antiquesandartireland.com

FROM OLD MASTERS TO BACON AT CHRISTIE’S PRINTS SALE

March 15th, 2014

Prints from Old Masters to Post War greats come up at Christie’s in London on March 19. The Old Master, Modern & Contemporary Prints sale features work from the late 15th century to the present day. There are old masters Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt; expressionists Edvard Munch, Otto Dix and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner; modern greats Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Joan Miró as well as post-war giants Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol, amongst the works on offer. The auction of 228 works is expected to attract buyers and collectors from around the world. It is estimated to bring in around £4 million. Christie’s auction of James Ensor Prints: The Mira Jacob Collection will take place on the morning of March 19 and offers one of the most comprehensive groups of the artist’s graphic oeuvre in private hands.

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
Torse de Femme (L’Egyptienne)
aquatint, 1953 (£80,000-120,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

Edvard Munch The Sick Child I
lithograph printed in colours, 1896 (£200000-300,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014

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CHINESE, JAPANESE AND KOREAN ARTISTS AT SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG

March 15th, 2014

Zhang Xiaogang’s (b. 1958) Bloodline: Big Family No. 3 is estimated at $8.3-10.3 million US.

Renowned contemporary Chinese, Japanese and Korean artists come up at Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Asian Art evening sale in Hong Kong on April 5. There are works by Zhang Xiaogang, Zeng Fanzhi, Liu Ye, Yue Minjun, Yoshitomo Nara and Lee Ufan. Many of these are large format. There will be more than 230 works at the Contemporary Asian Art day sale on April 6. The two sales are estimated to bring in more than $35 million US. The Spring Sale at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong will run from April 4-8.

Evelyn Lin, Head of Contemporary Asian Art Department, said: “Contemporary Asian Art Autumn Sale 2013 achieved triumphant results. Zeng Fanzhi’s The Last Supper sold for HK$180.44 million, setting the record for a work of contemporary Asian Art and for the work of a living Chinese artist. In response to the market demand for top-notch contemporary works of art, Sotheby’s Hong Kong will present an array of iconic works by eminent artists as well as selected works by artists from the younger generation, as we strive to broaden the collecting tastes of art lovers while injecting vibrancy to this particular category”.

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ALADDIN’S CAVE OF TREASURES AT TEFAF

March 14th, 2014

AN enormous Aladdin’s Cave of treasures has opened up in Maastricht where The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) gets underway today. With more than 35,000 works strictly vetted by 175 experts the fair is full of fabulous objects of astonishing quality. Organisers say that TEFAF 2014 challenges assumptions that supply is drying up and that there are a very limited number of truly important objects left. TEFAF runs until March 23. Here is a minute selection:

Zsolnay Manufacture glazed ceramic vase decorated with a frieze of red enamel, kneeling women picking tulips in a bucolic landscape with iridescent colors and stormy sky, as a nabi landscape at Galerie Mathivet.

Diego Giacometti (1902-1985)
Coffee-table in “X” shaped, second version
Bronze with brown and green patina at L’Arc en Seine.

Hashiguchi Goyô (1880-1921) Young woman in a summer kimono woodblock print, mica ground. Galerie Tanakaya

Kohl flask in the shape of a palm column
Core-formed glass Egypt, New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, circa 1350 BC Harmakhis Gallerie

Simon Hantai (1922-2008)
Meun at Paul Kasmin Gallery.

Van Cleef & Arpels
Earrings, yellow gold, platinum, round diamonds, green agate, kite-cut citrines and 2 briolette-cut citrines, white gold.
Yellow gold, platinum, round diamonds, green agate, kite-cut citrines and 2 briolette-cut citrines, white gold.

Serge Poliakoff (1900-1969)
Abstract composition at Applicat-Prazan.

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THE MEIYINGTANG CHENGHUA CHICKEN CUP

March 14th, 2014

The Meiyintang Chenghua “Chicken Cup”
UPDATE: SOLD FOR US$36.05 MILLION, A WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR A PIECE OF CHINESE PORCELAIN.

Sotheby’s will offer a “Chicken Cup” – the most expensive, most sought-after and most reproduced Chinese objects since the Ming dynasty – at their Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art spring sales in Hong Kong on April 8. The Meiyintang Chicken Cup – estimated at $25.6-38.5 million US – is one of only four preserved in private hands. The Meiyintang Collection is Europe’s grandest collection of Imperial Chinese porcelain.

First created in the Chenghua reign (1465 – 87), “Chicken cups” have been praised, desired and reproduced by Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) emperors and other discerning literati collectors. With a legendary aura that goes well beyond their immediate art-historical importance,“chicken cups” have in modern days set record prices for Chinese art in 1980 and 1999.

Chenghua “Chicken cups” were produced in extremely small quantities. Apart from the present example, only three others are preserved in private hands and no more than a few of the world’s most prestigious museums can boast an example among their collections, including The National Palace Museum, Taipei; the British Museum, London; the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the Collections Baur, Geneva. The present example was sold at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in 1999 for $3.7 million US.

UPDATE: It sold for a world record price of US$36.05 million to Shanghai collector Mr. Liu Yiqian.

