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A Gorgosaurus skeleton sold for $6,095,600 at Sotheby’s Natural History sale in New York on July 28. It had been excavated on private land at Judith River, Choteau River, Montana in 2018. The exhibition mounted skeleton measures nine feet, two and a half inches tall and just under 22 feet long. It is from the late Cretaceous Period and approximately 77 million years old. The Gorgosaurus was a relative of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
This 1930’s poster depicting the Northern Ireland beauty spot Dunluce Castle in Co Antrim was the top lot at the James Adam sale of the John Rogers Vintage Poster Collection in Dublin this week. Designed by Julius Olsson it tripled its estimate to sell for €3,200. Five bidders competed and executed a total of twenty two bids before the hammer came down. The online auction was 96% sold and made €103,000, which exceeded the top estimate. One unusual result was that on average each purchaser bought three lots.
A tobacco advertising poster of representatives of professional baseball in America sold for a hammer price of €2,900 at Victor Mee’s sale of pub memorabilia and collectibles in Belturbet, Co. Cavan tonight. It was in its original pine frame. Lot 172 was from the opening sessions of a two session sale, which continues on July 27. A total of 728 lots will come under the hammer.
A breathtaking 3d digital work that takes the viewer to the molecular level, showing a cutting-edge mRNA vaccine fighting COVID-19, sold for $226,800 at Christie’s on July 25. The one-of-a-kind digital University of Pennsylvnia mRNA NFT was designed by the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Drew Weissman, whose groundbreaking research helped create mRNA vaccines. The NFT comes with a storyboard that explains what the NFT depicts, the University of Pennsylvania-owned mRNA patent documents, and an original letter from Dr. Weissman, whose research produced key innovations that made mRNA vaccines safer and more effective. Proceeds from the auction will support ongoing research activities at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine.
MRNA vaccines are a new form of technology that has been science’s main tool to fight the COVID virus. Unlike traditional vaccines, which use a weakened or inactive germ to trigger an immune response, mRNA vaccines are designed to teach the body to create a protein that triggers the immune response. This one-of-a-kind NFT features a stunning one-minute 3D sequence that uses color, shape, movement, and sound to show mRNA encapsulated inside of lipid nanoparticles, administered via a vaccine, and working in the body to teach cells to create a protein to help the immune system to fight COVID.
In its review of the first half of 2022 Christie’s reported that the market for NFT’s is facing its first real endurance test. It amounted to just $4.75 million (€4.71 million) in the half year. Collectors are responding by selecting the best digital artists from the rest and consolidating around a group more likely to survive the tumult of the broader cryptocurrency markets.
Nothing evokes a bygone era or jogs a memory quite like a poster. There are some wonderful ones at the James Adam online sale of the collection of John Rogers which runs until July 27. On offer are 420 posters, many anonymous, others designed by famous and collectible artists from Andy Warhol to Rene Gruau. There is highly affordable work here from artists like Walter Hofmann, Niki de Saint Phalle, Dick Eiffers, Ludwig Hohlwein, David Klein and Piet Sluis, the late Dutch artist who came to live in Ireland in the 1950’s.
A poster advertising train travel in Spain put me in mind of Dorothy Parker travelling from France to Madrid with a linguistically gifted companion. At the border he spoke no Spanish. By the time they reached their destination she reported that he was helping the natives along with their subjunctives. Armed with a post grad in Art History and some experience gained at Christie’s the late John Rogers opened Gallery 29 in Dublin in 2004. This was a lot more than just another poster shop and the sale is a tribute to his discriminating eye for quality.
An exhibition of new works by Sean Scully opens today at Thaddeus Ropac in Salzburg, Austria. It brings together large scale paintings from his most formative series including Wall of Light and Landline. A monumental 2020 sculpture entitled Indoor Sleeper in the gallery’s outdoor space offers and insight into his sculptural practice. This show follows the acclaimed 50 year retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until July 31. Major institutional exhibitions of Scully’s are currently underway in Neuss Germany, Bologna Italy and Torun in Poland.
Sunlight on the River Bann by John Skelton comes up as lot 28 at Whyte’s summer online art auction, which runs until July 25. It is estimated at €600-€800. This is a sale designed to encourage both first time buyers and seasoned bidders. The catalogue is online and viewing continues at Whyte’s galleries on Molesworth St. in Dublin. The sale is on view until 5 pm today, from 2 pm to 5 pm tomorrow and from 10 am to 5 pm on Monday.
This oil on board by Thomas Ryan is lot 49 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s online sale of Irish art which runs until August 2. Silver Cup and Pink Rose, measuring just 5.9′ x 7.9′ was exhibited at the Lee Gallery in Cork in 2004 and is estimated at €800-€1,200. The artist attended the Limerick School of Art, then the National College of Art in Dublin, where he studied under Seán Keating and Maurice MacGonigal. He first exhibited at the RHA in 1957, became an associate member in 1968, was elected President of the RHA in 1982 and served until 1992.
His many commissions for portraits included Presidents, Taoisigh, cardinals and archbishops, provosts and University Presidents. He was known for his sensitive still-life and genre paintings and for Irish historical scenes, especially those of the 1916 Rising.
The catalogue is online and the sale will be on view in Skibbereen, west Cork from July 28.
This rare Victorian Irish pitch pine bar counter with mirrored bar back surmounted with reverse painted glass panels and carved with shamrocks comes up at Victor Mee’s sale on July 26-27. The two day auction of pub memorabilia, collectibles and decorative advertising features 728 lots. The bar here, lot 161, is at €4,000-€8,000 one of the most expensively estimated pieces but this is a sale with something to suit all budgets. The decorative interiors sale planned by Victor Mee for this week had to be postponed until August 9 and 10 due to a case of covid.
An auction dedication to art, editions and photographs by David Hockney will take place at Phillips in London on September 13. Robert Kennan, Head of Editions, Europe, said, “This sale looks to celebrate the achievements of David Hockney to date with a vibrant selection in all media. The auction is an opportunity to acquire a Hockney work at all price points, from entry level works priced at £1000 to those higher value pieces at £250,000 and above. Contemporary edition collecting is something we feel incredibly passionate about and creating curated sales such as David Hockney allows us to engage with our community of collectors, whilst reflecting our innovative approach to meet current collecting demands.”
Three highlights of the sale, Tyler Dining Room, Celia in a Wicker Chair, and arguably Hockney’s most sought after edition, Afternoon Swimming, come from prominent South African collectors Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone, owners of Stellenberg, Cape Town. This historic house is the last remaining private Cape Dutch homestead in the central southern suburbs of Cape Town and home to world-renowned gardens overseen by Sandy Ovenstone. Proceeds from the will help to fund new acquisitions by contemporary South African artists. Afternoon Swimming from 1979 will leads the auction. Viewing is from September 6-13 at 30 Berkeley Square.
