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    CHATEAU de GOURDON COLLECTION BRINGS IN 42,387,113

    Friday, April 1st, 2011

    The Chateau de Gourdon Collection realised 42,387,113 at Christie’s in Paris.  One of the finest private collections of early 20th century decorative art and design ever offered at auction was disposed of in a landmark series of five sales over three days at the Palais de Tokyo.  It was sold 84% by lot and 84% by value. The 860 lots at the Palais de Tokyo had a minimum estimate of 40 million euros.

    The sale viewing drew over 17,000 visitors in four days.  Buyers were 75 per cent European, 21 per cent American, two per cent Asian and one per cent Middle Eastern.

    See antiquesandartireland.com posts for March 30 and December 3.


    MEALY’S MALLOW CASTLE AUCTION ON APRIL 5

    Thursday, March 31st, 2011

    This Irish demi-lune satinwood side table, attributed to William Moore of Dublin, is at the Mealy's Mallow Castle sale on April 5. It is estimated at 12,000-16,000. (click on image to enlarge) UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 14,500

    A 19th century carved marble Venus at the Mallow Castle sale. It is estimated at 10,000-15,000. (click to enlarge) IT WAS UNSOLD

    This rosewood cased clock by D. M'Gregor and Co., Glasgow is at Mealy's Mallow Castle sale. It is estimated at 4,500-5,500. (click to enlarge) UPDATE: IT WAS UNSOLD

    An Edwardian envelop card table at Mealy's Mallow Castle sale (estimate 220-350). (click to enlarge) UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 300.

    One of a pair of 19th century gilt and gesso mirrors at the Mallow Castle sale on April 5. The estimate is 2,500-3,500. (click to enlarge) IT WAS UNSOLD

    Mealy’s will have a one day 793 lot sale of contents from Mallow Castle, Co. Cork on Tuesday April 5.

    It will include portraits, paintings, tapestries, prints, Irish, English and Continental furniture, silver, plate, books and garden furniture.

    Viewing is at Mallow Castle on April 3 and April 4.  The sale will be held at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow .

    UPDATE:  About 82 per cent of lots on offer found buyers in a sale of 793 lots which brought in a hammer price of 650,000.  The auctioneer’s said that some of the unsold lots had reserves that were too high.  The top lot was a fossilised pair of Gigantic Irish Elk Antlers which made 35,000.

    INAUGURAL SESSION OF GOURDON COLLECTION BRINGS IN 24,293,400

    Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

    This screen by Eileen Gray made 1,353,000 at Christie's in Paris. (click on image to enlarge)

    The inaugural session of 20th century masterpieces from the Gourdon Collection at Christie’s in Paris brought in €24,293,400.  The top lot of the opening day of the three day sale was a chaise longue ‘on skis’ created in 1929 by Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann. It made €2,865,000.
    The visionary designs of Irish designer Eileen Gray captivated the imagination of many during the public viewings at Palais de Tokyo. Gray’s black-lacquered ‘Brick’ screen  circa 1922 made €1,353,000. Her ‘Bibendum’ armchair which clearly evokes the logo of tire-manufacturer Michelin made €709,000.
    No less than eight works of art sold made over €1 million and there were five world records for artists.  These included the Ruhlmann chaise longue, a carpet by Fernand Léger at €169,000, a carpet by Francis Bacon at €109,000 , a work by René Coulon at €85,000 and furniture by Louis Majorelle at €1,162,600.
    The remaining four sessions of the sale take place today and tomorrow.
    SEE antiquesandartireland.com post for December 3
    UDATE:  Overall this sale brought in 42.38 million euro over five sessions.

    RARE EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA AT SOTHEBY’S

    Friday, March 25th, 2011

    An extremely rare emerald and diamond tiara – the most important to have come to auction in 30 years – will be offered at  Sotheby’s sale of magnificent jewels in Geneva on May 17. It  is composed of 11 exceptionally rare Columbian emerald pear-shaped drops which weigh over 500 carats in total. The tiara was commissioned by the First Prince von Donnersmarck for his second wife Princess Katharina  (1862-1929). Their jewellery collection was known to be on a par with, or even to have exceeded, those of many of the crowned heads of Europe.
    The emeralds may have originally adorned the neck of a Maharajah and are believed to have been in the personal collection of Princess  Eugénie. It is thought the piece may have been commissioned from renowned jewellers Chaumet.  The estimate is £3.1-6.2 million (CHF 4.5-9 million / $5-10 million). (click on image to enlarge)
    UPDATE:  IT MADE  CHF 11,282,500/ $12,736,927, the highest price ever achieved for a tiara at auction.

    GOVERNMENT CLAIMS MAYAN STATUE IS FAKE, AUCTION HOUSE SAY NO

    Thursday, March 24th, 2011
    A war of words has broken out between a Paris auction house and the Mexican government.  Mexico claims a Mayan statue auctioned for 2.9 million euro at a sale of pre-Columbian artefacts at Binoche et Giquello at Drouot Richelieu on March 21 is a fake.  The auctioneers say  this  is an attempt by Mexican officials to shake confidence in the auction market for pre-Hispanic artefacts.
    The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico claim the seated divinity figure was manufactured recently. The auctioneers dated it to between 550 and 950. INAH says a thorough archaeological examination before the auction included 203 images of the 207 lots. INAH experts established that 140 pieces are Prehispanic and 67 others were recently made.
    The auctioneers say the piece has been publicly written about since 1976, examined by experts, exhibited and discussed in professional forums and publications.

