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  • Archive for January, 2017

    THE ODYSSEY OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

    Tuesday, January 31st, 2017

    An impressive 6 meter long painting by Ismail Shammout (1930-2006) recalling the history of Palestine and the life experiences of this master of Arab modern art will lead Christie’s spring auction season in Dubai from March 15-19. Driven by emotion and passion Odyssey of a People was painted in 1980 as a result of a relentless dedicated effort of over 6 months of daily work. It is the most important and seminal work of the artist’s career and has been directly consigned from the artist’s family.

    It was first exhibited in 1981 in Dar Al-Karama in Beirut, later travelling on loan to Damascus, Malaysia, Kuwait, the Jordan National Museum, Abu Dhabi and finally Ramallah. It was at this final location in 2002, on the day of an Israeli incursion, that the painting was quickly hidden and folded away by the director of the museum in a pillow case. It has not been displayed publicly since. After the artist’s death in 2006 and the director’s death in 2008 the artist’s wife Tamam Al Akhal established contact with the museum director’s wife and reclaimed the work.  Estimated at US$800,000-900,000 it comes up for sale on March 18

    AN ONLINE IRISH ART SALE AT DE VERES

    Tuesday, January 31st, 2017

    AN online only sale of Irish art is running at de Veres until February 6.  It comprises 250 lots, many with estimates of below 1,000.  Among the 20th century Irish paintings on offer there is work by  Jack B.Yeats, Nathaniel Hone, Robert Ballagh, Sean McSweeney, Pauline Bewick and Markey Robinson.  The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection.

    Brian Bourke – Landscape Switzerland 72 (400-600)

    Nathaniel Hone RHA 1831-1917 HARVESTING (300-500)

    Nano Reid 1900-1981 PORTRAIT OF ESTELLA SOLOMONS (800-1,200)

    Pauline Bewick – Amarylis -snow outside (2,000-3,000)

     

    MOORCROFT VASES SELL FOR 6,000 AT JAMES ADAM

    Monday, January 30th, 2017

    A WILLIAM MOORCROFT BURSLEM CHINA PAIR OF CIRCULAR BALUSTER TAPERING SLENDER VASES

    A William Moorcroft Burslem china par of circular baluster tapering slender vases sold for a hammer price of 6,000 at the January sale at James Adam in Dublin on January 29. They are stamped  ‘Florian Ware, Jas MacIntyre & Co Ltd., Burslem, England’ and with Moorcroft signature in green.
    William Moorcroft was born in Burslem and trained in London at the National Art Training School. He gained a reputation as one of the leading pottery designers in Britain and was highly sought after by retailers such as Tiffanys. Moorcroft drew inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement and was fond of bold colour and Oriental form. This was reflected in his work, notably in his Florian Range at MacIntyre & Co. which was extremely popular.

    This gave him the confidence to leave James MacIntyre & Co. and set up on his own. His departure was by no means amicable. It is reported that Moorcroft left suddenly and took many of MacIntyres employees with him. William Moorcroft was the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career including the Gold medal for his designs at the 1904 St Louis Exhibition. In 1928 he was awarded Royal Patronage by Queen Mary. Moorcroft is one of the last remaining independent art potteries in the world today.

    COTSWOLD SCHOOL FURNITURE BY PETER WAALS

    Sunday, January 29th, 2017

    A collection of 15 lots of Cotswold School Furniture will come up at Bellmans Auctioneers of Winchester on February 14. Estimates range from £100 to £8,000. Most were made by Peter Waals (1870-1937) in the tradition of Ernest Gimson at his workshop in Chalford in Gloucestershire between 1922 and 1936.  Furniture by Waals was widely collected by some of the leading English industrial families of the day like the Cadbury’s and the Pilkingtons.  These pieces are from Lyndwood, Stoughton Road in Leicester, former home of the Goddard family who patented silver polish in the 19th century.

