Auction Report

Bonham's

Sale of Period Design at Bonham's Knightsbridge  

August 2

323 items were put up for sale at Bonham's on August 2, 2011. Of the 323 lots 230 were sold at a total of (inclusive of buyer's premium) £283,608. The highest winning value was for lot 89, a Regency mahogany drum top library table which was sold for £7,800.

The circular gilt tooled green leather inset top over four drawers and four dummy drawers, on a ring turned baluster support and four downswept legs, terminating in brass claw feet with castors, the support probably lacking a small collar for stabilising the top, 129cm wide x 129cm deep x 81cm high, (50.5" wide x 50.5" deep x 31.5" high).

The other top selling item was lot 108, a Victorian mahogany breakfront bookcase with pierced swan neck pediment above a dentil moulded cornice, over four astragal glazed doors enclosing twelve shelves, on a base comprising four panelled doors enclosing six shelves, on a plinth base, 220cm wide x 36cm deep x 286cm high, (86.5" wide x 14" deep x 112.5" high). It sold for £6,600, and a lot 128 item, a Louis XV gilt metal mounted amaranth and bois satine serpentine commode was sold at £6,000.

Jewellery Auction at Bonham's Knightsbridge 

August 10

At Bonham's Knightsbridge 376 jewellery items were put up for sale on August 10, 2011. Of the 376 lots 267 were sold at a total of (inclusive of buyer's premium) £503,580. The highest price went to lot 198, a diamond single-stone ring which was sold for £9,000. The brilliant-cut diamond within a six-claw setting, to an openwork gallery and shoulders of foliate design, diamond approx. 3.05ct, ring size M½.

The next high priced item was lot 129, a gold charm bracelet and necklace, by Chanel, which was sold for £7,440. The bracelet designed as an alternating series of 18 carat gold links of floral and circular design, suspending several 18 carat gold charms, including a 'C', a '5' and a quatrefoil, together with a necklace of matching design, each signed Chanel and numbered, bracelet and bracelet charms with London hallmarks, lengths: bracelet 22.0cm, necklace 39.0cm (2). Another high priced item was lot 131, a fancy-link necklace, by Hermès- £7,200.

Christie's

Christie's Interiors at London, South Kensington

August 2

On August 10, 2011, 777 lots were put up for auction at Christie's Interiors at London, South Kensington, out of which 363 lots were sold for £676,887 (inclusive of buyer's premium). The highest price went to lot 317, a pair of Chinese ormolu mounted famille rose vases (18th century) of tapering ovoid shape and slightly flaring neck, gilt and enamelled with panels depicting ladies and boys at leisure in fenced gardens, surrounded by a dense decoration of birds and fruitng sprays all on a vibrant blue ground, further panels with figures to the neck. The porcelain 13¼ in. (33.5 cm.) high (2). It was sold for £10,625.

Lot 379 was the next high priced item which was a large Chinese blue and white dish (late ming dynasty, 16th/17th century), with deep rounded sides, painted in a dark blue tone to the central medallion with a winged dragon amongst waves and swimming carp, the border with blossoming flowers and scrolling foliage, Chenghua underglaze blue six-character mark within a double circle to the base 13¼ in. (33.1 cm.) diam. It was sold for £8,750. Another high priced item was lot 520, a chinese ivory model of guanyin, 19th century. Carved standing and wearing cowl and long flowing robe, holding a beaded rosary in her right hand and small vase in her left hand, 10¼ in. (26 cm.) high, wood base, which was sold for £8,125.

Christie's Interiors at London, South Kensington

August 9

404 lots were put up for auction at Christie's Interiors at London, South Kensington on August 9, 2011 out of which 259 lots were sold for £358,875 (including prices buyer's premium). The highest price went to lot 256, two large bronze winged sphinxes which is 37¾ in. (96 cm.) high; 39 in. (99 cm.) long (2), from late 20th century, which was sold for £20,000.

Lot 22, a large regency rosewood and brass-inlaid chiffonier from early 19th century was the next highly priced item. The graduated open shelves on s-scroll mahogany supports, the base with three slides above a frieze strung to the front in brass, the silk-backed, brass trellis-filled doors flanked by carved mahogany columns, enclosing a total of four adjustable shelves, 86 in. (219 cm.) high; 65 in. (165 cm.) wide; 19 in. (48 cm.) deep. It was sold for £6,250.

Christie's

Christie's Interiors

September 1

Christie's Interiors, New York, Rockefeller Plaza started an auction on August 30 which will continue till September 1, 2011. Lot 291, Circle of Francisco Bayeu y Subias's (Spanish, 1734-1795) Portrait of a lady, seated three-quarter length, wearing a white dress with lace trim, a blue and white ribbon in her hair holding a fan and a book which is oil on canvas, 35 x 28½ in. (88.9 x 72.4 cm.) size is expected to be the most high priced item of the auction. Its estimated price is $12,000 - $15,000. The next high price item is lot 321, Walter Greaves' (British, 1846-1930) Portrait of Whistler, Battersea Bridge Beyond (painted in 1869), signed and dated 'W.Greaves 1869' (lower right), it is oil on canvas, 36 x 22 in. (91.4 x 55.9 cm.) with an estimated price $10,000 - $15,000. Another item of the same estimated price is lot 1039, an Italian walnut and faux-marbled sacristy cabinet, parts 17th century and later, 74in. (188cm.) high, 107¾in. (273.7cm.) wide, 32in. (81.3cm.) deep.

