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  • Archive for June, 2020

    BACON TRIPTYCH SELLS FOR $84.6 MILLION AT LIVE STREAMED EVENT

    Tuesday, June 30th, 2020

    Francis Bacon’s Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus sold for $84.6 million at Sotheby’s live streamed global sale overnight. There was a ten minute bidding battle between an online bidder in Asia and a client bidding by phone with Gregoire Billault of Sotheby’s in New York. It went to the phone bidder for a price surpassing the $80 million high estimate.

    The sale, which totalled $363.2 million, was conducted remotely by auctioneer Oliver Barker in London taking bids from phone banks in New York, Hong Kong and London and online bidders.

    There were auction records for Mario Carreño, Vija Celmins, Leonor Fini, Helen Frankenthaler, Wifredo Lam, Alice Rahon, Remedios Varo, Matthew Wong and Jean-Michel Basquiat for a work on paper. The auctions offered a strong selection of works by women artists, with all 25 works offered by 16 artists selling for a total of $86.1 million, and setting five new world auction records.

    BACON TRIPTYCH SOLD FOR $84.6 million

    ART BY BOB DYLAN AT WHYTE’S IRISH SALE

    Sunday, June 28th, 2020

    Art by Salvador Dali,  Banksy, Sir Terry Frost, Larry Rivers, Tracey Emin and Bob Dylan will feature among 242 lots at Whyte’s sale in Dublin on July 6.  A painting by Dylan entitled Vista from Balcony, is estimated at €800-€1,000.  Dylan has been making art since the 1960’s when he came on the scene as a young folk singer.  This piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Washington Green Fine Art.

    Vista from Balcony by Bob Dylan  UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,000 AT HAMMER

    CONTEMPORARY ART AT SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK AND EVERYWHERE ELSE TOO

    Sunday, June 28th, 2020

    Led by Francis Bacon’s majestic Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus from 1981, Sotheby’s Contemporary Art evening sale in New York on June 29 is comprised of works by many of the most celebrated Post-War and Contemporary artists. Anchored by a spectacular group of abstract masterpieces from the Collection of Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson, including exceptional paintings by Clyfford Still, Richard Diebenkorn and Mark Rothko, the sale also boasts a definitive Roy Lichtenstein Brushstroke painting from 1965 and a Jean-Michel Basquiat ‘Head’ from 1982.

    The sale takes place at 7 pm New York time and there will be a live stream of the event. Absentee, telephone and online bidding only is available. There will be no bidding in the room. Registrations for bidding may be submitted via the website, app or by contacting bids.newyork@sothebys.com.

    Clyfford Still – PH – 144 (1947-Y-NO.1). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR$28.7 million

    ART AND DESIGN ONLINE AT DE VERES DUBLIN

    Saturday, June 27th, 2020

    A total of 132 lots of art and design will come under the hammer at deVeres next Tuesday evening at 6 pm.  There is everything from smoked glass console tables to a set of nine 1970’s French dining chairs, Italian chrome and gilt open shelves to a Danish leather sofa. There are sideboards, low tables, Barcelona chairs, hanging lights, Art Deco dining chairs, Italian coffee tables, adjustable French floor lamps, low tables and mirrors. A selection of art to complement this design includes work by Charles Tyrrell, James O’Connor, Louis le Brocquy, Willie Evesson, Sean McSweeney, Eilis O’Connell and other artists.  This auction is online at The Saleroom.

    Italian leather L shaped Habart sofa by Max Divani. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 2,600

    A TWO DAY SALE BY MATTHEWS IN KELLS

    Thursday, June 25th, 2020

    Antique furniture, mirrors, rugs, jewellery, silver, paintings, porcelain and collectibles will come under the hammer at a two day sale by Matthews in Kells, Co. Meath on June 27 and 28. Estimates are reasonable and the auction offers good value. There are 1,113 lots with various bidding options, including Easy Live Auctions.

    Lot 603 is this pair of Regency cast iron planters each 32 inches wide (500-800). UPDATE: THESE MADE 540 AT HAMMER

    BOARDROOM ARTWORK AT LYNES AND LYNES SALE

    Wednesday, June 24th, 2020

    A painting by Sean McSweeney acquired by the noted art collector Sir Basil Goulding comes up as lot 231 at the Lynes and Lynes online sale in Carrigtwohill on June 27. The Wicklow landscape, in need of considerable  restoration, was once in the boardroom at Gouldings Fertilisers on The Marina in Cork and is estimated at €500-€1,000.  In 1962 Sir Basil Goulding  was the founding chairperson of the Contemporary Irish Art Society along with Gordon Lambert, Cecil King, Stanley Mosse, James White and Michael Scott. The society aimed to encourage greater patronage of living Irish artists. Gouldings Fertilisers has been in Cork since 1856 when the company was formed.

