The refined and engaging collection of Barry Humphries (1934-2023) – best known for his characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson – comes up at Christie’s in London on February 13. Driven by knowledge, passion and curiosity his collection was built over more than half a century.
Sand Dunes, Ambleteuse by the Australian painter Charles Conder leads an auction of 250 lots with estimates from £200 to £300,000 (€240 to €360,000). The best of fin-de-siecle decadent literature features a collection of Oscar Wilde related material including a presentation copy of The Importance of being Earnest. There is a selection of 19th century European and Symbolist art with work by Khnopff, Delville and von Stuck. These feature along with examples of Impressionism and modern British art, Modern Design and highlights from Dame Edna’s personal collection from costume and glasses to caricatures.
Jeff Beck’s iconic 1954 Oxblood Gibson Les Paul guitar will lead the auction of his collection at Christie’s in London on January 22. The multi Grammy award winning artist worked with artists like Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Tina Turner, Mick Jagger, BB King, Nile Rodger, Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, Imelda May and Johnny Depp. He was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The auction comprises over 130 guitars, amps and accessories from a career that lasted almost six decades, since joining The Yardbirds in 1965 to his last tour in 2022. The Oxblood is estimated at £350,000-£500,000 (€421,380-€601,970) and estimates are from £100 (€120) up.
Titian’s Rest on the Flight into Egypt sold for a record-breaking £17.6 million in July
Christie’s is projecting $5.7 billion in global sales in 2024, down 6% on $6.1 billion in 2023. Auction sales at $4.2 billion were down by 16% ($5 billion in 2023) and private sales at $1.5 billion were up by 41%. A total of 81% of bids were placed online compared with 78% the previous year. A company statement said that in 2024 Christie’s experienced a strengthening of auction sales as the year progressed, together with outstanding results for private sales throughout.
“Our key performance indicators of overall sell through rate of 86%, hammer vs. low estimate index at 112% and bidders per lot of 3.7 all showed growth year over year, indicating that our strategy and focus resonated with sellers and buyers. We sold the most valuable work of the year René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières for $121.2 million from the Mica Ertegun collection; the only lot to sell for over $100 million globally. Christie’s also sold the most valuable jewel of the year, The Eden Rose, for $13.4 million in New York in June.
The America’s contrubuted around 41% to global sales, Europe, the Middle East and Africa contributed around 32%.
LATE LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED JAPANESE LACQUER AND EBONY COMMODE BY CLAUDE-CHARLES SAUNIER, c1765, THE JAPANESE LACQUER 17TH CENTURY
This Louis XV commode, almost certainly supplied to the duchesse de Mazarin for the château de Chilly-Mazarin, made $819,000 at Christie’s in New York. It was the top lot at the L’Art du Luxe: Masterpieces of French Furniture sales which realised $9.7 million. Other leading results included a Louis XV ormolu-mounted bois satine and Chinese lacquer bureau plat by Joseph Baumhauer, one of only two of its type known to exist, which made $604,800; a late Louis XV ormolu-mounted amaranth, tulipwood and parquetry commode supplied to the court banker Micault d’Harvelay in 1774, which made $693,000 and a rare pair of late Louis XV consoles which made $415,000. Bids came from around the globe including Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East, and almost 10 percent of bidders and buyers were new to the category.
There was a new world record for Rene Magritte at Christie’s in New York on November 19 when L’empire des lumières sold for a hammer price of $105,000,000 ($121,160,000 with fees). This was a record too for a painting sold at auction in 2024 as it was the first picture this year to break the $100 million barrier. The painting was from the collection of designer and philanthropist Mica Ertegun whose world-class collection includes art, exquisite furnishings, jewellery and more.
A significant portion of the seller’s sale proceeds is intended to benefit philanthropic initiatives. During her lifetime, Mrs. Ertegun generously supported the Graduate Scholarship Programme in the Humanities at Oxford University, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the World Monument Fund and more.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 23, 2024)
The Thinker on the Butte de Warlencourt by Sir William Orpen. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £756,000
The private collection of Mary and Alan Hobart, founders of the Pyms Gallery, comes up at Christie’s in London on November 19. From premises in Belgravia and Mayfair the Hobarts mounted pioneering exhibitions at the Pyms Gallery, founded in 1974, which championed Irish art in Britain for the first time since Sir Hugh Lane at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Key artists included in Christie’s sale are William Orpen, Jack Butler Yeats, Mary Swanzy, F. E. McWilliam, Jerome Connor, William Crozier, Rita Duffy, Micheal Farrell, Cecil King, Charles Tyrrell, William Scott, Sean Scully, Grace Henry, Gerard Dillon, Augustus John, Bridget Riley, Patrick Heron, John Tunnard and Eileen Agar. The Hobarts collection was showcased at an exhibition at IMMA in Dublin last year.
The Poet by Orpen made £504,000 and his Changing Billets, Picardy made £441,000. An Afternoon in Dorset by Augustus John made £214,200, a world record for an oil on panel by the artist. There was a world record for Grace Henry when The Rosary sold for £47,880 and one for Rita Duffy when Crossroads Dancing made £14,490.
UPDATE: THE COLLECTION REALISED £5,979,204
O’Connell Bridge by Jack Butler Yeats. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £882,000
George I coffee pot with side handle by Thomas Walker, Dublin (1726)
The National Antique Fair at Limerick Racecourse next weekend, magnificent jewels in Geneva and Irish art in London are among upcoming events which will draw large numbers of collectors to the fascinating world of art, antiques and collectibles at all price points this month.