Asian Art Week at Christie's New York

September 13

Christie's New York will organise Asian Art Week with six sales, from September 13 to September 16, 2011. Approximately 1,300 lots will be up for sale during these four days for a total estimate of $50 million.

20th and 21st century works by artists such as Syed Haider Raza, Francis Newton Souza and Tyeb Mehta will be showcased. Maqbool Fida Husain's large-scale oil painting, Sprinkling Horses, will also be auctioned. The sale of the Keehn family collection will also be one of the most significant events of the week.

200 sculptures, paintings and art objects from India, Tibet, Nepal and other countries from the South-East of Asia will be auctioned. Some of these items come from collections, including the Burkhart Collection and the Dr. David Nalin Collection and the most important piece will be a 15th century bronze Buddha from Nepal. The sculpture is estimated from $400,000 to $600,000.

The Japanese section will feature approximately 100 objects, including Inros from the Catherine H. Edson collection. The highest priced piece, estimated from $600,000 to $800,000, is a portrait of Otani Oniji III by Toshusai Sharuku. The key Korean piece is a painting by Kim Whanki, Landscape in Blue, estimated between $2 million and $2.2 million.

Sotheby's

The Philatelic Collection of Lord Steinberg British Empire Mint Multiples

September 6 to September 8

Sotheby's will be putting up the Philatelic Collection of Lord Steinberg British Empire Mint Multiples for auction on September 6 till September 8 at London. The highest price is expected for lot 1118, 1927 De Pinedo Air Mail 60c. black, S.G.163. Its estimated price is 120,000-150,000 GBP. The next high priced lot is lot 492, 1939-51 2½d. magenta and sage-green Imperforate horizontally, S.G.64a. Its estimated price is 60,000- 80,000 GBP.

Lord Steinberg collected Great Britain and the British Empire but only mint blocks of four or larger multiples. Collectors are only too aware of the significance of blocks. Many stamps which are comparatively common are transformed into major rarities when in blocks of four or larger. The auction will be an unrivalled opportunity for specialist collectors to acquire gems from this exceptional and unique collection.

Bonham's

Period Design at Bonham's Knightsbridge   

September 6

Bonham's will put on auction Period Designs at Knightsbridge on September 6, 2011. The highest price is expected for lot 1, Franz Bergman, Austrian (1861-1936) a large cold painted bronze lamp base modelled as a galleon indistinctly signed Namgreb and with the Bergman amphora, raised on a Portor marble plinth, fitted for electricity, 54cm high, with an estimated price of £8,000 - 12,000 (€ 9,200 - 14,000).

The next high priced item is lot 39, after Antoine-Louis Barye, French (1795-1875) which is a late 19th / early 20th century bronze model of Lion Qui Marche on a rectangular base, dark brown patination, signed BARYE, 40cm wide x 20cm high. Its estimated price is £4,000 - 6,000 (€4,600 - 6,900). Next in estimated price is lot 120, a late Victorian mahogany breakfront secretaire bookcase, with expected price of £3,000 - 5,000 (€ 3,400 - 5,700).

Collectors' Sports Cars, Motor Cars, and Automobilia Goodwood Revival

September 16

Bonhams will present two finely restored Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts, both formerly in the famed collection of Richard Solove of Ohio, at their annual Collectors Motor Cars and Automobilia auction at the Goodwood Revival Meeting in Chichester, Sussex on September 16 2011.

The first is a magnificent Maharajah's Ceremonial Car from 1911 and is estimated to fetch £300,000-400,000.

This Silver Ghost was emblazoned with the coat of arms of the Maharaja of Mysore, to whom it passed after the Delhi Durbar. The Maharaja of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV (1884-1940), was one of the most celebrated rulers of the Indian states.

The Contents of the St Lucian Property of Lord Glenconner, London

September 28

Bonham's will put on auction The Contents of the St Lucian Property of Lord Glenconner, London, New Bond Street on September 28, 2011. An important gem-set gold Navratna Pendant from the Treasury of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore (1750-99), Mysore (Seringapatam), late 18th Century is expected to be the highest priced item. It is a lot 163N* item, octagonal, set with a large central cushion flat back cabochon Columbian emerald, within a border of topaz, blue sapphire, zircon, cat's eye, ruby, coral, diamond and pearl, the top with two suspension loops, the front of each set with a ruby, verso with cut-out octagonal section to show reverse of emerald, marked with the name "Haidar" in a bubri-shaped stamp, the bottom drilled for further attachment the pendant 4.6 cm. high; 4.1 cm. wide; 0.9 cm. deep; the emerald approx. 38 carats. Its estimated price is £80,000 - 120,000, € 91,000 - 140,000, US$ 130,000 - 200,000.

 

Saffronart's

Autumn Online Art Auction   

September 21

Saffronart, the online fine-art auction house, will showcase the works of several Indian modern masters and contemporary artists at its annual Autumn Online Art Auction. The auction will take place online from September 21 till September22, 2011.

The auction catalogue comprises of a wide range of modern and contemporary Indian art, characterized by exceptional quality and significant provenance. On offer is a selection of unique paintings by modern masters including Tyeb Mehta, Ram Kumar, S.H. Raza, Arpita Singh and Jehangir Sabavala, in addition to outstanding works by contemporary artists Atul Dodiya, Shibu Natesan, Anju Dodiya, Subodh Gupta and Surendran Nair.