2008 Auction History

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

All Results in BOLD

Continuing the visit at Christie's London on December 2, here is a tempera on golden panel by Segna di Bonaventura (£ 800 K, Lot 31) (SOLD 940 K£ including fees) and a portrait as Flora by Giambattista Tiepolo (£ 700 K, lot 40). (SOLD 2.8 M£ including fees)

A bronze attributed to Girardon showing Pluto lifting Proserpine is the lot 166 in the sale of Christie's in London on December 4 (£ 500 K), sale 7631. (UNSOLD)

Lovers of horse racing will like three paintings by John Frederick Herring Sr. at Sotheby's in New York on December 5: Lot 9 ($ 1.2 million) (UNSOLD) ; Lot 25 ($ 800 K) (UNSOLD); Lot 133 ($ 400 K) (SOLD 340 K$ including fees).

Let us start with a curiosity at Christie's London on December 2: the portrait of a Tahitian princess of Cook's time. The painter was John Webber (£ 800 K, lot 27). (UNSOLD)

Sotheby's reminds us that a kermesse by Pieter Brueghel the Younger is worth £ 2.5 million in London on December 3, lot 11. (UNSOLD).

The Crucifixion by Barend van Orley coming in Lempertz in Cologne on November 22 is estimated € 1 million (Lot 1328). (SOLD 850 K€ before fees)

An Eruption of Vesuvius by Volaire is presented in the sale of Robert et Baille in Paris on November 28. (UNSOLD)

Note for Nov. 20 at Dallas by Heritage a Vision of St. Bruno by Sebastiano Ricci (600 K $, lot 63,005). (UNSOLD)

Two veduti of Venice by Canaletto are estimated £ 4 million (UNSOLD) and £ 3 million at Christie's in London on December 2. (SOLD 3.8 M£ including fees).

A Bucentaure by Giacomo Guardi in Paris! It is visible in La Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot on an advertising by Delorme et Collin du Bocage who sells it on December 12. We will later see it on the site of the auction house. (UNSOLD)

In Amsterdam at Sotheby's on October 15, I considered two winter landscapes, by Koekkoek (300 K €) (UNSOLD) and Schelfhout (300 K €) (UNSOLD).

A bouquet in a niche by Balthasar van der Ast, 48 x 36 cm, is the lot 16 of the sale of Zürichsee Auktionen in Erlenbach on September 24 (500 KCHF). (UNSOLD).

On November 11 in Amsterdam, Sotheby's offers a superb still life by Heda (200 K €). (SOLD 310 K€ including fees)

A 400 K$, in New York, Sotheby's introduce on December 5 a bronze by Fratin showing two eagles attacking a lynx. (UNSOLD)

On October 14, in Vienna, Dorotheum sells an interesting still life of Willem Kalf (400 K €). (SOLD 460 K€ including fees).

Fun. I just devoted an article to John Glover in Tasmania, and now here is an oil on canvas by the same artist, but in Scotland and showing Oban, for sale by Sotheby's at Gleneagles Hotel on August 26 (72x125 cm, lot 1, 40 K £ ). (UNSOLD).

Koller sells in Zurich on 19 September flowers by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder (oil on copper, 26 x 18 cm, 2.5 MCHF). (SOLD 5 MCHF before fees). There will also be in this sale two paintings by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (700 and 600 KCHF). (SOLD 700 KCHF before fees ; UNSOLD)

A rare landscape of Australia by John Glover will be sold by Sotheby's in Melbourne on August 25 (1.8 MA $, 74 x 114 cm, lot 45). (UNSOLD).

Another Hicks' Peaceable Kingdom! It is at Sotheby's in New York on September 26 ($ 2 million). (SOLD 1.3 M$ including fees).

In the sale of European sculpture in London at Sotheby's on July 9, I have chosen, although these are not the most expensive lots, the marble bust of a man by the circle of Francesco da Laurana (47 cm, 80 K£, lot 54) (UNSOLD) and a bronze horse by Ferdinando Tacca (19 cm, 60 K£, lot 111). (SOLD 180 K£ including fees).