    An oak and macassar ebony side table (£4,000-6,000)

    Chequer inlaid oak chest of drawers by Peter Waals (£5,000-7,000)

    NEW OWNERS FOR WESTPORT HOUSE

    Friday, January 27th, 2017

    Westport House

    One of the best known stately homes in Ireland, Westport House, has been sold to the Hughes family, which operates the Hotel Westport in Co. Mayo.  They say they are committed to ensuring the property is given the attention and care it deserves. They plan to spent 50 million on refurbishment and upgrading works. Mayo County Council has acquired 40 acres of the estate. The purchase price was not disclosed. Westport House had been on the market with NAMA with a price tag of 10 million.

    The original house was built in the 1650s by Colonel John Browne on the foundation of Grace O’Malley’s Castle. He married O’Malley’s great great granddaughter, Maude Burke. The current house which dates largely to the 18th century was designed by Richard Cassells who also designed Leinster House and Carton. It was completed by the renowned English architect James Wyatt, who also planned the layout of Westport town. It has been the ancestral home of the Browne family for generations and was the first stately home in Ireland to open to the public in 1960.  Since then it has welcomed more than four million visitors.

    In an attempt to save the house for the family the late 11th Marquess of Sligo, Jeremy Brown, sold a life-size masterpiece in terracotta by Aimé-Jules Dalou for £362,500 at Sotheby’s in London in 2014.  Boulonnaise allaitant son enfant (A Young Mother from Boulogne feeding her Child) was acquired directly from the artist in 1876 by George John Browne, 3rd Marquess of Sligo. It went to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottowa. Jeremy Browne had said: ‘We hope that the proceeds raised through its sale will secure the future of one of Ireland’s best-loved attractions for generations to come.”

    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for May 2, May 21 and December 19, 2014)

    NEWLY DISCOVERED RUBENS MAKES $5.1 MILLION IN NEW YORK

    Thursday, January 26th, 2017

    Sir Peter Paul Rubens – Study of a Horse with a Rider

    A rare example of a large-scale animal study by the Flemish painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens achieved $5.1 million at Sotheby’s sale of Old Masters in New York.  A rare example of a large-scale animal study by the artist, Study of a Horse with a Rider had been until recently described as by a follower of Sir Anthony Van Dyck. However, the authorship had been difficult to discern due to overpaint and background added later, which dominated the original scene. With the removal of these later additions, the canvas has been revealed as a work of high quality, and a typical example of the spirited and rapidly-painted oil sketches for which Rubens is celebrated.

    The sales of Old Master Drawings and Master Paintings and Sculpture at Sotheby’s  – part of Masters Week in New York – realised a total of $31.8 million.  Christopher Apostle, Head of Sotheby’s Old Master Paintings Department in New York, commented: “This evening we saw exceptional prices for several exceptional pictures – this market understands and appreciates a masterpiece when it sees one. That applies both to famed artists like Rubens and Botticelli, who continue to attract a global audience, as well as names celebrated among connoisseurs like Drost and de Coster, both of whom saw new auction records set tonight. We had strong private bidding across our field, including participation from Asian and Russian collectors, with Dutch 17th-century pictures, early Italian, and Flemish works performing particularly well.”

    ONLINE AUCTION OF AFFORDABLE ART AT MORGAN O’DRISCOLL

    Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

    An online auction of affordable Irish art is now underway at Morgan O’Driscoll.   It runs until January 30 at 6.30 pm.  The catalogue is online. Here is a selection:

    John Behan – PRCA Award (800-1,200)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 600 AT HAMMER

    Patrick Scott (1921-2014) – Parade of the Guilds 1750 (300-500)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 300 AT HAMMER

    Maurice Desmond – Landscape (1985) (600-800) UPDATE: THIS MADE 550 AT HAMMER

    Brian Ballard – Irises in a jug (700-900)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 600 AT HAMMER

