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  • Archive for July, 2014

    MAGNIFICENT FLEMISH ALTARPIECE AT SHEPPARDS AUCTION

    Sunday, July 6th, 2014
    A magnificent 15th century portable altarpiece painted by an artist of the Flemish Primitive School will create international interest  at three days of sales at Sheppards in Durrow, Co. Laois on July 8, 9 and 10.   Centred on the crucified Christ the altarpiece was discovered during the clearance of a garage at a presbytery in Co. Wexford.  It is not known when it came to Ireland.  It is estimated at 80,000-120,000.  There will be a wide variety of lots at this auction of around 1,500 lots including a pair of  Dublin made Gainsborough armchairs, a large early 19th century Chippendale hall lantern, a 19th century Dresden pen and ink stand,  an 18th-19th century cloisonne Guang or ritual vessel, and a Dublin 1744  printing of the Life of Robinson Crusoe. The sale includes contents from All Hallows in Dublin, but not the letters written by Jacqueline Kennedy to Fr. Joseph Leonard, which were withdrawn.  The catalogue is online.  Here is a small selection:
    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for July 3, 2014)

    The 15th century portable altarpiece of the Flemish Primitive School (80,000-120,000).

    The 15th century portable altarpiece of the Flemish Primitive School (80,000-120,000).  UPDATE: IT MADE 40,000 AT HAMMER

    An 18th-19th century cloisonne Guang or ritual vessel

    An 18th-19th century cloisonne Guang or ritual vessel (20,000-30,000) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 250,000 AT HAMMER

    A large early 19th century Chippendale brass hall lantern (4,000-6,000).

    A large early 19th century Chippendale brass hall lantern (4,000-6,000).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 14,500 AT HAMMER

     A pair of Dublin blind fretwork carved Gainsborough chairs c1780 (4,000-6,000)

    A pair of Dublin blind fretwork carved Gainsborough chairs c1780 (4,000-6,000)  UPDATE: THESE MADE 13,000 AT HAMMER.

     

    EDOUART SILHOUETTES OF IRISH CHARACTERS AT SOTHEBY’S

    Sunday, July 6th, 2014
    Augustin Edouart (1789-1861) - An album of silhouettes of Irish characters (£10,000-15,000).

    Augustin Edouart (1789-1861) – An album of silhouettes of Irish characters (£10,000-15,000).  UPDATE: THIS MADE £32,500

    Augustin Edouart (

    Augustin Edouart (1789-1861) – Irish characters.

    An album of silhouettes of Irish characters by Augustin Edouart comes up at Sotheby’s Old Master and British Drawings sale in London on July 9.  The book of 118 mostly doubled sided sheets contains 749 silhouettes dated between 1838 and 1839. Edouart travelled in England, Ireland and Scotland between 1814 and 1839 at which point he moved to the US.  He returned to his native France in 1849.

    Throughout his career he made duplicates of each of his commissions. Tragically most of his books were lost in a shipwreck off the coast of Guernsey. The album to be sold at Sotheby’s is one of only abut 25 known.  It is estimated at £10,000-15,000.

    UPDATE: THE album was sold for £32,500

    A SWAN CLOCK MADE FOR A CHINESE EMPEROR AT SOTHEBY’S

    Friday, July 4th, 2014
    The Swan Clock for the Chinese Emperors A George III ormolu, Geneva enamel and paste-set musical automaton quarter striking tower clock for the Chinese market, London, circa 1790,

    The Swan Clock for the Chinese Emperors
    A George III ormolu, Geneva enamel and paste-set musical automaton quarter striking tower clock for the Chinese market, London, circa 1790 UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £2,266,500

    Roman Marble statue of Aphrodite, reign of Claudius, circa 41-54 A.D. (£4-6 million)

    Roman Marble statue of Aphrodite, reign of Claudius, circa 41-54 A.D. (£4-6 million)  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £9,378,500A, A RECORD FOR A CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY SOLD IN EUROPE

    A mesmerising swan clock made in London around 1790 for a Chinese Emperor will come up at Sotheby’s Treasures sale in London on July 9.  The George III musical automaton tower clock, set with fine guilloche Geneva enamel panels, was at the Imperial Palace at Jehol until the early 20th cnetury. At auction for the first time it is from the collection of a Swiss private collector.  The estimate is £1-1.5 million.