    ENID BLYTON’S DIAMONDS AT IRISH ANTIQUE FAIR

    Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

    Enid Blyton's diamond and emerald necklace.

    Enid Blyton’s emerald and diamond necklace is one feature item at the 12th Irish & International Art & Antiques Fair. Dating from 1880, it contains approximately eight carats of natural Colombian emeralds and 10 carats of old cut diamonds.  The necklace is  set in 18 carat gold and silver and can be found at the stand of London based antique jewellery dealer Saul Greenstein.

    The fair runs at the RDS Dublin from March 25 to March 27.  It is aimed at both the seasoned connoisseur and the new collector.

    RARE JADEITE IMPERIAL SEAL WITH IRISH LINK AT BONHAMS

    Monday, March 21st, 2011
    A rare jadeite double-square seal from an Imperial Palace in Beijing and with an Irish link features at Bonhams auction of Chinese art in London on May 12.  It is believed to have been an Imperial seal of the Jiaqing Emperor and was taken from the Summer Palace during Britain’s second Opium War with China in 1860.
    It was brought to Britain by Liverpool born medical missionary William Lockhart who trained at the Meath Hospital, Dublin, and Guy’s Hospital, London before going to China in 1838.  He worked in Peking from 1861 to 1864. The seal is being sold with William Lockhart’s fan which is printed with a map of China on one side and a map of Beijing on the other. The location of Lockhart’s hospital in Beijing is marked with an X.
    The seal measures under an inch square and is estimated to sell for £40,000 to £60,000. The seal inscription reads Jiaqing Chen Han (‘Jiaqing Emperor’s Literary and Artistic Work’) and Ji Xia Yi Qing (‘When does one have the leisure to delight the heart?’ Bonhams hope this seal will return to China as did the Qianlong Emperor’s personal seal which sold for £2.7m last May in London”

    FABULOUS JEWELS AND MORE AT TEFAF MAASTRICHT

    Friday, March 18th, 2011

    THERE are fabulous pieces to be seen in the Haute Joaillerie section at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht.  Here are some to whet the appetite.

    The Graff blue diamond

    The Hemmerle vegetable collection.

    The aster brooch.

    The Chopard owl watch.

    Graff is exhibiting a 20.02 carat blue ice diamond ring.  The fancy deep blue diamond ring has white diamond shoulders. Each diamond pearshape sidestone is exactly one carat. The entire ring is 22.02 carats.
    Hemmerle Jewellers will unveil their new vegetable collection at TEFAF. The brooch illustrated is a white gold pod of five jade peas, speckled with demantoide garnets.
    THE Aster Brooch has a central cushion cut tourmaline supported by flame-shaped griffes bezel in yellow gold. It is contoured by a double circle of petals in white gold and brilliant-cut diamonds. This one-of-a-kind object of rare beauty and simplicity was created by Gianmaria Buccellati.
    At Chopard & Cie S.A. there is an Owl watch.  It is 18 ct white and rose gold set with diamonds (7cts), trapeze-cut diamonds (2cts) and trapeze-cut yellow sapphires (4cts).  It is from the ‘Animal World Collection 150th Anniversary.
    TEFAF 2011 has 260 exhibitors from 16 countries in nine sections. Some 30,000 works of art from the Neolithic Age to the present day are all rigorously vetted by 168 international experts in 29 specialist committees to ensure quality, authenticity and good condition.

    TEFAF Maastricht is launching the TEFAF Mobile Guide, an application for Android and iPhone, at the 2011 Fair. The application has been developed to help visitors get the most out of their visit to TEFAF.  It offers them a virtual tour, videos, an interactive floor plan, an overview of theFair’s sections, exhibitors and restaurants at the Fair and other information. It can be downloaded free at www.tefaf.com/mobile and from the iTunes AppStore and Android Market.

    (See antiquesandartireland.com posts for March 11, January 13 and January 6)

    QING DYNASTY TEA SERVICE TOP LOT AT QUEEN JULIANA SALE

    Friday, March 18th, 2011

    The Qing Dynasty silver gilt tea service (click to enlarge)

    THIS extensive Qing Dynasty Chinese silver gilt tea service was the top lot at  Sotheby’s four-day sale of property from the estate of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.  The sale, in which all 1,535 lots sold, raised more than €5 million for charity against a pre-sale estimate of €1.5 million. There were bidders from around the world.

    The 18/19th century silver gilt tea service sold to a buyer in the saleroom for €204,750 against an estimate of €30,000-50,000.
    A rare Doccia Ginori porcelain dinner service, circa 1780-1810, sold for €168,750 ($233,172) against an estimate of €40,000-60,000.
    A watercolour by Hendrik Willem Mesdag entitled Bomschuiten in the Breakers sold for €82,350.  Half of the proceeds will go the Red Cross, the rest will be divided among four charities nominated by the late Queen Juliana’s daughters.

    MALLOW CASTLE CONTENTS AUCTION BY MEALY’S

    Thursday, March 17th, 2011
    Mealy’s will have a one days sale of contents from Mallow Castle at the Hibernian Hotel in Mallow on April 5.  It will feature around 800 lots including portraits, paintings, tapestries, furniture, glass, silver, plate, rugs, mirrors, books and garden furniture.
    Viewing will be at Mallow Castle on Sunday, April 3 and Monday, April 4.  The sale at the Hibernian Hotel will start at 10.30 a.m. on April 5.