2008 Auction History (Part II)

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

All Results in BOLD

On July 26, at Mainichi Auction in Tokyo, lot 242 is an oil on canvas by Fujita estimated 35 million yen. (SOLD 38 M yen before fees).

On November 12, Sotheby's London sells a battle scene of the Carlist wars by Oller (340 K£). (UNSOLD)

In a style that is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, here are four drawings in ink and watercolor by Beatrix Potter showing rabbits in Christmas scenes. It's very English, and it is in London at Sotheby's on July 17 (lots 288, 290 and 291 to 40 K£ each, lot 289 to 20 K£). (SOLD 120, 290, 42 and 22.5 K£ including fees).

On August 5 in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Bonhams and Butterfields is organizing a sale of art of California and of the American West. There are two landscapes by Maynard Dixon (300 K $, lot 368 (SOLD 300 K$ before fees) ; 180 K $ , lot 409 (SOLD 275 K$ before fees)).

This seems cheap: on July 25 in Tokyo, Mallet Auction sells two oils on canvas by Shiraga of the same size, one in height and the other in width, 130 x 162 cm, each 10 million yen (lots 49 and 61). (SOLD 31 and 24 M yen before fees).

On July 15 at Sotheby's in London there are a beautiful lady by Tissot (£ 1 million, lot 54) (UNSOLD) and a late Pre-Raphaelite scene by Waterhouse (500 K£, lot 37). (UNSOLD).

I studied it this week, but the sale is today, 6 July: a painting by Soulages, at Versailles Enchères (350 K €). (SOLD 440 K€ before fees).

The original plaster of Corinth by Gérôme is presented by Sotheby's on June 25 in Paris (200 K €). (SOLD 450 K€ including fees).

Again a sculpture: a Dieu envolé by Claudel cast by Valsuani is estimated 120 K € at Cannes Enchères on July 6. (69 cm, lot 417). (SOLD 110 K€ before fees).

Gustave Moreau comes now in London, again at Christie's, on July 2: St Cecilia (oil, 65x54 cm, lot 205, £ 400 K) (UNSOLD) and Rêve d'Orient (watercolor and gouache, 25x17 cm, lot 204, £ 300 K) . (SOLD 360 K£ including fees).

The press release of the Sotheby's sale on June 25 in London has finally arrived. There is a still life by Cezanne (2.5 million £), (SOLD 4 M£ including fees), a painting by Miro which has never been exhibited (3 M £) (UNSOLD) and, much lower in the estimates, a very nice Nightclub by van Dongen (1.2 million £). (SOLD 1.3 M£ including fees). The paintings and sculptures by Alberto Giacometti continue to flow on the market. At the risk of exhausting? (SOLD a bronze 9.45 M£ including fees).

I am surprised that a Cubist oil on canvas of 1911-2 by Picasso, 55x38 cm, is estimated as low as 2 to 3 million £. This is lot 14 of the evening sale at Christie's in London on June 24. (SOLD 3.7 M£ including fees).

A lively scene at the door of a mosque by Bauernfeind is estimated £ 1.5 million at Christie's London on July 2. (SOLD 2.5 M£ including fees).

It is the best period of modern art (1915): This oil on canvas by Severini representing a ballerina (100 x 81 cm) expects £ 7 million at Sotheby's in London on June 25 (Lot 21). (SOLD 15 M£ including fees). For the same price, £ 7 million, there is a Beach at Trouville by Monet (Lot 10). (SOLD 7.6 M£ including fees).

Two works by Bacon are presented on July 1 in London at Sotheby's. Portrait of George Dyer, with a bright orange stain on the cheek, is disturbing (estimate "on request", lot 11). (SOLD 13.7 M£ including fees). The other, a ghostly Turning Figure, is estimated £ 10 million (Lot 34). (UNSOLD).

On June 24 at Christie's London, Nympheas by Monet (1x2 m, lot 16) are estimated £ 18 million. (SOLD 40.9 M£). We also have in this sale two pastels by Degas (£ 4 million, lot 9 (SOLD 13.5 M£) ; £ 2.8 million, lot 53 (SOLD 4 M£)), Flowers by Goncharova (£ 3.5 million, lot 65) (SOLD 5.5 M£) and two drawings by Schiele (2 M £, lot 61 (SOLD 1.9 M£) ; £ 1.7 million, lot 60 (SOLD 2.2 M£)). (Results include fees).

