Down by the Loire river

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The sale of a homogeneous collection is a good opportunity to compare objects between them and try to identify on which characteristics some of them are more expensive than others.

The sale devoted to the faïences de Nevers on the subject of Loire river boats, organized by Néret-Minet et Tessier at Drouot on June 13 is a good example. Some items were presented at the Drouot Temps Forts (Highlights) exhibition which recently closed its doors (and there, more generally speaking, let us be frank, I was not excited).

It is one of the most popular and most interesting features of French ceramics from the late eighteenth century. The main character of this imagery is the bridge of Nevers, whose arches are easily recognisable from a dish to another. I do not know what became the bridge afterwards. If there is a Nivernais or Nivernophile who reads this article, it is nice to let us know.

The imagery of the bridge and boats is often accompanied by an image of saint and a short text identifying the person for whom the ceramics was completed and the date of manufacture.

Lot 122, estimated 12 K €, is a bowl in faïence de Nevers of 1785, 35 cm in diameter, showing a series of boats. It is the top estimate of the sale. The bridge is not shown. Its composition leaves a void at its centre, for this reason it is not my favorite. Its uniqueness is that the boats met in a scene of boat guiding. This makes it a rarity.

At 32 cm in diameter, we find several lots of classical composition for this theme, colorful and well balanced. It is difficult to choose between these similar parts, and indeed their estimates are very close to each other (between 5 and 6 K €). Distributed throughout the sale to maintain the momentum, these lots are numbered 121, 165, 168, 193. We'll see if the tiny differences in the condition announced in the catalogue have an impact on the choice of buyers.

The figure of a saint installed at the centre of Lot 151, estimated 6 K €, can attract fans.

One might think that rare figures generate easily the best price, so I will not be surprised if outsiders make nice overvalues. In such sales, the best connoisseur is the buyer.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

All lots that I spotted were sold. The best prices are:
at 17.5 K € on lot 122, which had been announced as having the most original topic;
and 11 and 10.2 K €, on two pieces for which the catalogue announced small defects.
The others come as expected: between 5.2 and 6.2 K €.

The interest that connoisseurs have brought to the topics thus prevailed over the perfection of the condition (and perhaps also over the aesthetic effect). It demonstrates the cultural characteristics of such a collection. It's very good.

Prices do not include fees.