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NATIONAL ANTIQUE AND ART FAIR IN LIMERICK THIS WEEKEND

March 13th, 2014

LIMERICK, currently European Capital of Culture, is the place to be this weekend. Not only is the weather set fair for St. Patrick’s Day – remarkable in Ireland – but the city is to be the venue for the two day National Antiques and Art Fair. More than 100 dealers will be in attendance on March 15 and 16. They will offer jewellery, furniture, art, silver, glass, porcelain, vintage pieces, banknotes and a huge array of collectible items. The venue is the South Court Hotel. Here is a small flavour of what is in store for treasure hunters.

A diamond and sapphire ring.

A centre table.

A Killarney box.

A Lady Lavery 100 pound Irish banknote.

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ONLINE ONLY ANDY WARHOL SALE AT CHRISTIE’S

March 12th, 2014

AN online only Andy Warhol sale runs at Christie’s from March 13 to March 25. There are over 150 lots including images of Warhol’s friends, New York City and his travels. Andy Warhol @ Christie’s: Andy’s World gives collectors a glimpse into “A Day in the Life” of Andy Warhol. much more.

This sale will continue Andy Warhol@Christie’s, the series of online-only auctions in partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. It features approachably-priced artworks with starting bids at $1,500.

“On the heels of the hugely popular Love sale, Christie’s is delighted to offer Andy’s World as the second online only sale of 2014 in partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts,” said Amelia Manderscheid, Head of eCommerce for Post-War & Contemporary Art at Christie’s. “This sale presents a rare glimpse into the everyday life of the Pop art master, from his views of New York to his immortalizations of close friends, including many who were famous in their own right. With this sale, we offer the new and seasoned collector alike the opportunity to acquire these moments captured in time.” All images © 2012 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Reclining Andy
unique gelatin silver print Estimate: $7,000-$10,000
Starting Bid: $6,000 © 2012 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Joseph Beuys in Memoriam (F. & S. II.371)
signed ‘Andy Warhol’ and numbered ‘AP
2/20’ Estimate: $18,000-$25,000
Starting Bid: $15,000 Copyright The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts/Artists Rights Society, New York.

Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Roy Lichtenstein
four unique polaroid prints
Executed circa 1976.
Estimate: $15,000-$20,000
Starting Bid: $13,000 Copyright The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts/ Artists Rights Society New York

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CHRISTY BROWN ARCHIVE AT BONHAMS NEXT WEEK

March 12th, 2014

A drawing of Christy Brown, presumed to be a self-portrait, at Bonhams.

A Christy Brown archive will be sold at Bonhams in London on March 19. It comprises previously unseen sketches, paintings and unpublished poems as well as a large cache of correspondence and writings with 43 letters dating from 1945-76. The archive of the renowned painter and author whose life inspired the Oscar winning film of My Left Foot is estimated at £30,000-40,000.

Christy Brown always recognised that his struggle to overcome the effects of cerebral palsy was an inescapable part of his drive for self expression through writing and art. When asked by an interviewer what he might have achieved without his disability, Brown replied that he would have become a bricklayer like his father.

The archive also includes letters from Christy to his family and to Christy from his American friend and lover, Beth Moore and from Dr Robert Collis who first arranged treatment of his cerebral palsy.

(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for October 1, 2013).

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DROVES OF BUYERS TURN UP FOR MARCILHAC SALE

March 12th, 2014

This unique patinated gypsum and bronze cabinet, circa 1935 by Jean-Michel Frank made 3,681,500.

Droves of buyers descended on Sotheby’s in Paris for the first of two days of sales of the collection of French Art Deco dealer and collector Félix Marcilhac. Day one realised a combined total of 14,745,725, more than double the high pre-sale estimate. The auction followed a nine day exhibition visited by over 5,000 people and more than 97% of lots were sold. Nearly 500 collectors registered their intention to bid on masterpieces of Decorative Art. Among the great collectors taking part in this evening’s sale was Dimitri Mavrommatis who bought five lots, including works by Dunand & Lambert-Rucki, Coard, Dominique and a superb pair of upholstered, shagreen and oak armchairs by Frank. The top lot was a patinated gypsum and bronze c1935 cabinet by Jean-Michel Frank which made 3,681.500 over a top estimate of 600,000. There were 11 auction records.

(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for January 15, 2014).

UPDATE: THE sale concluded with a total of 24,727,715, well ahead of the top estimate of 15.5 million. More than 95 per cent of lots were sold in an auction which achieved a record for a sale of decorative arts at Sotheby’s. Assembled over 40 years, this landmark collection featured Art Deco treasures which had not been seen in public for decades. Many of these pieces boasted prestigious provenance, having belonged to the likes of Jacques Doucet, Marie-Laure de Noailles, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jeanne Lanvin, Paul Cocteau and Jean-Michel Frank, whose c1935 cabinet was the top lot.

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DEALER VIEWS OF TEFAF, MAASTRICHT, MARCH 14-23

March 11th, 2014

DEALER views of TEFAF, the European Fine Art Fair, which runs at Maastricht, The Netherlands from March 14 to March 23.

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OAK LOWBOY FROM 1660 AT WOODWARDS

March 10th, 2014

A c1660 oak lowboy comes up at Woodwards sale in Cork on March 12. This particular antique piece is estimated at 500-1,000. The sale offers a variety of furniture and collectible items as well as art. The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection: