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    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.

    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.

    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).

    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.

     

     

    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.

    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.

    ANTIQUE CORK FURNITURE AT LYNES AND LYNES

    Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

    Antique Cork furniture at the Lynes and Lynes auction at East Link Business Park, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork on March 10 includes side tables and a linen press.  The sale of 250 lots includes a number of Cork pieces includes side tables with estimates from 400 to 1,000 and a Georgian linen press estimated at 1,000-1,500.  There is an Irish Regency library chair, an antique dining table, a George III carved marble fireplace tablet, several antique chests of drawers and a 19th century brass bound military chest.  The auction includes silver, Waterford glass, books, paintings and a pair of blue and white Chinese lidded jars. The catalogue is on-line.  Here is a small selection (click on any image to enlarge):

    A George III marble fireplace tablet at Lynes and Lynes is estimated at 1,500-2,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,400

    This pair of Chinese blue and white lidded jars is estimated at 300-500. UPDATE: THESE SOLD FOR 500

    A Georgian Cork side table is estimated at 600-1,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 600

    This 19th century military chest is estimated at just 200-300. UPDATE: THIS MADE 440.

    An Irish Georgian linen press at Lynes and Lynes (1,000-1,500). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 850.

    DIAMOND WORN BY QUEEN MARIE de MEDICI AT SOTHEBY’S GENEVA

    Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

    The Beau Sancy diamond. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR $9,699,618 US dollars

    A 34.98 carat diamond worn in her crown by Marie de Medici at her coronation as Queen Consort of Henri IV in 1610 will be sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva on May 15.  The Beau Sancy, a modified pear double rose cut diamond has passed down through the royal families of France, England, Prussia and the House of Orange.  Acquired by Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy (1546-1629), in Constantinople in the mid to late 1500’s, the Beau Sancy is most likely to have originated from the mines in south-central India near the city of Golconda, the source of history’s best-known diamonds, including the Hope and the Koh-i-Noor.

    The Beau Sancy was bought by Henri IV and gifted to his wife. After the King’s assassination and the Queen’s escape to the Netherlands it was sold to Prince Frederick Hendrick of Orange-Nassau (1584-1647).  In 1641 it was used to seal the arrangement of the wedding of Frederick Hendrick’s son, Willem, later Willem II of Orange Nassau (1631-1660), to Mary Stuart, daughter of Charles I of England and Henriette-Marie of France, and grand-daughter of Marie de Medici. It was pawned to settle Mary Stuart’s debts.  It went back to Orange Nassau for the wedding of Willem III (1650-1702) to Mary II Stuart, daughter of the King of England James II.  Willem  and Mary ascended to the throne of England, but died childless and the diamond went back to Orange Nassau.  The Beau Sancy  subsequently became the principal ornament of the new Crown of Prussia. After the Second World War the Beau Sancy passed passed to the eldest son of the Kaiser, Kronprinz Wilhelm (1882-1951) and his son, Prince Louis Ferdinand (1907-1994). After the death of Prince Louis Ferdinand, the diamond was inherited as part of the estate by his grandson, Georg Friedrich (1976-), Prince of Prussia and current head of the Royal House of Prussia. Sotheby’s estimate it at $2-4 million/

    UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR $9,699,618 US dollars.

    LAVERY’S GOLF COURSE HIGHLIGHTS CHRISTIE’S AMAZING GOLF SALE

    Friday, February 24th, 2012

    The Golf Course by Sir John Lavery. (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £193,250.

    Sir John Lavery’s depiction of The Golf Course at North Berwick is the most expensively estimated lot at Christie’s sale of the world’s most important private collection of golf art and memorabilia.  Passionately assembled over 25 years by Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, the founder of the world-famous Valderrama Golf Club, this historic collection includes some of the rarest and most valuable treasures representing the history of the sport. Ortiz-Patino, born in Paris in 1930, is the grandson of the Bolivian industrialist Simon Patino, known as the king of tin. The sale of 400 lots on May 30 is expected to realize more than £2 million.

    The collection includes golf clubs and balls used by champions including Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris, Young Tom Morris and Willie Park Snr. who, between them, won twelve Open Championships.  Another highlight is the Morris Putter, a club owned by two of history’s most celebrated golf champions (£40,000 to £70,000). Crafted by Hugh Philp, a master club-maker based at St. Andrews whose thorn, apple and pear wood putters were particularly revered, it was owned and used by Old Tom Morris and his son Young Tom Morris who between them won eight Open Championships.

    The Golf Course, North Berwick by Sir John Lavery, R.S.A., R.H.A., R.A. (1856-1941) will be offered with an estimate of £200,000 to £300,000.  It last changed hands at Christie’s in 2005 for £456,000. It  is from a series of works the artist painted at the Scottish golf course in 1921 and 1922, another example of which is at Tate Britain having been presented by Lord Duveen. They are the most valuable and desirable modern depictions of the game.

     

     

    UPDATE:  Two works by Lavery, The Golf Links, North Berwick and The Golf Course, North Berwick sold for £241,250 and £193,250.  The sale brought in £1,838,731.

    18th CENTURY CARVED PALE GREEN JADE MOUNTAIN

    Friday, February 24th, 2012

    The carved jade gift to Prince Gong at Bonhams. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £481,250.

    A magnificent pale green jade mountain, dating from the 18th century will be the highlight of Bonhams next Chinese sale on May 17 in London. It was a gift from Li Hong Zhang to Prince Gong, two of the most important statesmen of  the late Qing Dynasty. The piece is estimated at £400,000-600,000.

    The jade boulder is carved as a mountain peak in high relief with four sages and an attendant on a narrow ledge above a stream in a mountainous landscape with pine and wutong trees. The reverse is carved with rocky cliffs and trees. The nine character inscription reads: Jin Feng Gong Qing Wang Chen Li Hong Zhang (‘Humbly Presented [to] Prince Gong [by] Minister Li Hong Zhang). It comes with its original carved wooden stand and is 141/2 inches wide and seven inches high.

    Li Hong Zhang, GCVO (1823-1901), Premier of the Viceroyalty of Zhili, gifted it to Prince Gong,Yixin (1833-1898).   Prince Gong was the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor (reigned 1821-1850) and half brother of the Xianfeng Emperor (reigned 1850-1861). He served as Prince Regent during the Tongzhi Emperor’s reign (1861-1875).  The carving passed by descent to his grandson Prince Gong.  Japanese dealers Yamanka and Co. offered it through the American Art Galleries in New York in 1913.  It was sold to a private English collector in London in 1963.

    UPDATE: IT MADE £481,250.