What Happened and What's Forthcoming

Auction Report

Post Auctions
Art Bull
November 5

Art Bull had put on auction artworks of emerging, contemporary and masters of Indian Art in their Autumn Auction at Mantra. The estimated total sale was Rs. 4.5 crores. 65% sale was achieved. The highest price went to M. F. Husain's untitled work on acrylic on canvas which was sold for Rs. 1, 59, 50, 000. The other highlights were Ramkinkar Vaij which was sold for Rs. 99, 00, 000.

The auction had showcased some rare masterpiece works of Jamini Roy, F.N. Souza, Manjit Bawa and other eminent artists.

Christie's
Christie's London Sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
November 8

Christie's had put for sale of 411 lots from the Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art for the London sale on November 8, 2011. Out of the 411 lots 231 lots were sold for a total of £14,860,200 (Prices include buyer's premium). Lots put up for auction included seven important private collections: Property from an Important Asian Collection; Property from a Distinguished Asian Collector; Important Rhinoceros Horn and Jade Carvings from a Distinguished European Collection; The Burton Collection of Chinese Works of Art and Property from a South American Collection.

The highest price went to a famille rose melon-form inscribed teapot and cover qianlong six-character seal mark in iron-red and possibly of the period (1736-1795). The lobed body inscribed with a poem in kaishu script, ending with two seal marks, set between aruyi border and a lappet band, the tall looped handle and the curved spout delicately enamelled with multi-coloured lotus sprays set against a turquoise ground, the top of the cover similarly enamelled with a band of flower heads, the finial formed by a moulded leafy branch.

4¼ in. (11 cm.) high. The estimated price was £20,000 - £30,000 and the price realized was £646,050 (inclusive of buyer's premium). The next highest price went to lot 115 which was a superb pair of white jade shallow bowls qianlong period (1736-1795). Each bowl with slightly flaring sides rising from a short straight foot, delicately carved to the interior with a swallow in flight above a lotus pond scene, detailed with blooms and buds borne on tall leafy stems, the exterior further decorated with the Eight Buddhist Emblems, bajixiang, the stone of an even pale tone, 5¾ in. (14.5 cm.) diam. (2). It was sold for £481, 250.

Christie's London, South Kensington Christie's Interiors
November 8

Christie's Interiors had presented 330 lots for auction on November 8 at London, South Kensington. Out of 330 lots 212 lots were sold for a total of £384,137(inclusive of buyer's premium). The highest priced lot was lot 173, a Louis Xiv Cut-Brass and tortoiseshell bureau mazarin, late 17th century, the top later Inlaid to the front, sides, legs and stretchers with marquetry in the manner of Boulle, the gilt-tooled red leather inset top above seven drawers around a kneehole cupboard, 30½ in. (77.5 cm.) high; 46 in. (117 cm.) wide; 27½ in. (70 cm.) deep. The estimated price was £2,000 - £3,000 while the price realized was £12,500 (inclusive of buyer's premium).

The next high priced item was a pair of gothic oak benches , first half 20th century,  each of 'revealed' construction, the sides pierced with trefoils, 99½ in. (253 cm.) wide (2). Estimated price was £1,500 - £2,000, while the price realized was £10,000.

Saffronart
24-Hour Absolute Auction of Contemporary Indian Art
November 14

Saffronart's 24-Hour Absolute Auction of Contemporary Indian Art on November 14, at Mumbai, concluded with a totaling of Rs 2.44 crore (USD 510,194). This auction featured 85 lots by leading contemporary Indian artists including Atul Dodiya, A. Balasubramaniam, Jitish Kallat, Subodh Gupta, Anandajit Ray, Shibu Natesan, Arun Kumar HG, Sudhanshu Sutar and Gopikrishna. Some of the highlights of the sale were Subodh Gupta's Untitled which sold for Rs. 72 Lakhs (USD 150,000) and Shibu Natesan Linkage  1 which sold for Rs. 10.5 Lakhs (USD 21,720).

Despite the absence of reserve prices, the auction came close to exceeding its presale estimate of Rs. 1.83 Crore (USD 382,185) to Rs. 2.58 Crore (USD 539,275).

Bonham's
Sale of Indian and Islamic art
November 23

Bonham's had presented of 439 lots of Indian and Islamic art for auction on 23rd November at, London, Knightsbridge. The total sale value was £210, 970. The highest priced item was lot 430 was sold for £9000 (inclusive of Buyer's Premium), Maharajah Sher Singh (1807-1843) riding out to visit an ascetic, accompanied by a retinue of guards, falconers and other attendants Punjab Plains, circa 1840, gouache and gold on paper, blue and red borders, English inscription verso Maharajah Sher Singh s/o Maharajah Ranjeet Singh of the Punjab is Going to See a Mendicant beyond the Indus, unframed 273 x 215 mm. The next high priced lot was lot 219 and 335 which were sold for £6875 each.