Among the many treasures for which the hunt is hotting up are an antique Irish silver coffee pot, a Georgian officers gorget or throat covering from the Royal Meath Militia, vintage fashion and Irish art and collectibles at the Limerick fair, a Cartier diamond necklace at Christie’s in Geneva on November 12, jewellery from the Royal Court of Bulgaria at Sotheby’s in Geneva on November 13, masterpieces by William Orpen and John Lavery at Sotheby’s Modern British and Irish art evening sale in London on November 14 and a selection of Irish art from Paul Henry, George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson and Nano Reid to contemporary works by Jack Coulter, Richard Hearns, John Behan, Orla de Bri and more at Sotheby’s day sale in London on November 15.
Eily Henry vintage fashion will feature this headwear at the National Antiques Fair in Limerick
Opening times for the National Antiques, Art and Vintage fair at Limerick Racecourse are from 11 am to 6 on November 16 and 17. There will be 80 dealers from right around Ireland with everything from a pair of vases by Zak Scherzer of Vienna with paintings by Rembrandt at Edwin Mercer, vintage flagons, clocks and collectibles at Dan Hartnett and an exceptional George I coffee pot by Thomas Walker (Dublin 1726) which Weldon’s will display on November 17.
Vintage fashion and jewellery is enduringly popular. Among the choices available are an eyecatching Philip Treacy type hat at Eily Henry and a nine carat yellow gold wide gate bracelet at Bedlam antiques. There is porcelain and glass at Brian Hurley, Irish art at the Purple Onion gallery, militaria including the gorget of Lt. Col. Thomas Pepper of the Royal Meath Militia and selections of antique furniture, jewellery, books and collectibles to inspire and delight.
Art Deco diamond necklace, signed Cartier London, 1935, at Christie’s UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR US$5,090,571
It is rare to encounter a group of jewels from the 1920’s and ’30’s which have remained in the same family and have not been remodelled. A magnificent Cartier Art Deco Indo-Persian diamond necklace from 1935 will highlight a collection of superb jewels from the Sassoon family at Christie’s in Geneva next Tuesday The bank where they were stored was completely in World War II. A helpful policeman advised the owner at the ruins to check with a local police station. It transpired that her deposit box had been transferred there. Never at auction before the necklace is estimated at US$1 million – $1.5 million (€920,000-€1,380,000). At Sotheby’s in Geneva on the following day more than 100 pieces from Tsar Ferdinand and the Royal Court of Bulgaria will come under the hammer.
Sotheby’s will bring a great selection of Irish art to the international stage at sales in London next Thursday and Friday. A portrait of Mrs. St. George by Orpen and a Venetian scene by Lavery will feature in the evening sale on Thursday. A Cork collection of maritime paintings by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson and art and sculpture by Gareth Reid – Sky Portrait Artist of the Decade, 2023 – Tony O’Malley, Rowan Gillespie, Patrick Hennessy, Felim Egan, John Kingerlee and William Conor and others feature at the day sale next Friday.
Still Life with Butterfly by Patrick Hennessy at Sotheby’s. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973) – Femme et jeune garcon nus
A retrospective of Picasso will be among the highlights of next year’s programme at the National Gallery of Ireland. The gallery, in collaboration with the Musée Picasso national-Paris, will present Picasso: From the studio from October 11, 2025 to February 22, 2026. Picasso lived surrounded by his art. His personal life and his work, his homes and his studios were always intimately linked. This exhibition places Picasso in the context of his studios, highlighting the various facets and phases of his art and life. It will explore the key locations that defined him, from his arrival in Paris at the start of the twentieth century to his studio in Villa La Californie (1955-1961) in Cannes. It will feature paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and works on paper, as well as photographic and audio-visual works. Pictured here is a 1969 work on paper entitled Femme et jeune garcon nus which comes up at Christie’s 20th century evening sale in New York on November 19 with an estimate of $1 million – $1.5 million.
JACK BUTLER YEATS, R.H.A. (1871-1957) – O’Connell Bridge. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £882,000
This painting by Yeats is among the highlights of the private collection of Alan and Mary Hobart comes up at Christie’s in London on November 19. The estimate is £400,000-£600,000. Their personal collection — at Farm Street, Mayfair and Cap Ferrat — bears witness to the Hobarts’ highly renowned expertise and discerning taste.
UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR CHF 7,765,000 – US$8,859,865
A brooch commissioned by Prince Aga Khan at Cartier Paris in 1960 and shortly after gifted to his wife, Nina Dyer (1930-1969) comes up at Christie’s in Geneva on November 12, 55 years after it was last auctioned in the Swiss city. It was sold for $75,000 at the inaugural Magnificent Jewellery sale at Hotel Richemond in Geneva on May 1, 1969. This time round the estimate is $6 million – $8 million. It is adorned with a 37.00 carat emerald and accentuated by a row of diamonds, epitomizing the elegance and sophistication of its era. Like many of the beautiful jewels commissioned by The Aga Khan for Nina Dyer, she wore this exceptional piece at numerous prominent events.
At the Hotel Richemond in 1969 40 lots were offered, most of which belonged to Nina Dyer. The sale was a huge success, with the jewels selling for more than twice the estimates and the entire collection achieved over CHF 12.7 million. Dyer’s will stipulated that the proceeds from the sale of her jewels would benefit animal welfare causes in Africa, Asia, and Europe. This auction also marked the beginning of Christie’s long-standing tradition in Geneva, where auctions continue to thrive today, drawing collectors from around the globe.
