Not just any ship in a bottle this one of The Hellas at Mullen’s Collectors Cabinet sale in Bray on October 15 tells the story of an economic war fought nearly 200 years ago. The tea clippper was chartered by Samuel and Charles Bewley in 1835 to break the East India Company’s monopoly on importation of tea into Ireland. It is in a Hamilton Long and Co. bottle on a timber stand. Lot 21 in the auction, estimated at 200-300, was gifted by the Bewley family to a former housekeeper at their home at Willow Park, Blackrock, Dublin and was in turn purchased by the current owner from her daughter.
In London the National Gallery said that Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is covered with glass and was not damaged when protestors threw tins of Heinz Tomato Soup at it today. There is some minor damage to the frame of the work, painted in 1888. The two climate activists in Just Stop Oil T-shirts opened the tins and threw the contents on the masterpiece before gluing their hands to the wall. The Metropolitan Police said two people had been arrested.
Louis XVI style gilt bronze tulipwood and bois satine marquetry inlaid commode. UPDATE: THIS MADE 28,000 AT HAMMER
After a model by Jean Henri Riesener this Louis XVI style gilt bronze tulipwood and bois marquetry inlaid commode with breccia marble top is the most expensively estimated lot at Sheppard’s Gentleman’s Library sale in Durrow on October 27. Dated to the last quarter of the 19th century it is stamped G Durand (Gervais Maximilien Eugene Durand) and estimated at €15,000-€20,000. The auction offers 367 lots from the Smithwick collection and other clients. Among them is a folder of 24 Qing watercolours, a set of eight Qing watercolours, a portrait of James FitzJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde attributed to Sir Godfrey Kneller, an 18th century library pole and a pair of c1800 Howdah flintlock pistols by Charles Moore of London. The catalogue is online.
Christie’s Global President and Auctioneer Jussi Pylkkänen selling David Hockney’s Early Morning, Saint-Maxime for £20,899,500
David Hockney’s Early Morning, Sainte-Maxime led Christie’s 20th/21st Century evening sale in London last night. It sold for £20,899,500 in a 47 lots sale that brought in £72.5 million and was 100% sold. Hockney more that doubled the pre-sale estimate of £10 million. Tracey Emin’s Like a Cloud of Blood was sold by the artist to raise funds for her pioneering TKE studio complex in Margate. Setting a record for a painting by Emin, it realised £2,322,000, a new record for the artist.Gerhard Richter, Wolkenstudie (grün-blau) (Study for Clouds (Green-blue)): £11,167,000 / $12,361,869 / €12,719,213 [first time at auction having remained in the same private collection since 1982, it was also the first time on public display]
Study for Clouds (Green-blue) by Gerhard Richter made £11,167,000 and Painting, 1990 by Francis Bacon made £7,102,250. Female artists performed well against the estimate. Praise I by Bridget Riley made £2,202,000 and there was a world record for Sandra Ball whose Untitled (AC16) made £94,500.
A Place with No Name: Works from the Sina Jina Collection was led by Lynette Yiadon-Boakye’s Highpower which made £1,482,000. The combined total of both sales, which attracted bidders from 25 countries, was £75,494,334.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for August 24 and October 1, 2022)
The ball which Diego Maradona used to score his ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup will be auctioned in the UK next month with an estimate of £2.5-£3million (€2.8m-€3.4m). It will be sold by Graham Budd Auctions at a World Cup sale on November 16. The football was used throughout the contentious quarter final, which took place just four years after the end of the Falklands War.
Argentina star Maradona famously punched the ball beyond England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to open the scoring in the quarter-final clash at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. He followed up the controversial incident by claiming a superb solo second, which has become known as the ‘Goal of the Century’. England fought back with an 81st minute goal from Gary Lineker which won him the Golden Boot, but ultimately, Argentina took the match 2-1, shattering England’s World Cup dreams, before going on to win the tournament.
Referee Ali Bin Nasser, who took charge of the tie and failed to spot the handball, is the owner of the ball. Bin Nasser said: “This ball is part of international football history – it feels like the right time to be sharing it with the world. At Mexico ‘86 I was among the 42 referees at the tournament. African referees didn’t get the same opportunities as those in Europe, so to be told by FIFA that I was chosen because I was among the best in the world was a huge honour and a career highlight.”