    Among the other artworks on offer are Fishing Boats at Carraroe Pier by Charles Vincent Lamb and an Achill Island view by James Humbert Craig.  Each of these works carry an estimate of €1,000-€2,000. Collectors might find interest in a selection of English Victorian music hall and circus posters together as one lot (€300-€500). The sale features a number of writing boxes and an old metal documents box which belonged to Major J. Grove White, who compiled information about houses in North Cork. Among other lots is an Eileen Gray Bibendum armchair (€400-600) and a set of seven antique elm Windsor chairs (€700-€1,000) and an 18th century porcelain vase with the mark of the Emperor Yongzheng.

    WICKLOW LANDSCAPE BY SEAN MCSWEENEY. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,900 AT HAMMER

    THE COLLECTION OF STEVE MARTIN AT JULIENS

    Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020

    The most comprehensive collection of Steve Martin’s iconic costumes and memorabilia will come under the hammer at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills on July 18. The live and online sale will celebrate the career of the legendary American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician, and composer. There are awards, posters, musical instruments, magic props and personal items including his trademark white suit, the arrow through the head piece, 1976 Gibson Flying V “Toot Uncommons” Electric Guitar, Props and Costumes from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, Little Shop of Horrors  and more.

    All proceeds will be donated to The Motion Picture Home in honor of Roddy McDowall, the late legendary stage, film and television actor and philanthropist for the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s Country House and Hospital. MPTF supports working and retired members of the entertainment community.

    Steve Martin’s trademark white suit. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $22,400

    BIDDING OPENS ON WHYTE’S SUMMER ART SALE

    Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020

    Bidding on Whyte’s online summer art sale opens today. There are 242 lots in the auction which continues until July 6. It includes work by Paul Henry, William Scott, Louis le Brocquy, Dan O’Neill, William Conor and Cecil Maguire.

    Claddagh Village, 1928 by Paul Henry (40,000-60,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 40,000 AT HAMMER

    ANTIQUES MONTH LONDON ONLINE

    Sunday, June 21st, 2020

    Antiques month in London in June is off the menu this year.  The good news is that the Kensington Church Street Art and Antique Dealers Association is running a virtual summer showcase online at www.antiques-london.com with items from ancient to contemporary available until June 30. It must be admitted that the theme of the showcase, Fit for Royalty, is not quite as up to the minute as Black Lives Matter but Kensington is a Royal borough with a long tradition of welcoming everyone. When it comes to the promotion of BAME art and artefacts the trade has never been backward.  There is no shortage of Asian art specialists on the street and tribal art has long been admired and promoted. Items on display include a Meiji period Japanese okimono of a hawk and snake, a selection of antique Chinese stands in different exotic woods, works of art and scholars items such as a late Ming bronze paperweight.  There are Chinese, Japanese and Korean ceramics and paintings from the 11th to the 21st century, Indian art including a mother of pearl hand washing basin and Chinese armorial porcelain for the west as well as exhibitions on the Georgian and Regency eras.  In keeping with the theme is a gothic revival oak centre table designed by A.W.N Pugin for Morel & Seddon, commissioned by King George IV for Windsor Castle.  In our new virtual world these are available to everyone without having to travel further than their own computer.

    Meanwhile Masterpiece Online runs from June 22-28. There  will be 138 exhibitors exhibiting online with digital presentations plus an online viewing room hosted by Artsy.

    An exceptional pair of William III japanned and lacquered armchairs from Reindeer Antiques  from the Kensington Church St. showcase.

    KURT COBAIN’S ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAKES $6 MILLION

    Sunday, June 21st, 2020

    The acoustic-electric guitar played by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana’s acclaimed MTV Unplugged performance sold for $6,010,000 million at Julien’s Music Icons sale this weekend. The sale set five new world records for World’s Most Expensive Guitar, World’s Most Expensive Acoustic Guitar, World’s Most Expensive Martin Guitar, World’s Most Expensive Piece of Memorabilia and World’s Most Expensive Nirvana Memorabilia. This makes it one of the rarest and most valuable acoustic guitars in the world. The buyer was Peter Freedman, Founder of RØDE Microphones, who attended the live auction in Beverly Hills and successfully won the guitar in a bidding war among collectors and bidders all across the globe. Conscious that the global arts industry has been shattered by Covid-19 Mr. Freedman plans to display the guitar in a worldwide tour of exhibitions to be held in distinguished galleries and art spaces, with all proceeds (including the guitar) going to the performing arts.

    Over 800 items were sold at the Music Icons event with highlights including: Prince’s recently discovered lost “blue angel” Cloud 2 guitar that sold for $563,000; Elvis Presley’s stage worn ivory macrame belt with accented reflective stones sold for $298,000, nearly thirty times its original estimate of $10,000; Madonna’s ivory satin halter gown worn in her iconic 1990 “Vogue” music video sold for $179,200, almost nine times its original estimate of $20,000; John Lennon’s 1963 handwritten and annotated lyrics to “I’m In Love” sold for $102,400.

    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for May 18 and May 11, 2020)

    Peter Freedman with Kurt Cobain’s Martin Guitar.