Old Masters

Latest group of Exbury House paintings from ‘the great collectors’ lives up to the billing

A number of six-figure prices for rare and interesting items were achieved when French auction house Rouillac (24% buyer’s premium inc VAT) staged its 32nd Garden Party sale.

Turin dealership Caretto & Occhinegro Gallery has sold a previously unpublished oil by Jan Matsys (c.1510-75) to the Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice.

Two Old Master oil on panel paintings by 17th century Dutch artists featuring very different subjects were best-sellers in large mixed-discipline sales held in Paris and Monaco.

A high-quality veduta of Venice by one of Canaletto’s followers was the runaway star at Chorley’s (22.5/15/12.5/10% buyer’s premium) two-day auction in Gloucestershire.

Paintings by leading British sporting artists went under the hammer for the first time in over 100 years at Cheffins in Cambridge on October 1.

A newly-discovered work by François Desportes (1661- 1743) sold for a sensational €1.65m (£1.5m) at auction in Bordeaux.

Art UK, a charity with a website showcasing artworks in UK public collections, runs the Art Detective forum where specialists and members of the public are invited to help fill in gaps in the knowledge of public art. Their latest question concerns the various artists called Edwin Steele.

August is traditionally a busy month for Edinburgh saleroom Lyon & Turnbull (25/20% buyer’s premium) and this year was no exception – despite the exceptional circumstances.

When it comes to Old Masters, sleeper spotters will trawl through auction catalogues looking to spot works of an earlier date than specified.

Wider spectrum of buyers means presenting catalogue entries in greater detail can pay off

Two pictures with animal appeal generated decent bidding at a North Yorkshire auction.

Leading works held back until mixed-category July auctions in a drawn-out sales season.

While Sotheby’s and Christie’s shifted their main Old Master offerings to the end of July, Bonhams (27.5/25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) maintained its auction earlier in the month with a sale in New Bond Street on July 7-8.

Early work by Spanish-born painter was identified by Old Master experts Cabinet Turquin

An unexpectedly high price was paid in a sale of Old Master paintings and drawings held this summer by auction house Aguttes (23/25% buyer’s premium plus VAT) in Neuilly-sur-Seine.