I had not yet seen Gustave Moreau this year: here is Sappho throwing herself from the rock of Lefkada, 82x65 cm, Lot 101 at Christie's Paris on June 26th (300 K €). (UNSOLD).

I began to survey this artist this year: Shishkin comes back with a pine forest, 79x107 cm, Lot 41 (400 K£) from the sale of Christie's in London on June 11. (SOLD 1.4 M£ including fees).

To find out about the value of Troubetzkoy, we need to be in London on June 12. Sotheby's sells a wide group of bronzes by this Russian prince. Top of low estimates is 50 K £. (SOLD including fees 35 and 25 K£, and five UNSOLD).

Then a small jump to New York to do the same thing the next day June 13 at Christie's with chryséléphantines of Chiparus. Top of low estimates is 250 K $. (top SOLD two sculptures 290 K$ each including fees).

At 800 KCHF Christie's Zurich on June 16 offers a portrait of a young girl by Anker. (SOLD 840 KCHF including fees). On May 27, Sotheby's Zurich got 2.6 MCHF fees included on a work by this artist. In the Giacometti family, I choose here Augusto, with an azalea (400 KCHF). (SOLD 1 MCHF including fees).

Again a Giacometti, Giovanni, with a small landscape (65 x 60 cm) estimated at 1.3 MCHF by Koller in Zurich on June 20. (Lot 3044). (SOLD 1 MCHF before fees).

A Lady of Constantinople is estimated £ 3 million at Sotheby's London on May 30. It is a painting by Osman Hamdy Bey, the first painter of the Middle East who has been influenced by Western art. (SOLD 3.4 M£ including fees).

The works of Bacon and Freud continue to arrive, attracted to the market by the recent major auction results on these artists.
On July 1, at Sotheby's London, there is a portrait of George Dyer by Bacon (£ 8 million). (SOLD 13.7 M£ including fees).

On June 30 in London, Christie's offers a self-portrait triptych by Bacon (£ 10 million; information provided by Bloomberg) (SOLD 17.2 M£ including fees) and a female nude by Freud (£ 10 million). (SOLD 11.8 M£ including fees).
On June 30, at Christie's, again in London, a work of Fontana expects £ 8 million. (UNSOLD).

On June 5 in Amsterdam, Christie's devotes a sale to Cobra, with a small oil on canvas by Appel (Lot 286, 130x81 cm, 300 K €) (SOLD 340 K€ including fees) and another by Jorn (Lot 275, 104 x 71 cm, 250 K € ). (UNSOLD)

A traditional pastel of Degas (65x47 cm) representing a ballerina is presented by Aguttes at Drouot on June 25 (1,2 M€). (UNSOLD).

On May 21 in Paris, Christie's sells two oils on canvas of Signac (1,2 M€, lot 58 (SOLD 1.4 M€); 1 M€, lot 55 (SOLD 1.1 M€), one of Pissarro (800 K€, lot 50) (SOLD 950 K€) and two of Van Dongen (700 K€, lot 53 (SOLD 2.8 M€); 600 K€, lot 59 (SOLD 860 K€)). (Results include fees).

At Sotheby's in Zurich on May 27, here is a Geneva Lake by Hodler at 4 MCHF (lot 53, 45x65 cm) (UNSOLD) and an important group of paintings by Giovanni Giacometti (top 1,5 MCHF, lot 101). (SOLD 1.5 MCHF including fees).

The art of Far West is waited until July 26 at Reno by The Coeur d'Alene Art Auction, with several millionaire estimates including an oil on fabric by Charles M. Russell showing an attack of diligence (4 M$). (SOLD 4.6 M$ before fees). Last year, by the same artist and the same auction house, an attack of ranch by Indians had recorded 2,9 M$ fees included. A large bronze of the same artist is estimated 3 M$. It shows Indians on horseback attacking bovines. (SOLD 3.6 M$ before fees).