    It was acquired in China by the Swiss watch collector Gustave Loup (1876-1961).  He was born in Tientsin and was a fluent mandarin speaker.  In 1938-39 Loup sold it to Jacques-David leCoultre (1875-1948) director general of the watch company LeCoultre & Cie.  His son Roger leCoultre sold it to the father of the present owner in 1953.
    Sotheby’s fifth consecutive sale of Treasures will be led by a group of 17 masterworks from the celebrated collections of the Dukes of Northumberland from their historic homes at Alnwick Castle and Syon House.  These lots range from a sublime marble statue of Aphrodite carved in the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius to a remarkable pietre dure inlaid Italian cabinet. The 60 lot sale is expected to realise more than £13 million.

    Mario Tavella, Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe, Private European Collections said: “The collection of the Dukes of Northumberland, formed over 500 years, ranks amongst the finest private art collections in the world and this sale offers an exceptional opportunity to acquire works of the same calibre as pieces preserved in the most important museums. Many other highlights in the sale have remained in the same collections for centuries. Commissioned by the greatest art patrons of the day, including The Duchesse du Berry, The Duke of Argyll, The Grand Dukes of Tuscany and Napoléon, these masterworks meet connoisseurs’ continued demand for the very finest pieces at the top-end of the market.”

    Henry Wyndham, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe said: “The extraordinary depth and richness of the Northumberland Collection is legendary. Charting not only the Percy family’s history over an entire millennium, but also important moments in the artistic development of many schools and nations, the Collection ranks among the finest private art collections in the world. While the pieces to be sold are all of enormous interest and beauty, they have been carefully selected so as to ensure the overall integrity of the Northumberland collection remains intact.”

    THREE DAY SALE AT SHEPPARDS IN DURROW

    Thursday, July 3rd, 2014

    With everything from a 15th century Flemish altarpiece to stories by Sinead de Valera to old maps and Asian art the three day Irish Country House sale at Sheppards in Durrow on July 8, 9 and 10 offers much to interest collectors.  on An auction of antiques, decorative and Asian art takes place on July 8, five art will come under the hammer on July 9 and books, manuscripts and maps will be offered on July 10.   The catalogue is on-line.  Here is a small selection: 

    Andre Derain (1880-1954)  - Le Modele (150,000-250,000)

    Andre Derain (1880-1954) – Le Modele (150,000-250,000)  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 120,000

     

    Pair of Qing Period ceremonial chairs, (3,000-5,000)

    Pair of Qing Period ceremonial chairs, (3,000-5,000)  UPDATE: THESE WERE UNSOLD

    18th century Chinese Famille Rose group of Harmony and Mirth (800-1,200)

    18th century Chinese Famille Rose group of Harmony and Mirth (800-1,200) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 800 AT HAMMER

     

    The Lamentation attributed to Franceso de Mura (1696-1782) (7,000-10,000).

    The Lamentation attributed to Franceso de Mura (1696-1782) (7,000-10,000).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 10,000

     

    Sinead de Valera - The Magic Girdle and other stories, signed by the author and her husband Eamon de Valera (120-160).

    Sinead de Valera – The Magic Girdle and other stories, signed by the author and her husband Eamon de Valera (120-160). UPDATE: THIS MADE 200

     

    A 19th century Dresden pen and ink stand (200-300).

    A 19th century Dresden pen and ink stand (200-300).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 220 AT HAMMER

     

    ONWARD MARCH OF POST WAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART AT CHRISTIE’S

    Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014
    TRACEY EMIN (B. 1963) My Bed sold for £2,546,500. (Image courtesy Christie's Images Ltd., 2014).

    TRACEY EMIN (B. 1963)
    My Bed sold for £2,546,500. (Image courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014).

    Francis Bacon’s Study for Head of Lucian Freud was the top lot at Christie’s evening sale of Post War and Contemporary Art in London on July 1.  It sold for £11,506,500  over an estimate  of  £8–12 million. The onward march of Post War and Contemporary art continuned in a sale at which there were seven world records for artists Peter Doig (£9.9 million), Tracey Emin (£2.5 million), Michelangelo Pistoletto (£2.3 million), Jean Dubuffet (£4 million), Albert Oehlen (£1 mllion), Antoni Tàpies (£1.6 million) and Hurvin Anderson (a student of Peter Doig) (£1.3 million). The auction realised £99,413,500, the third highest Post War and Contemporary evening sale in Europe.  No less than 29 lots sold for over £1 million. It sold 87% by value and 84% by lot.  There was 190 bidders from 28 countries seeking only the highest quality work. 