Forthcoming
Christie's
Christie's London, South Kensington Old Masters and British Paintings
December 9

Christie's London will put up 157 lots for sale from Old Masters and British Paintings section, for an estimated price of £600,800. The estimated lot 12 is expected to of the highest price, which is £15,000 - £20,000, Guilliam Forchondt I (Antwerp 1608-1678) and Attributed to Willem van Herp (Antwerp 1613-1677). The Departure of the Israelites, oil on copper, 28 x 34 1/8 in. (71.1 x 86.7 cm.). The other two lots of same price are lot number 36 and lot 162.

Christie's London, King Street
An Iberian Private Collection Part II: Furniture, Silver, Jewellery, Paintings, European, Chinese & Islamic Ceramics
December 9

Christie's London will put up for auction 394 lots from an Iberian Private Collection Part II: Furniture, Silver, Jewellery, Paintings, European, Chinese & Islamic Ceramics section. The highest price is expected for lot 273, a Portuguese Silver-Gilt Salver. Apparently Unmarked, Circa 1530-40, The Coat-Of-Arms And Feet Probably 18th Century.

Circular with raised central boss, the three later feet cast as lions sejant attached to the border with foliage-headed screws, the centre repousse and chased in high relief with harpies, winged centaurs and grotesque winged monsters, within scrolling foliage and divided by columns headed by winged figures, the raised central boss chased with further winged monsters flanking urns and with central applied coat-of-arms within laurel wreath, marked on border with later Dutch and French control marks, the dish 12 in. (30.5 cm.) diameter, 37 oz. (1,181 gr.). The arms are those of Portugal quartering León for the family of de Sousa of Prado, Portugal, descendants of an illegitimate son of King Alphonso III of Portugal (d. 1279). The arms are surmounted by what appears to be a marquess' coronet. However, there was little codification of coronets in Portugal prior to the 17th century. The family was elevated from Counts of Prado to Marquesses of Minas in the 18th century. Its estimated price is £70,000 - £100,000.

The next high priced lots are lot 279 and lot 416, both of the items are estimated at £50,000.

Christie's Interiors, London, South Kensington
December 13

Christie's Interiors will put up for sale 712 lots foran estimated price of £649,100. The highest price is expected to be lot 70, a pair of mid-Victorian giltwood overmantel mirrors, mid-19th century, each with a scrolled foliate marginal surround the cresting centred by a cartouche, 86½ in. (220 cm.) high; 51½ in. (131 cm.) wide (2). The expected price for this lot is £6,000 - £8,000. The next high priced lot is expected to be lot 114, a dutch kingwood cabinet-on-stand, circa 1700, the cabinet interior re-fitted, the cabinet with top, sides, exterior and interior of doors finished in geometrically arranged kingwood veneers, the cabinet interior formerly with drawers and now fitted with shelves, the conforming base with a long drawer on spiral turned solid kingwood legs united by a stretcher, restored, the feet and ormolu mounts later, 65½ in. (166 cm.) high; 55¾ in. (141.5 cm.) wide; 22 in. (56 cm.) deep. Its estimated price is £4,000 - £6,000.

Bonham's
Bonhan's California Natural History Unmounted Gemstones
December 11

Bonham's will put up for sale Unmounted Gems on 11 December, 2011. The highest price is expected for lot 1305Y, a large and rare non-nacreous melo pearl, melo melo volutidae, saltwaters near Vietnam, for US$55,000 - 65,000. Weighing approximately 28.15 carats and measuring 16.0 x 13.0mm. The present example is a lustrous, non-nacreous pearl with a vivid orange the color of papaya with excellent flame pattern iridescence. Its porcelain finish and excellent lusteras well as its large sizemake this one of the world's rarest gems, undrilled.

Phillips de Pury
Design Masters, New York
December 13

Phillip de Pury will put for auction 75 items from Design Masters on December 13, 2011. The highest price is expected be lot 53, Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, pair of “Gonse” armchairs, model no. 278 NR, ca. 1930-1932. Lacquered wood, fabric. Underside of one frame branded with “Ruhlmann” (2). Each: 29 × 42 × 45 1/4 in. (73.7 × 106.7 × 114.9 cm.). Its estimated price is $600,000-800,000. It is from a private collection, Paris, ca. 1930; Private collection, Paris, 1980s; DeLorenzo Gallery, New York, 1988; Private Midwest collection.

Sotheby's
Sotheby's London
Fine Jewels
December 14

Sotheby's will put up for sale five fine jewels  on December 14.

The highest price is expected for lot 399, Propety of a Gentleman of Title

Diamond Tiara, Last Quarter 19th Century. Designed as a graduated row of tiered dart motifs, set with circular- cut, cushion- and pear- shaped diamonds, inner circumference approximately 235mm, fitted case, formerly a necklace/tiara and converted to sole use as a tiara in the early 20th century. Its estimated price is 30,000.

Osian's, New Delhi
Creative India Series 1: Bengal
December 15

Osian's auction house will present an auction highlighting on Bengal art from 1780 to 2000.The preview of the auction will take place on December 9, 2011. The auction house will put up 134 lots for sale. The highlights include the works of many noteworthy artists like Bikash Bhattacharya, Hemendranath Mazumdar, Nandalal Bose, Ramgopal Vijaiwargiya and others. The main focus would be on the changing art trends in Bengal from the late 1700s to 2000s.