLLECTIBLES, FAIRS, FURNITURE | Comments Off on TEFAF SILVER JUBILEE AT MAASTRICHT

    AIB COLLECTION AT CRAWFORD GALLERY, CORK

    Sunday, March 11th, 2012

    The art collection of troubled Allied Irish Bank,  which announced plans to make 2,500 staff redundant this week, was gifted to the state and donated to the Crawford Gallery in Cork. An exhibition of 39 prime pieces from the collection is on view at the Crawford until April 14.   The bank, which has built up a fine collection of Irish art over the past 30 years, will make nearly 1,000 additional works available for public exhibition.  After April 14 the Crawford will return 27 of the works to AIB on a temporary basis, the remaining twelve will stay with the gallery. Here are some examples from the show (click on any image to enlarge it):

    A Race in Hy-Brazil, 1937 by Jack B. Yeats (1871-1957).

    The Forty Foot, Sandycove 1940 by Harry Kernoff (1900-1974).

    The Lock at Edenderry by John Luke (1906-1975).

    The Cockle Pickers by Joseph Malachy Kavanagh (1856-1918).

    Posted in ART | Comments Off on AIB COLLECTION AT CRAWFORD GALLERY, CORK

    QIANLONG IMPERIAL JADE DOUBLE GOURD SEAL AT BONHAMS

    Friday, March 9th, 2012

    The Qianlong double gourd jade seal. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £3.4 MILLION.

    A rare double gourd shaped seal from the Qianlong period (1736-1795) is one of the prime lots at Bonhams fine Chinese art sale in London on May 17. The Imperial spinach green jade double-gourd ‘San Xi Tang’ seal is estimated to sell for over £1 million.

     

    Measuring just 8.7 centimeters long it has been authenticated by Guo Fuxiang of the Palace Museum in Beijing. San Xi Tang, (the Hall of the Three Rarities), is situated in the Forbidden City in the western side of the Yangxin Dian (Hall of Mental Cultivation). It was an important personal space for the Emperor Qianlong.

     

    The seal is carved in an auspicious double-gourd form, associated with longevity as well as representing Heaven and Earth. The upper section is carved with three chi dragons (chilong), analogous to the hall name.

     

    UPDATE: The seal made £3.4 million in a sale that realised over £11 million in total.

     

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 24, 2012).

    Posted in AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES | Comments Off on QIANLONG IMPERIAL JADE DOUBLE GOURD SEAL AT BONHAMS

    FIRST MARATHON CUP AT CHRISTIE’S OLYMPIC SALE

    Friday, March 9th, 2012

    The Breal Cup at Christie's Olympic sale.

    Christie’s will offer the cup awarded after the first marathon of the modern Olympic Games at an auction in South Kensington on April 18. Breal’s Silver Cup is estimated at £120,000-160,000.  It was won by Spyros Louis at the Athens Olympic Games of 1896 and is being offered for sale by his namesake and grandson.

    The cup features at Christie’s sale of Vintage Posters and Olympic Icons, which features items from almost every Olympic Games.  There are Olympic torches from 1936 to 1996 estimated from £700 and 26 original advertising posters from the London games of 1908 to the Tokyo games of 1964. Altogether 179 lots are expected to bring in £700,000.

    UPDATE: It made  £541,250 and broke the record for any item of Olympic memorabilia at auction. It was bought by The Stavros Niarchos Foundation and will be shared with the Greek people by being permanently displayed for public view at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center upon its completion in 2015.

     

     

    Posted in AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES | Comments Off on FIRST MARATHON CUP AT CHRISTIE’S OLYMPIC SALE

    JAMES ADAM SALE IN DUBLIN

    Thursday, March 8th, 2012

    The James Adam auction of 685 lots in Dublin on March 14 features art, silver, porcelain including Japanese and Chinese examples, antique furniture and some glass.  Here are a some of the lots.   The catalogue is on-line.

    A Famille Rose "Butterfly" vase (2,000-3,000). UPDATE; THIS SOLD FOR 3,000.

    A mahogany and satinwood inlaid longcase clock, Irish 19th century with brass dial signed Michl Archadekin, Dublin (1,000-1,500). UPDATE: THIS MADE 850.

    A George III Irish circular dish ring, Dublin 1796, mark of Richard Williams (3,000-4,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,600

    A FRENCH 18TH CENTURY PROVINCIAL OAK RECTANGULAR SIDE CABINET (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

    ERSKINE NICOL RSA ARA (1825-1904) Study of Sir Walter Scott, watercolor (400-600) UPDATE: THIS LOT WAS WITHDRAWN.

    Posted in AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES, FURNITURE | Comments Off on JAMES ADAM SALE IN DUBLIN

    IRISH MOTORCYCLE COLLECTION AT BONHAMS

    Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

    The pre-production,1948 Norton 500T Trials Motorcycle

    MORE than 30 motorcycles from the collection of Irish motorcycle legend  Harry Lindsay will be auctioned by Bonhams at the Classic Motorcycle Show in Stafford next April 29. The collection is expected to make over £200,000. Highlights include an ‘as new’ McIntosh Norton 500cc Manx (£25,000-30,000) together with a matching McIntosh Norton 350cc Manx (£22,000-27,000).  Harry Lindsay’s family has been synonymous with motorcycle production, racing and sales.