So far this year, a number of sporting auctions have broken records. The shirt Maradona wore during the same quarter final match was sold in May for $9.3 million, a new world record for any piece of sporting memorabilia. This was beaten just three months later when a Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12.6 million in August. Last month Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA finals jersey sold for $10.1 million, a new world record for any piece of ‘game worn’ sporting memorabilia.
P.D.S.A. Dickin Medal for Gallantry – “The Animals’ V.C.” – and R.S.P.C.A. Red Collar for Valour awarded to War Dog Rob
The hugely emotive P.D.S.A. Dickin Medal for Gallantry, otherwise known as the V.C for animals, and the R.S.P.C.A. Red Collar for Valour awarded to War Dog Rob, for his gallantry and outstanding service during the Second World War, during which the black and white collie retriever undertook 20 parachute descents while serving with Infantry in North Africa and the 2nd S.A.S. Regiment in Italy was sold for a world record price of £140,000 (at hammer) at Noonans today. Bought by a new collector of British gallantry awards it had been estimated at £20,000-30,000. The entire proceeds will be given to the Taylor McNally Foundation.
It was sold by Basil Bayne, the son of Rob’s original owner, who now lives in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland and also included an extensive archive including his collar, a portrait painting, photographs, certificate, manuscripts, books and letters.
Thaddeus Ropac will exhibit Bird Watch, 1988 by Robert Rauschenberg at Frieze
Bringing together over 280 major league galleries from 42 countries, with specially curated sections Frieze London and Frieze Masters opens today at Regent’s Park. Frieze London will feature over 160 of the world’s leading contemporary galleries. Frieze Masters will feature over 120 galleries, showing work from ancient to modern. The fair is taking place against the uncertain backdrop of inflation, a weakening pound, rising interest rates and energy prices and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Galleries are hopeful that a strong dollar will help sales. Frieze continues until October 16.
THOMAS FRYE (c.1710-1762) – Portrait of Thomas Fane, 8th Earl of Westmorland, of Brympton D’Evercy in Somerset (1701-1771) UPDATE: THIS MADE 18,000 AT HAMMER
This portrait by the Offaly born artist Thomas Frye comes up as lot 371 on day two of the James Adam Country House Collections sale at Townley Hall on October 18. This magnificent neo-Classical house is the perfect backdrop for an array of some of the finest antiques and artefacts to come on the market in Ireland so far this year. Drawn from many fine Irish country houses and collections, the sale includes 18th and 19th Century furniture with many important Irish pieces, fine period paintings, period portraits and sporting scenes, Irish glass, fine Continental porcelain and a selection of table silver from Birr Castle.
The artist Thomas Frye was from Edenderry and during his lifetime was considered one of the most inventive of Irish Georgian artists. Internationally he won many important commissions including the full length state portrait of Frederick, Prince of Wales. The sitter in the portrait here was 8th Earl of Westmorland, and it was for his grandson, the 10th Earl and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland that Westmorland Street in Dublin was named. The portrait is estimated at €10,000-€15,000.
Day one of the sale is a timed online only auction and the sale on October 18 will be held at St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin. Viewing gets underway at Townley Hall on October 15.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for October 8, 2022)
FALE AND PASSION FRUIT, 1991 – POPPY MELIA (B.1966). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,200 AT HAMMER
Fale and Passion Fruit by Poppy Melia comes up art Whyte’s autumn timed online only art auction which runs until the evening of October 17. Many well known Irish artists are represented with affordable works in a sale designed for seasoned collectors and those who would like to dip their toes into the art auction world. The choice is wide ranging and there are 288 lots on the catalogue. Viewing for this sale gets underway in Molesworth St. in Dublin today and the catalogue is online.
Inside the World of Francis Bacon: Works from the Collection of Majid Boustany at Sotheby’s in Paris on October 24 is a capsule collection which will include twenty works spanning over fifty years. There is art by Bacon, historic objects of ephemera, works by Bacon’s acquaintances such as Graham Sutherland, Louis Le Brocquy and Roy de Maistre, as well as portraits of the artist by photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Don McCullin and Peter Beard.
The most expensively estimated lot, at €3.5 million – €5 million, is Figure Crouching from 1949 which has never been on the market before. There is an image of Francis Bacon by Louis le Brocquy which is estimated at €12,000-€18,000. Bacon’s palette is estimated at €20,000-€30,000.