The heart felt unexpensive lot is a gouache of medieval inspiration of 21x18 cm by John Bauer, lot 2061 of the sale of Stockholms Auktionsverket, for which it is necessary to spend 60 KSEK on May 28. (SOLD 210 KSEK)

At Christie's in Hong Kong on May 24, we have at lot 198 a landscape of Chen Chenbo, Spring in the West Lake, 90x116 cm. (SOLD 34 MHK$ including fees). Last November, by the same artist and the same auction house, Sunset At Danshui of same dimensions had exceeded the 50 MHK$ fees included.

At the top of the estimates at Sotheby's on May 26 in Paris, is an oil on canvas of Joan Mitchell (2,2 M€, lot 15, 285x200 cm). Three paintings of Mitchell made between 3,5 and 5 M$ at Sotheby's and Christie's during the week of contemporary art this month in New York. Paris is a good place of sale for this artist, very good results having already been recorded at Christie's and Artcurial. (SOLD 3.8 M€ including fees).

I noted at Christie's on May 27 in Paris an oil on canvas of Shiraga (500 K€, lot 16, 181x273 cm). (SOLD 730 K€ including fees).

A pastel of Monet representing Waterloo Bridge will be at Kornfeld in Bern on June 5 and 6 (300 KCHF, lot 93). (SOLD 600 KCHF before fees). In the same sale, which takes place at the same time as the fair of Basel: a late still life of Braque (96x121 cm, lot 12) (SOLD 1.8 MCHF before fees) and two landscapes of Hodler (1,25 MCHF each, lots 57 and 58) (UNSOLD, and SOLD 1 MCHF before fees) in an important group of Swiss painting.

On June 11, while following the ad published in the Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot, we will see at Beaussant Lefèvre in Drouot a group of 128 watercolours per Henri Rivière, what to reinvigorate the value of this artist appreciated for his engravings. (SOLD maximum 10.5 M€ before fees).

Laurence Stephen Lowry was in his time a painter of daily reality; for this reason his work is well in current moves and its value can only go up. Here are three important paintings, in the sale of Christie's in London on June 6 (700, (UNSOLD), 700 (UNSOLD) and 600 K£ (SOLD 770 K£ including fees)).

There are important lots also in the day sale of Christie's in New York on May 14: a painting of Riopelle (1 M$), (SOLD 1.9 M$ including fees), a sculpture of Bourgeois (1,2 M$). (SOLD 2.5 M$ including fees).

A painting of Mathieu is announced at 700 K$ by Sotheby's Paris for May 26 and 27. (SOLD 1.15 M€ including fees).

Six paintings of Mel Ramos will be divided into four auction houses in New York in four days: Bonhams on May 13 (lot 31), (SOLD 500 K$ before fees), Christie's on May 14 (lot 117), (UNSOLD), Sotheby's on May 15 (three lots), (SOLD 710, 490 and 340 K$ including fees), Phillips de Pury on May 16 (lot 263). (UNSOLD).

In New York on May 21, the sale of American art of Christie's includes works of the landscape painters of the 19th century, who in general were close to the photographers: Moran (3,5 M$, lot 26), (SOLD 17.7 M$ including fees), Bierstadt (2,5 M$, lot 93),(SOLD 7,3 M$ before fees), and of intimist paintings: Cassatt (3 M$, lot 61), (UNSOLD), Sargent (1,5 M$, lot 82), (UNSOLD), without forgetting Hassam (2,5 M$, lot 74) (SOLD 5.6 M$ including fees) and the lighthouse of Hartley of which I already spoke (5 M$, lot 16). (SOLD 6.3 M$ including fees).

The important lots go into Evening sales, and Day sales are held the following day. Sotheby' s draws the attention to May 15 Day sale in New York with a painting, minimalist with text, by Ruscha (1 M$). (SOLD 4 M$ including fees).

Sotheby' s supplemented its advertisement for the May 14 sale in New York: here are now Rothko (35 M$),(UNSOLD), a "collage" by Rauschenberg (10 M$), (SOLD 14.5 M$ including fees)

In the sale of contemporary art of Christie's in New York on May 13: a Smoker by Wesselmann (211x228 cm, 4 M$) (SOLD 6.8 M$ including fees) and a key work of Pop Art, painted in 1963 by Lichtenstein and representing a ball of twine (14 M$). (UNSOLD).