    His grandfather responsible for the creation of one of Ireland’s earliest motorcycles: the ‘Celtic’. In 1926 Harry’s grandfather and father set up premises in 26 Great Ship Street, Dublin, the same premises from which Harry acted as Irelands major importer of Bultaco motorcycles and Honda spares. He was the Republic of Ireland’s Vincent agent.

    Harry comments on the sale, “So now after all my enjoyments, disappointments, interests and satisfactions the time arrived to make a decision. I did make that decision and that was to let the bikes go to be enjoyed by others of equal interest and lesser years.  I am now in my eighty sixth year and I would love to know what happens to them.”

    Posted in AUCTIONS, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on IRISH MOTORCYCLE COLLECTION AT BONHAMS

    REMBRANDT MASTERPIECE AT CHRISTIE’S IN JULY

    Monday, March 5th, 2012

    Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (1606-1669) – A Bust of a Man in a Gorget and Cap. UPDATE: IT MADE £8,441,250

    Rembrandt’s masterpiece A Bust of a Man in a Gorget and Cap will be offered at Christie’s in London in July.  The work, from the The Pieter & Olga Dreesmann Collection of Dutch Old Master Paintings, is estimated at £8-12 million.  It is coming to auction for the first time in almost 40 years.  No less than 15 works from the Dreesmann Collection are estimated to realise more than £19  million.  It is the most important single owner collection of 17th Century Dutch Masters of the ‘Golden Age to come to market in latter years.  There are outstanding works by  Willem Van de Velde , Coorte and Van der Ast.

    A Bust of a Man in a Gorget and Cap, dated to 1626/27, measures just over 15 x 11 inches. But it captivates the viewer with an intensity that far exceeds its neat dimensions. The work presents a masterful treatment of light to create drama, achieved in part by Rembrandt’s use of chiaroscuro, pointing to the influence of Caravaggio, to whom he is clearly indebted in terms of style in this work.  It was shown at the Rembrandt/Caravaggio exhibition at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, in 2006. The Dreesmann family name is synonymous with connoisseurship, passion and philanthropy. Pieter and Olga Dreesmann are active art collectors with interests that span from Antiquity to the 21st Century.  The painting comes up at Christie’s Old Master & British Paintings auction on July 3.

    UPDATE:  Christie’s summer auctions of Old Master & British Paintings, Drawings & Watercolours in London on 3 and 4 July realised a combined total of £93,663,150.

    Posted in ART, AUCTIONS | Comments Off on REMBRANDT MASTERPIECE AT CHRISTIE’S IN JULY

    SHIP’S MANIFEST LINKS TO ANTIQUE BUTTER TRADE

    Monday, March 5th, 2012

    An historic ship’s manifest at Marshs auction in Cork on Saturday, March 10 harks back to the days when the Cork Butter Exchange was the largest butter market in the world.  Butter from Munster’s rich dairyland was exported in huge quantities from the city.  A framed manifest dated August 17, 1785 at the auction contains details of one such shipment.  It details the export of about 50 firkins of new loose butter “in good order and condition” shipped by William Crawford of Cork to London. A firkin is an old unit of measurement equivalent to about a quarter barrell.  It was sent on a vessel called the Thomas anchored in the river of Cork.  The manifest is signed by both William Crawford and Sam Seldon, skipper and master of the Thomas.  The freight charge was 25 shillings.  Cork city retains a Butter Museum in Shandon to this day. The sale features  a selection of antique furniture, porcelain, clocks, books and collectibles.

    The 1785 ship's bill of lading at Marshs. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 500.

    This vitrine is at Marshs auction in Cork on March 10. UPDATE: It sold for 1,000 euro after the auction.

    Posted in AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES, FURNITURE | Comments Off on SHIP’S MANIFEST LINKS TO ANTIQUE BUTTER TRADE

    RICH SELECTION OF IRISH SIDE TABLES AT CHRISTIE’S

    Monday, March 5th, 2012

    This c1760 Irish table with lion mask frieze is estimated at £40,000-60,000. Click on image to enlarge. UPDATE: IT MADE £46,850.

    A c1760 Irish side table with scallop shell frieze is estimated at £40,000-60,000. click on image to enlarge. UPDATE: IT MADE £39,650.

     

    A particularly rich selection of Irish side tables will feature at a sale at Christie’s in London on March 16.  There are 56 Irish lots in the sale of three collections, including Mount Kennedy in Co. Wicklow, at King St.  The total number of lots on offer is 316.  Irish pieces include tables, plate buckets, silver, delftware, two Malton prints, chairs, mirrors and a jardiniere.  A c1760 George II mahogany side table with carved gadrooned border and lion mask has an estimate of £40,000-60,000.  Another Irish George II side table of the same vintage with a trailing vine-leaf carved apron centred by a scallop shell between flowerheads, on acanthus-carved cabriole legs, on claw feet carries a similar estimate. A marble topped c1740-60 Irish side table once in the collection of Simon Sainsbury is estimated at £20,000-30,000.

    A c1750 Irish side table modified around 1830 with carving added to the side is estimated at £30,000-50,000. The frieze is carved with the crest of the Creagh family of Cork and Clare.

    Posted in AUCTIONS, FURNITURE | Comments Off on RICH SELECTION OF IRISH SIDE TABLES AT CHRISTIE’S

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