On July 9 in London, Sotheby's sells two drawings of the eighteenth century showing panoramas of Constantinople (30 K£ each, the largest measuring 1.5 m) (each SOLD 60 K£ including fees) and three drawings by Rubens. One of them is inspired by Giulio Romano (120 K £), (SOLD 250 K£ including fees), the other two are estimated 80 and 40 K £. (SOLD 97 and 55 K£ including fees).

On July 9 in London, Sotheby's sells a portrait of a sitting man by Frans Hals (47x37 cm, £ 3 million, lot 26) (SOLD 7.1 M£ including fees) and a beautiful riverside by Jan Brueghel the elder (oil on copper, 26x38 cm, 2.5 M£, lot 19). (SOLD 3.5 M£ including fees).

The same Brueghel made a painting in similar spirit, for sale at Christie's in London on July 8 (oil on copper, 33x50 cm, £ 1.2 million, lot 29). (UNSOLD). At number 38, his older brother Peter the younger offers a uncommon topic, the Bad shepherd (oil on panel, 74x105 cm, £ 1 million). (SOLD 2.5 M£ including fees).

On July 9 at Christie's London, Fuseli shows an unexpensive Vision of Deluge (254x210 cm, £ 80K, lot 209). (SOLD 500 K£ including fees).

More expensive but also more enjoyable to watch, an interesting view of Venice by Marieschi is expected at 500 K € by Hampel in Munich on July 4 (62x98 cm, lot 209). (SOLD 380 K€ before fees).

On July 9 at Bonhams in London, a view of the Piazza del Popolo by van Wittel is estimated 500 K£. (SOLD 720 K£ before fees).

The portrait of a princess, an oil on canvas, 76 x 63 cm, dated 1606, by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, for 250 KCHF, is it a bargain? It is at Fischer Auktionen, lot 1009, on June 11 in Lucerne (found in surfing on Artnet). (UNSOLD).

The top seven estimates of the sale of British art at Sotheby's in London on June 5 are four by Romney (top SOLD 230 K£ including fees) and three by van Dyck (top sold 240 K£ including fees) (maximum low estimates 200 K£ for each of the two artists).

In the sale of Old Masters at Sotheby's New York on the same day, June 5, there is a genre scene by Ochtervelt (600 K$, lot 46) (SOLD 600 K$ including fees) and a view of Venice by Albotto (550 K$, lot 116). (UNSOLD).

The press has already forwarded the rediscovery of three drawings made by Goya, that Christie's sell in London on July 8. It is expected an overall £ 2 million of these three works. They will be sold separately. (SOLD 2,3 M£, 960 K£ and 770 K£ including fees).

On May 20 in Brussels, lot 5 of the sale organized by Pierre Bergé and Associés is a sympathetic tondo of 19 cm by Pieter Brueghel the Younger showing a country-woman holding water and fire (200 K€). (UNSOLD).

At Espace Tajan, Paris, on June 26, an unexpected Presentation of the Elephant by Pietro Longhi is estimated 300 K€. (SOLD 370 K€ including fees).

The low estimate is only 100 K€ for lot 5 of the sale of Finarte in Rome on May 29. It is an oil on panel of Andrea Solario, 29x24 cm. (SOLD 124 K€ including fees).

Incredible: Sotheby's did not even yet sell its Peaceful Kingdom by Hicks, that already Christie's announces another one. I checked, it is not the same one!! Christie's expects 4 M$ from it, in New York on September 24. (UNSOLD).

Very old art, could one even say, of this triptych of Taddeo di Bartolo which will form part of ten lots from an estate at Sotheby' s in London on July 9 (300 K£). (SOLD 1.9 M£ including fees). Among paintings of quality which form part of this group, let us quote a landscape by Patel le jeune (400 K£) (SOLD 940 K£ including fees) and a still life by Balthasar van der Ast (300 K£). (SOLD 470 K£ including fees).