A painting of Tamayo estimated 2 M$ returns on May 28 to Christie's New York. It had been announced six months ago, but the sale had been cancelled for collecting money to leave it in the strongly involved in debt college which is owner. The money collecting failed. (SOLD 7.2 M$ including fees). In the same sale, beside a curious Nino sovietico of Rivera (500 K$) (UNSOLD) and a monumental Donna bronze of Botero (1,2 M$), (UNSOLD) let us quote Ramos Martinez for a lemon carrier (800 K$) (SOLD 2.2 M$ including fees) and a flower carrier (600 K$). (SOLD 940 K$ including fees).

A painting of Riley, large-sized, will appear in the sale of contemporary art of Sotheby' s in London on July 1 (2 M£). (SOLD 2.5 M£ including fees).

Now two paintings by Americans of Giverny:
At Bonhams in New York on May 21, a sitting woman by Richard E Miller (300 K$) (SOLD 250 K$ before fees).
And in Drouot by Aguttes on June 25, a woman under the parasol by Frieseke (49x59 cm). (SOLD 100 K€ including fees).

At Doyle in New York on May 20, lot 2106 is an oil of Mondrian (74x100 cm) representing a foxtail lily (300 K$). (SOLD 430 K€ including fees). The following lot, 2107, smaller, is the charcoal study of the same subject (40 K$). (SOLD 80 K$ including fees).

The three days of sale of Villa Grisebach in Berlin from 29 to 31 May include a harbour scene by Macke (1,5 M€, 55x46 cm), (SOLD 2.1 M€ including fees), a beach scene by Beckmann (36x79 cm, 800 K€) (SOLD 1.1 M€ including fees) and sun flowers to the watercolour by Nolde (35x46 cm, 250 K€). (SOLD 120 K€ including fees from an estimate of 100 K€).

A still life of Pechstein (80x70 cm) is awaited at 350 K€ at Lempertz in Cologne on May 28 (lot 228). (UNSOLD). One also finds in this sale a Village Evening by Campendonk (300 K€, 36x50 cm, lot 40), (SOLD 255 K€ before fees), a gouache by Leger of 1914 (600 K€, 24x30 cm, lot 163), (UNSOLD), several Nolde (maximum 220 K€) (SOLD 320 K€ before fees) and a very rare sketchbook of Kirchner (40 K€ only, lot 134). (SOLD 85 K€ before fees).

Dinet is regularly the top artist of the sales of orientalist art by Gros and Delettrez at Drouot. The next one, June the 23 and 24, will be well provided in groups of bathers: a scene is peaceful (81x66 cm, 500 K€), (SOLD 1.4 M€ before fees), the other distressed (139x119 cm, 500 K€). (SOLD 850 K€ before fees on an estimate of 800 K€ in the catalogue). After catalogue close-out on May 9, we will reconsider this sale then.

On May 6 in New York, in addition to the Monet bridge already quoted (SOLD 41.5 M$), Christie' s present a Nympheas by the same artist (10 M$), (SOLD 11.5 M$), an exceptional group of bronzes by Giacometti including a Grande Femme debout (SOLD 27.5 M$) and a Place, (SOLD 14.5 M$), an orientalist nude of Van Dongen (12 M$) (UNSOLD) and a large size Eve by Rodin. (9 M$). (SOLD 19 M$).
Results include fees.

A Riopelle painting of 1956 (130x89 cm, lot 108) is estimated 500 K$ Canadian. The Heffel auction house presents it on May 22 in Vancouver. (UNSOLD).

At Ritchies and Sotheby' s traditionally associated in Toronto, there is the come back on May 26 of the national artists: Tom Thomson, (SOLD 1,95 MCan$ including fees), Lawren Harris, (SOLD 690 KCan$ including fees), Marc-Aurèle Fortin. (SOLD 300 KCan$ including fees).

Will De Vuyst in Lokeren be stronger than Sotheby' s in Paris? The Delvaux painting which this house wants to sell on May 10 is the lot sold on September 23, 2004 by the joint ministry of Sotheby' s and Bailly-Pommery-Voutier, the source attests it. Well mediatized, it had obtained 760 K€ including fees. De Vuyst expect between 1 and 1,25 M€ (lot 456). (UNSOLD).