    Francis Outred, International Director and Head of Post-War & Contemporary Art, Christie’s Europe said: “It’s been an incredible night for Christie’s. There was an electric atmosphere in the room ­ – the excitement was palpable. We saw the market move to a new record price for Peter Doig, as well as record prices for classic painting by undervalued giants of Post War European art, such as Dubuffet, Tàpies and Pistoletto.  This sale was especially strong in portraits, particularly those with fascinating provenance and back stories. Both Tracey Emin’s ‘My Bed’, which quadrupled its pre-sale estimate,  and the Dahl Family Estate’s ‘Study for the Head of Lucian Freud’ by Francis Bacon share an intense personal quality which adds hugely to their interest and value.”

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for May 28, 2014)

    ALL-IRELAND HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL THE TOP LOT AT FONSIE MEALY

    Tuesday, July 1st, 2014
    "The Son of Cuchulainn - Nicky Rackard" Medal: G.A.A. Hurling 1955, an attractive 9ct gold Celtic cross pierced Medal, the obverse with Celtic scroll design and inscribed "Cumann luith cleas Gaedheal," and "Eire" across the middle and a central harp overlay, the reverse inscribed "Craobh Iomana na hEireann 1955 - Loc gCarman - Nicky Rackard," hall marked J.M. (John Millar).

    “The Son of Cuchulainn – Nicky Rackard”
    Medal: G.A.A. Hurling 1955, an attractive 9ct gold Celtic cross pierced Medal, the obverse with Celtic scroll design and inscribed “Cumann luith cleas Gaedheal,” and “Eire” across the middle and a central harp overlay, the reverse inscribed “Craobh Iomana na hEireann 1955 – Loc gCarman – Nicky Rackard,” hall marked J.M. (John Millar).

    A catalogue of wild flowers collected by Lady Adare sold for 4,000 at hammer.

    A catalogue of wild flowers collected by Lady Adare sold for 4,000 at hammer.

    THE 1955 All-Ireland Hurling Championship Medal awarded to Wexford’s Nickey Rackard was the top lot at the Fonsie Mealy rare book and collectibles sale in Dublin today.  It made 17,500 at hammer over an estimate of 5,000-7,000 in an auction which realised 250,000 at hammer and where 85 per cent of lots were sold.

    The nine carat gold medal is in the design of a Celtic Cross.  It is engraved  with the name Nickey Rackard, widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game. Wexford beat Galway 3-13 to 2-8 in the final.

    A large collection of plant samples each pinned within a paper folder collected by Lady Adare and commenced in 1850 sold for 4,000 at hammer. It had been estimated at 800-1,200.

     

    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for June 28 and June 21, 2014).

    RACHEL MELLON COLLECTION TO RAISE OVER $100 MILLION AT SOTHEBY’S

    Tuesday, July 1st, 2014
    Rachel "Bunny" Mellon and her husband Paul Mellon who died in 1999.

    Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and her husband Paul Mellon who died in 1999.

    The collection of Rachel Lambert Mellon, one of the most important single owner collections ever to come to market, will come up at Sotheby’s across a series of sales throughout the autumn.  Spanning everything from fine art to jewellery and decoration the 2,000 or so items to be sold are expected to realise over $100 million.  The collection is drawn from the Mellon’s residences in the US and abroad. Proceeds will benefit the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation, a charity supporting horticultural and educational endeavours established by Mrs. Mellon in memory of her father.

    Mrs. Mellon, who died this year aged 103, was born in 1910 in Princeton.  Her father made his fortune marketing Listerine, a product invented by his father.  In 1948 she married Paul Mellon, the only son of financier Andrew Mellon, uniting two of America’s most affluent families. Her passions were fashion, horses, art, interior design and gardens.  She redesigned the White House Rose Garden at the request of her close friend Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961.  The Mellons built an extraordinary art collection, generously supporting the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and establishing the Yale Centre for British Art.

     

    UPDATE:  In New York on November 10 Sotheby’s sale of masterworks from the collection totals $158.7 million.  Two paintings by Mark Rothko together achieved $75.5 million.