    THE JANUARY SALE AT JAMES ADAM IN DUBLIN

    Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

    Around 375 lots will come under the hammer at the January sale at James Adam in Dublin at noon on January 29.   There is an affordable selection of silver, art, dining chairs, lighting, antique furniture,  glass, porcelain, mirrors.  rugs and collectible items.  The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection:

    WYCLIFFE EGGINTON RI RCA (1875-1951)
    Still life of roses in a mug watercolour (300-400) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 570 AT HAMMER

    A CHINESE BLACK LACQUER CABINET (400-600)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 130 AT HAMMER

    A GEORGIAN INLAID WALNUT AND CROSSBANDED KNEEHOLE WRITING DESK (300-500)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 160 AT HAMMER

    SET OF SIX IRISH BRIGHT CUT ENGRAVED SILVER TEASPOONS, Dublin 1894, together with a similar small Irish silver scroll end soup ladle, Dublin 1896 (80-120)  UPDATE: THESE SOLD FOR 120 AT HAMMER.

    ANTIQUE FURNITURE AT HEGARTY’S IN BANDON

    Monday, January 23rd, 2017
    Antique furniture and a Killarney wood jewellery box are feature items at Hegarty’s first sale of 2017 in Bandon on January 26 at 7 p.m.   A c1850 Irish silver table with shell motif is at 6,000-10,000 the most expensively estimated lot in the auction. Among the other top lots are a Regency circular drum table (3,000-5,000), a 19th century gilt wood pier glass (2,000-3,000), a pair of William IV brass inlaid bookcases (2,000-3,000) and an early 19th century rosewood fold over card table (1,200-1,800).

    The Killarney jewellery box is estimated at 1,500-2,000 and there is a similar estimate on a 19th century Irish gilt wood mirrors.  There are two Cork silver bowls by Carden Terry and Daniel McCarthy estimated respectively at 3,000-4,000 and 2,000-3,000.  The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection:

    A c1850 Irish silver table with shell motif (6,000-10,000) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 6,400

    19th century Killarney jewellery (1,500-2,000)  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,650

    COHEN’S POST WAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART AT SOTHEBY’S

    Monday, January 23rd, 2017

    The single-owner sale dedicated to the collection of Ed Cohen and Victoria Shaw at Sotheby’s in New York on March 2 is largely focused on Post-War and Contemporary Art.  Entitled In Its Own Light the auction includes examples of German Expressionism and Modern British art. The New York couple’s collection was created over 35 years and reflects the close relationships (often grounded in a shared passion for literature), between Ed Cohen and many of the artists represented, as well as with gallerists such as Anthony d’Offay and Marian Goodman. Highlights include pieces by Joseph Beuys, John Currin, Cecily Brown, Brice Marden, Anselm Kiefer, Agnes Martin, William Kentridge and Gerhard Richter. Richter was collected in particular depth with a range of works – from a smaller-scale example of the artist’s signature abstraction, to examples from the important, but less well-known Souvenir and Painted Photograph series.

    Allan Schwartzman, Chairman, Sotheby’s Fine Arts Division commented: “The Cohen Collection defines collecting at its best, as it includes the highest level of selectivity and connoisseurship, a very personal and finely honed assembly of artists spanning many generations, and an articulate and unwavering commitment to the most timeless of subjects for art—the human condition.  Whether with artists collected in depth, or represented by a single work, the Cohens have consistently collected works that get to the heart of each artist represented, not always in the most obvious way, but always in the most insightful.” Ed Cohen is also known as a generous supporter of a number of museums, most notably the Tate where a gallery is named for him. The sale is estimated to fetch $4/6 million.  It will be followed by the contemporary curated auction. Both sales are timed to coincide with The Armory Show, with exhibitions opening on February 24.

    Gerhard Richter
    Abstraktes Bild (843-4),1997 ($600/800,000)

    Cecily Brown Bonus, 2004 ($300/400,000_

    Anselm Kiefer Stefan I, 1975 ($150/200,000)

    John Currin The Florist, 2003 ($400-600,000_