In the sale at the Espace Tajan on April 29, there is an Automatic oracle of Motherwell (243x152 cm, 600 K€), and a Yellow predominance of Hans Hofmann (152x132 cm, 400 K€). There will be also the already quoted sculpture of Nevelson (2,16 m, 180 K€). After the failure of important foreign works at Cornette of Saint-Cyr on April 5, I consider that this sale has a value of test on the role of Paris in the market of the international contemporary art. We point out the alarm emitted by Artprice in its assessment 2007. (UNSOLD)

In Bonhams New York on May 13, for Pop Art, a Green Lantern by Mel Ramos at 600 K$. (SOLD 500 K$ before fees).

Majorelle, (SOLD 1.25 MDh), Ackein, (SOLD 1.4 MDh), Edy Legrand, (SOLD 850 KDh), Portaels (SOLD 1.3 MDh) : after contemporary art, CMOOA presents modern orientalist and Moroccan art. This will be on April 26 in Casablanca. (Prices include fees).

At 100 K€ on April 21 at Drouot by Lombrail and Teucquam, an oil on canvas dated 1923 by Korovin, 100x81 cm, showing a Paris boulevard light of day (Lot 59). (SOLD 460 K€ before fees).

There are many attractive works in the sale of Irish art at Sotheby's in London on May 7: A Windy day of Lavery (400 K£), (SOLD 470 K£), a surprising Pont-Aven by O'Conor (200 K£), (SOLD 240 K£), a more classic still life by the same artist (120 K£), (SOLD 145 K£), two scenes of children by Osborne (500 and 300 K£) (SOLD 580 and 300 K£) and figures of Joyce and Beckett by Le Brocquy respectively at 150 and 180 K£. (UNSOLD).
Results include fees.

On 29 and 30 May you will be offered by Sotheby's New York a nude (female, whew!) by Botero at 800 K$ (UNSOLD) and a watermelon eater by Tamayo at 2 M$. (SOLD 3.6 M$ including fees).

Come back of South African artists that we had discovered earlier this year at Bonhams. They are this time in Johannesburg, in a sale organised jointly on April 16 by Sotheby's and Stephan Welz: Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, (SOLD 1.7 MR before fees), Irma Stern, (SOLD 2.6 MR before fees), Maggie Laubser. (SOLD 2.2 MR before fees).

On May 2 in London, Sotheby's presents a selection of these Indian artists that we are beginning to be familiar with: Francis Newton Souza, (SOLD 580 K£), Akbar Padamsee, (SOLD 260 K£), Maqbul Fida Husain, (SOLD 150 K£), Ram Kumar, (SOLD 48 K£).

Sotheby's New York join on May 22 a watercolor by Hassam (1.5 M$) (SOLD 2.5 M$ including fees) and several Remington bronzes including the top one at 3 M$. (SOLD 5.6 M$ including fees).

Arriving early in the career of Leger, a Cubist painting, Etude pour la femme en bleu, is announced at 35 M$ at Sotheby's on May 7 in New York. (SOLD 39 M$ including fees). In the same sale, Munch shows girls on a bridge (22 M$) (SOLD 31 M$ including fees) and Giacometti a bronze nude (8 M$). (SOLD 10 M$ including fees).

Christie's presents a painting by Marsden Hartley, which will be sold on the heavy estimate of $ 5 million in the sale of American Art in New York on May 21.

In the sale on April 30 by Christie's in Dubai , Homage to the square by Albers at 250 K $ (61x61 cm, lot 150) is probably the same as that remained unsold at Piasa at 180 K € on June 5, 2007, so let us compare Paris and Dubai. (UNSOLD).

On May 7, in London, Sotheby's presents six paintings on equestrian subjects by Munnings, including a boy on a pony estimated 1.5 M£. (UNSOLD ; SOLD 860 K£ including fees a Lady on horseback, also by Munnings).

On June 9, the Russian Art is in London at Sotheby's, with two still lifes of Goncharova. One of them, unpublished, was given to Apollinaire (2 M£). (SOLD 2.3 M£ including fees). The other is estimated 1 M£. (SOLD 1.15 M£ including fees). A painting by Serebriakova represents ballerina Vera Fokine (400 K £). (SOLD a female nude without a reference to Fokine 1,07 M£ including fees from an estimate of 150 K£).

