Auction News

Rago Arts and Auction Center – Fine Art Auctions

November 4th, 2011 by

Fine Art Auction November 12th

19th/20th C. American & European Art, 11 a.m.

Post-War & Contemporary Art, 1 p.m.

Sotheby’s London – Important Russian Art

November 4th, 2011 by

The forthcoming Important Russian Art sale on the evening of November 28th offers an extremely impressive group of high quality works from private collections, much of which has not appeared on the market in recent memory. At its core is an exciting group of ten works from the estate of a Latvian lawyer, Arthur Ferdinand Hamann, rediscovered after 50 years in storage.

Highlights from the 19th century include an large moonlit view of St Petersburg by Alexei Bogoliubov at £400,000-600,000, a charming view of haystacks by Shishkin from a Danish private collection at £250,000-350,000 and one of the finest boyarina portraits by Konstantin Makovsky to be sold in recent years valued at £150,000 – 250,000. The early 20th century is represented by a rare 1914 work by Nikolai Roerich at £400,000-600,000, and a 1916 still life of Tatar artefacts by Petr Konchalovsky formerly in the collection of the art historian Waldemar George estimated at £500,000-700,000. We are delighted also to be offering high-calibre paintings by Nikolai Tarkhoff, Sergei Vinogradov, Konstantin Gorbatov, Dmitry Stelletsky and Mstislav Dobuzhinsky among others.

Should you wish to receive a complimentary valuation, please do not hesitate to contact our specialist team at +44 (0)207 293 5570

Sotheby’s New York – Important American Schoolgirl Embroideries: The Landmark Collection of Betty Ring

November 4th, 2011 by

Betty Ring is the foremost scholar and collector of American schoolgirl embroidery. The definitive reference book in the field is her two-volume work, Girlhood Embroidery: American Samplers and Pictorial Needlework, 1650-1850, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993.

The Ring Collection is without question the most important and celebrated assemblage of these remarkable examples of American decorative arts and American folk art in private hands and represents Mrs. Ring’s near 50-years of research, scholarship and connoisseurship in the field of girlhood embroidery.

Swann Galleries – Art, Press & Illustrated Books, 19th & 20th Century Literature

November 4th, 2011 by

Exhibition Opens Today!

Sotheby’s Paris – Un Intérieur Parisien des Années 30

November 4th, 2011 by

This 20th Century Design auction contains a series of pre-war masterpieces that have not appeared on the market — in recent times, or ever — showing the strength of this collecting area at Sotheby’s. An inventory of the sale reads like a celebration of the greatest names in this period: a unique bar by Eckart Muthesius, together with a rare black lacquer and brown leather Eileen Gray armchair, both created for the Maharaja of Indore, a copper and tubular metal occasional table given by Eileen Gray to the mother of the current owner, a Marcel Coard cabinet bought 30 years ago, a unique Eugène Printz dining table, and a whole room lacquered boiserie by Jean Dunand.

The post-war section is similarly important with many European movements represented, including pieces by Josef Hoffmann, Grete Jalk, Franco Albini, and Franz von Stuck. There is particular emphasis on the French decorative arts, with works by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, Guy de Rougemont, Jean Dunand, Maria Pergay, Line Vautrin, and Francois Xavier Lalanne.

Sotheby’s London – Music and Continental Books and Manuscripts

November 4th, 2011 by

The sale includes 105 lots of music, including autographs by: Schumann, Mozart, Donizetti, Britten, and Schnittke.

Schumann’s Szenen aus Goethes “Faust” (1844), was the first major musical setting of both Part I and Part II of Goethe’s Faust, one of the greatest masterpieces of German literature.

Mozart’s sketch-leaf (1788) contains working drafts for two bawdy vocal canons and an unknown fugue, and has been untraced since 1935.

We also have Benjamin Britten’s working draft of one of his most famous concert works, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (1945) a collection of autograph manuscripts by Alfred Schnittke, letters by CPE Bach, Verdi and Rachmaninov, manuscripts prepared for Mendelssohn’s famous performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion in 1829, a rich collection of first editions of music by JS Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, and Schumann.

Sotheby’s Paris – Art Contemporain

November 4th, 2011 by

A stellar cast of Post-war artists headlines this evening sale in Paris which includes works by Jean Dubuffet, Antonio Saura and Vieira da Silva. Having smashed the record for a Soulages painting in May 2011, the sale will offer three strong artworks of different periods, from the historic 1950s to the Outrenoir series. In addition, Sotheby’s Paris is honored to present three works coming from the Art Institute of Chicago: a rare Atlan painting, the iconic Ogre by Germaine Richier and an Hourloupe Mask by Jean Dubuffet.

Beside a group of beautiful works by Chu The Chun and a Zao Wou Ki painting, Walking Up Language by Huang Young Ping will bring a sculpture of the artist for the first time at auction in France.  Having broken the record in France for a work by Martial Raysse last May, the sale will also features L’Astronaute, 1963 which shows the artist’s passion for Modernity and new technologies transferred into new techniques of creation.  Paris is also the place for international artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose MP large painting can be seen as a self-portrait.

This panoramic journey through the Postwar and Contemporary schools is followed by a day sale, containing significant artworks by Nicolas de Staël, Geer Van Velde, Hartung, Arman, César, but also Mitchell, Murakami, Valdes, Yan Pei Ming and Barcelo.

SOTHEBY’S – RESTITUTED MASTERPIECE BY GUSTAV KLIMT ACHIEVES $40.4 MILLIOn

November 4th, 2011 by

– Records Set for Gustave Caillebotte, Tamara de Lempicka

and a Late Work by Pablo Picasso –

2 November 2011 – Sotheby’s New York, the Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale achieved a

strong $199,804,500, well within the overall pre-sale estimate of $167.6/229.9 million and eclipsing the total

for the same sale in May 2011. The auction was 81.4% sold by lot, and saw a total of 39 works sell for over $1

million. Gustav Klimt’s Litzlberg am Attersee (Litzlberg on the Attersee) was the top lot of the sale,

achieving $40,402,500 after a prolonged bidding battle (est. in excess of $25 million*), and auction records

were set for Gustave Caillebotte, Tamara de Lempicka and Maxime Maufra.´”I have rarely felt a room as

energetic as tonight” said Tobias Meyer, auctioneer of the evening sale.

Arbor Antiques – The Jordan Estate Sale

November 3rd, 2011 by

Save the date for this upcoming sale!

Sotheby’s London – Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art

November 3rd, 2011 by

Our commitment to offering significant and outstanding works of art from private collections continues in our Sotheby’s London auction, held during Asian Art in London in November. The sale features an exquisite Qianlong mark and period cloisonné enamel tiger waterpot (Lot 400) and a group of archaic bronze ritual vessels (Lots 376-389) from Parbold Hall, the home of Sir Peter Moores, together with outstanding Qing dynasty imperial monochrome wares (Lots 60-77) from the collection of Richard Cartwright. Jades are also well-represented with two private Italian collections formed in the 1970s.

Further highlights from the sale include a wide selection of fine ceramics, such as a remarkable purple-splash ‘Jun’ dish of the Song dynasty (Lot 360), an impressive Yuan dynasty ‘peacock’ jar (Lot 146), a sumptuous Qianlong mark and period doucai jar and cover decorated with bats and clouds, and a pair of blue and white soldier vases with elaborate European stands. Notable works of art include the fine gilt-bronze figure of Amitayus produced during the Kangxi period (Lot 187), large rhinoceros horn carvings of the late-Ming and early-Qing dynasties (Lots 1-6), and a fine huanghuali corner leg table attributed to the 17th/18th century (Lot 36).