Late Renaissance table top, antique Roman marble inlay. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £962,500 AND WAS THE TOP LOT AT THE AUCTION.
Masterpieces of furniture and decorative arts will feature at Sotheby’s fourth successive sale of Treasures, Princely Taste in London on July 3. Ranging in date from the 16th to the 20th centuries the sale of just 49 lots – many commissioned by or made for European rulers and dynasties such as the Medici, Catherine the Great and Napoleon – features highlights such as a magnificent Renaissance table top inlaid with marbles from Roman ruins. It is estimated at £800,000-1,200,000. A pair of ivory vases with gilt bronze mounts is estimated at £600,000-1,000,000 and an iconic medal cabinet probably made for Napoleon has an estimate of £300,000-500,000.
Mario Tavella, deputy chairman, Sotheby’s Europe, commented:“Each of the magnificent pieces in this sale meets the definition of a “treasure”. In addition to their desirability relating to the sumptuous materials of which they are composed and the craftsmanship of the greatest artists of their time, these treasures – formerly the preserve of kings, princes and popes – each carry with them a fascinating story. The very few similar examples known today are preserved in the world’s most important museums. Many of the lots presented in July have been in the same collections for centuries and the sale represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire them.”
UPDATE: The sale totalled £9,218,850.