The Seine in Paris, painted by de Stael in 1954 (89x130 cm), which will be sold by Piasa at Drouot on June 20, is reminiscent of the Mediterranée from the same year (96x146 cm) sold for 1.3 million pounds at Sotheby's in London on February 5, 2004. (SOLD 530 K€ before fees). A trail in the fields by Renoir (39x47 cm) dating to about 1877 confirms the importance of this sale. (SOLD 300 K€ before fees).

There will be a strong presence of art in Parisian sales for the next few days, in coordination with the exhibition Art Paris (at the Grand Palais from 3 to 7 April), and then the Salon du Dessin (at the Palais de la Bourse from 9 to 13 April).
One example among many others: an abstract painting by Kazuo Shiraga is estimated at 220 K€ by Lombrail-Teucquam at Drouot on April 14 (lot 52, 131x195 cm). (SOLD 290 K€ before fees).

For more than 20 years, Versailles Auctions (Perrin Royère Lajeunesse) is a leading specialist in modern French art. In the edition of April 13, we have in order of decreasing estimates: A Peinture by Soulages (Lot 96, 72x65 cm, 500 K€), (SOLD 610 K€ before fees), a painting by Vieira da Silva (Lot 83, 73x92 cm, 300 K€), (SOLD 275 K€ before fees), a calcined cello by Arman (Lot 188, 300 K €). (SOLD 288 K€ before fees). In the drawings, I retain a charcoal by Szafran showing a staircase (Lot 164, 78x58 cm, 120 K €). (SOLD 168 K€ before fees).

Two weeks ago, I quoted Vibert at Christie's. I did not know of this French artist until that article, however it is literally pulling as it is also at Sotheby's in New York on April 18 for a scene of Gulliver, for 500 K$. (SOLD 1.5 M$). In the same sale, other French really seem like Bouguereau unsaleable in France. They apply here 1.2 and 1 million $. (SOLD the four major paintings 2.05 M$, 1.7 M$, 900 K$ and 710 K$). Two paintings by Victorian time artist Alma-Tadema are worth 700 K$ each. (SOLD one of them 970 K$, the other UNSOLD). A view of the banks of the Tiber by Corot, for 400 K$, is interesting because it is positioned early in the artist's work (1826). (UNSOLD). A sympathetic drawing of two working farmers by Millet is worth 80 K$. (SOLD 193 K$).
On the same day, among Orientalist painters, a scene of a mosque by Gérome is expected at 1.8 M$. (SOLD 1.95 M$). The animated scenes painted by Walter Gould and Rudolf Ernst are worth 800 K$ (SOLD 1.2 M$ for Gould) and 650 K $. (SOLD 1.27 M$ for Ernst).
Results include fees.

The Greek modern art is characterized by its genre scenes and portraits of character. In the sale of Bonhams in London on May 20, there are scenes by Ralli (Lot 36, 60x93 cm, 250 K£) (SOLD 600 K£) and Pantazis (Lot 37, 113x71 cm, 250 K£), (SOLD 300 K£), a reading girl by Jakobides (Lot 22, 53x40 cm, 100 K£) (SOLD 150 K£) and a bearded man by Gysis (Lot 35, 46x39 cm, 80 K£). (SOLD 90 K£)..

The Bacon triptychs are decidedly "accrued": now another monumental one (three paintings by 198 x 147.5 cm each), at Sotheby's in New York on May 14, for about 70 M$. Dating back to 1976, we are told that it is the best summary of the formal research and the personal tragedy of the artist. (SOLD 86 M$).
On the same day and the next day there are major pieces of a very large collection of modern art coming from Germany, with a blue monochrome by Klein (5 M$), (SOLD 17.5 M$), a monochrome "gold and pink" by the same (6 M$ ), (SOLD 23.5 M$), an achrome by Manzoni (4.5 M$) (SOLD 10 M$) and, among other classics, a Love by Indiana (2.5 M$) (SOLD 2.8 M$) and a Great American Nude of Wesselman (6 M$). (SOLD 10.5 M$).
(These prices include fees).

A painting by Kuindzhi of a Russian landscape with sheep (and cattle), a sort of subject loved by Boudin, is estimated at 200 K€ by Aguttes at Drouot on March 31 (Lot 185, 57x91 cm).