For July 9 in London, and for 5 M£, Sotheby' s announce an exceptional painting: an oil on canvas of Turner representing Pope's villa in Twickenham. This painting had remained in the same family since 1827. (SOLD 5.4 M£ including fees).

The betrothal portrait of Sibyl of Cleves by Lucas Cranach is for sale at Christie's on April 15 in New York ($ 4 million). (SOLD 7.6 M$ including fees). A bucolic landscape by Gainsborough (63x76 cm) is estimated $ 3 million, (SOLD 5.7 M$ including fees), a very turbulent mythological scene by Cornelis van Haarlem (192 x 244 cm) is expected at $ 1.5 million (SOLD 8.1 M$ including fees) and a pair of views of Venice by Michele Marieschi at 3 M $. (SOLD 3.4 M$ including fees).

6 million $, that is the price that must be put in New York at Sotheby's on May 22 hoped to leave with a painting representing a kind of paradise with peaceful animals by Edward Hicks of Pennsylvania. Come on, I am not afraid to get into a bold prediction: the buyer will be American. It's sad as a Rousseau would have been if devoid of humor, which was not the case, much fortunately, of my compatriot. (SOLD 9.7 M$ including fees).

A very lively small-size painting by Watteau, entitled "Surprise", is estimated 3 M£ at Christie's who puts it on sale on July 8 in London. It is unprecedented in the market, and its owner was unaware of its historical and monetary value. (SOLD 12.3 M£ including fees).

On April 16 in London, Sotheby's disperses a collection of miniature portraits including a pair by the master of the genre, John Smart (40 K£). (SOLD 48.5 K£ including fees).

Dutch Paintings at Sotheby's in Amsterdam on April 14 include a romantic landscape from royal commission by Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (600 K €, estimation very open with a high value of 1.1 M €). (UNSOLD).

A pair of paintings by David arrive on the market in an unusual form: a portrait of the man, a minister, will be sold by Christie's in New York on April 15 ($ 4 million), (SOLD 7.2 M$ including fees), the portrait of his wife is available to the buyer at the price required by the seller. If the buyer does not want it, it is also auctioned (2 M$). (UNSOLD). We are told that this pair was re-established thirteen years ago; the portrait of the man is very probably the one that was sold for 15 MF before fees on October 18, 1995 at Drouot by ministries of Maîtres Rieunier, Bailly-Pommery, Binoche , Oger and Dumont.

In the sale of April 4 by Hampel in Munich, there is a painting by Bordone (Lot 414, 110x136 cm, € 300 K) (UNSOLD).

On April 15, Dorotheum in Vienna sells a St. Magdalene by Guido Reni in the style of Raphael that was recently discovered. The attribution to Guido is attested by the experts (250 K €). (SOLD 260 K€ including fees).

Leclere sells in Marseilles on March 8 in a general auction sale a group of the Crucifixion composed of three chestnut statues life scale created in the middle of the thirteenth century in Catalonia and passed through the Puech collection. The package was announced at 200 K € by La Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot and 250 K € on the site of the auction house (Lot 146). Some misses are announced, but the polychrome is still visible. (UNSOLD)

At Bayeux Encheres on March 24, a small (32x40 cm) still life by van Dael (SOLD 40.5 K€ before fees) and a pair of mythological scenes (73x91 cm) by Jean-Francois de Troy. (SOLD 28 K€ before fees).

Leaving the Gillot sale reviewed in a previous column, and pending a few days, you can go to Zurich where Koller, among its auction sale session in March, offers a Limoges enameled piece on March 14 (SOLD 50 KFS before fees).

In the Gillot sale being prepared by Christie's in Paris on 4 and 5 March, at number 194, a golden and enamelled copper binding representing Christ, by the workshops of Limoges circa 1185-1190 (150 K€) (SOLD 320 K€ before fees)

At Granville Florence Rois auctions on February 10 a pair of 15th century oils having been part of an altarpiece attributed to the Master of the Altar of Maikammer (143x54 cm). (UNSOLD ; estimate was 50 K€).

