Auctions

News and previews of art and antiques sold at auctions throughout the UK and overseas, from multi-million-pound blockbusters to affordable collectables.


Christopher Dresser tapered vase

Christopher Dresser vase, Staffordshire pottery animals and a carved oak panel – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes in the last week

11 October 2019

ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a Christopher Dresser vase that made over 40-times estimate and a group of Staffordshire pottery animals that fetched over 20-times estimate.

Andrea Mantegna drawing

Rare Andrea Mantegna drawing estimated to make over $12m at Sotheby’s auction

11 October 2019

One of only around 20 known drawings by Andrea Mantegna (c.1431-1506) will be the highlight of Sotheby’s Old Master drawings auction in New York next year.

685.jpg

Soaked and shabby world map revealed to be by John Speed makes more than five times high estimate

09 October 2019

A 17th century map by John Speed (1552-1629) sold at a Woolley & Wallis auction last week after being dumped in a wet, broken frame at a London charity shop.

Benjamin Zix sketch

Louvre buys sketches showing Napoleon’s seizure of art during Prussian campaign

08 October 2019

A group of drawings and a sketchbook compiled by an artist assigned to Napoleon’s campaigns in Prussia and Poland in 1806-7 has been secured by the Louvre at a Toulouse auction.

River 4.jpg

Trio of early Far Eastern photography lots top Gloucestershire auction

07 October 2019

Three lots by pioneering Scottish travel photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) led a sale of 19th and 20th century photography at the Dominic Winter auction last week.

img_29-1.jpg

Five lots to watch at auction this week including an Edwardian gadget walking cane, studio pottery and Eames chairs

07 October 2019

With estimates from £250-12,000, here are five previews of upcoming sales this week.

img_28-1.jpg

Murder tale grips the saleroom

07 October 2019

Account of a double killing in 19th century Norwich heads a look at two-day auction.

img_1-1.jpg

Parliament proves it can complete a deal

07 October 2019

A missing Pugin parliamentary letter box has been returned to the Palace of Westminster more than 100 years after it disappeared.

img_20-4.jpg

‘Dragon’ charger flexes its wings

07 October 2019

A generation ago pieces such as this splendid 20in (50cm) famille rose ‘dragon’ charger from the Guangxu period (1874-1908) were valued chiefly as decorative objects. However, appreciation of the best quality porcelain produced in the last years of the Qing continues to grow.

img_44-1.jpg

Pendulum pioneers

07 October 2019

In 1657, the 10-year-old Dutch orphan Christiaan Reijnaert was apprenticed to clockmaker Salomon Coster in The Hague. It was a momentous time for Coster: he is credited with building the first pendulum clock, incorporating the invention by Christian Huygens.

img_44-4.jpg

Rare at auction: Hamdi Bey work

07 October 2019

Since 1984, only about 20 paintings by the Turkish artist Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910) have come on the auction market and many of his best-known works are in international museums.

img_16-1.jpg

Leading the digital charge at Bonhams

07 October 2019

Chief marketing officer Marc Sands outlines his plans for online growth at the auction house.

img_24-3.jpg

Becker depicts reality of rural life

07 October 2019

For a number of years, the Colchester-born artist Harry Becker (1865-1928) followed the conventional path of a professional artist, achieving significant success and exhibiting regularly at the Royal Academy. But a growing disenchantment with London led to his ultimate departure in 1913 to Suffolk.

img_6-5.jpg

De Stael trademark composition takes £250,000 in sale

07 October 2019

Original paintings by Abstract artist Nicolas de Stael (1914-55) rarely appear at auction outside the main salerooms in London, Paris and New York.

img_62-2.jpg

ATG LETTER: Cricketana auctions and an uncanny resemblance

07 October 2019

MADAM – I was pleased to see the report in ATG No 2410 on the cricket collection sold by the Canterbury Auction Galleries.

img_12-1.jpg

Stylish Lenci skyscraper lady is on top of the auction world after £34,000 bid

07 October 2019

The stylish Art Deco pottery figures for which Ars Lenci became celebrated were first shown at the Turin international exhibition in 1928.

img_20-3.jpg

Icons with Schellenberg provenance

07 October 2019

Pitched at £200-300, this Russian diptych icon shown below triggered wide pre-sale Russian and East European interest ahead of Elstob & Elstob’s 20% buyer’s premium) sale at Bedale.

img_21-1.jpg

Captain Cook connection

07 October 2019

This Resolution and Adventure medal is one of 2000 that were commissioned by the British Admiralty ahead of James Cook’s Second Voyage.

img_44-3.jpg

Lalique table lamp

07 October 2019

Munich auction house Quittenbaum is holding a specialist sale of works by René Lalique on November 12. One of the eye-catchers is an 11in (27cm) high table lamp with a bronze base, engraved with peacocks, and the opalescent figure of a naked young woman holding a translucent drape in her outstretched arms.

img_24-1.jpg

Frith stands out from the crowd

07 October 2019

Artist famous for his busy panoramic scenes also profited from intimate female portraits

News

Categories