One of the major lots from Gillot antiquities collection to be sold at Christie's in Paris on 4 and 5 March is an ivory carved diptych of the Passion of Christ.
This work comes a few months after the diptych of the Dormeuil collection, which had obtained 3.6 million € before fees in Paris at Sotheby's on Nov. 19. Both were most certainly made in the same Parisian workshop active between 1360 and 1380 known as "Workshop of the Master of the Passion Diptychs."
The comparison is to the advantage of Dormeuil diptych, more important since it has three registers overcome by six ogival arches (24.7 cm height, width in the open position 31.4 cm, thickness 1.2 cm), whereas the Gillot diptych has two registers overcome by five ogival arches. The dimensions of Gillot diptych is not indicated by the press release from Christie's, but the two works are similar in many ways, with a similar density of characters, and a ratio of dimensions of 2 / 3 between the two works is likely possible.
In terms of art, the price follows the dimensions on an exponential rather than linear formula, but the estimate of € 200 K given by Christie's (high estimate: € 300 K) seems low, especially since the quality of execution was the asset that had led the Dormeuil diptych to the price quoted above (purchased by the London market).
In its account of the Dormeuil sale, the Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot (2007, No. 42, pages 77 and 78) only reminds of a diptych from the collection von Hirsch that was not even from the same period as the two works that are the subject of this story. This proves that the ivories of the concerned Parisian workshop are extremely rare on the market, and I expect the Gillot diptych to get a bid to 7 digits at Christie's.
(SOLD 276 K€ including fees)

Let us start by discussing again the sale at Sotheby's on January 24 in New York, already mentioned in our Trackings. The third top price lot of this auction is a remarkable oil on panel by Cranach the Elder showing Phyllis and Aristotle, estimated $ 2.5 million. I wish for it a greater success than in December 2001, when it sold $ 2.4 million, including premium, in the same location (SOLD 3.6 M$ before fees). The sale at 800 K € of a pair of paintings by Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes on the Oedipus legend would be an unprecedented result for this artist (SOLD 881 K$ including fees). The painting by Francois-Hubert Drouais representing the children of the Duc de Bouillon had $ 1.1 million in January 1997 in the same location. It is now presented with a high estimate of $ 900 K, and is expected to reach that price, which is far above all other work by this artist (SOLD 1.2 M$ including fees).

In the sale of Christie's New York, Jan. 24: Millet ($ 400 K) (SOLD 529 K$ including premium), Boucher ($ 200 K) (SOLD 361 K$ including premium), Rembrandt ($ 150 K) (SOLD 169 K$ including premium), and the watercolor portrait of Abdul-Hamid I by Hilair (150 K $). (SOLD 157 K$ including premium)
The day before, Jan. 23, Sotheby's New York auctions a large collection of old Italian drawings. (SOLD 1.9 M$ including fees a double sided drawing by Fra Bartolomeo).

On Jan. 24, Sotheby's New York auctions important old paintings and art, with some twenty estimates in the million $ range, for Titian (SOLD 4 M$ before fees), Riemenschneider (SOLD 5.6 M$ before fees), the Brueghels (UNSOLD), Cranach (SOLD 4.5 and 3.6 M$ before fees), Tintoretto (UNSOLD), Preti (SOLD 2.1 M$ including premium), Georges de La Tour (SOLD 3.2 M$ including premium), Donatello (SOLD 5 M$ before fees) and many others (online catalog at Sotheby's and Artnet).

Sotheby's New York sells on January 24 a wooden sculpture by Riemenschneider, good size (104 cm). It expects $ 4 million (SOLD 5.6 M$ before fees). Another statue of a holy woman by the same artist, very similar, recorded $ 2.7 million on May 22, 2001, also at Sotheby's New York.