Auctions

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


img_30-3.jpg

Dunand goes wild for an Art Deco panel

03 January 2022

An unpublished lacquer panel by Jean Dunand (1877-1942), the Art Deco artist/designer who was one of the masters of the medium, was one of the highlights in a 45-lot white-glove auction held by Ferri (28.8% buyer’s premium inc VAT) at Drouot in Paris.

img_12-1.jpg

Collecting couple who revived the ‘unfashionable’ Victorian market

03 January 2022

Rose and Gallichan sale reflects pioneering spirit of a duo fascinated by late 19th century design.

img_15-4.jpg

Medal reflects unofficial Olympics that followed the 1904 St Louis flop

03 January 2022

This silver medal sold for £3250 at Fellows (23% buyer’s premium) is one of a relatively small number awarded at the Intercalated Games in Athens in 1906.

img_16-1.jpg

‘Tommy’ was a remarkable wartime countess

03 January 2022

A group of medals awarded to a First World War ‘Tommy’ sold for a mid-estimate £2400 at Kent auction house C&T (22% buyer’s premium) on October 20-21. Not that unusual, it would seem.

‘Poppies’ by John William Godward

Five top paintings sold at auctions outside London this year

28 December 2021

Despite the lockdowns, the last 12 months has been a busy time for the art market with plenty of activity witnessed around the country. Here we pick out five of the top picture results at auctions outside London in 2021.

Lion pin cushion

Novelty pin cushion in our pick of five auction highlights

24 December 2021

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a lion pin cushion that made over 13-times estimate in Scotland.

Ste Croix et Les Rasses

Skiing posters slide into January sales

23 December 2021

Whether or not you can make it to the slopes this season, a skiing poster for your wall at home is always an attractive option.

Christie's

Christie’s sales hit a five-year high but slip behind Sotheby’s for 2021

20 December 2021

Auction house Christie’s reported preliminary total sales of $7.1bn (£5.2bn) including fees for 2021.

Biffin watercolour

The £9000 tribute to the talented Miss Biffin

20 December 2021

A rare work by Sarah Biffin (1784-1850), the early 19th century artist born without limbs, sold for £9000 at Sworders on December 15.

img_8-1.jpg

Pick of the week: German armour blows off to the Windy City

20 December 2021

Catalogued as ‘fine and exceptionally rare’, a north German parade cuirass is on its way to the Art Institute of Chicago after being sold at auction.

img_5-1.jpg

The Wright map that plots a route to £365,000

20 December 2021

A copy of Richard Hakluyt’s 'The Principal Navigations, Voiages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation' takes a six-figure sum at Devon sale.

Butterfly screen

An Art Nouveau butterfly-shaped screen and a three-piece Georgian silver tea set are among four lots to watch

20 December 2021

With estimates from £300-5000 here are four previews of upcoming items.

img_22-3.jpg

Banksy prints bowl up at auction

20 December 2021

Two Banksy prints donated to charity set high prices for their respective individual editions at a Bristol auction.

img_44-1.jpg

Fine example of René Magritte's Surrealism comes from Swiss collector who moved to the US

20 December 2021

A select 13-lot auction of works from the collection of Amalia de Schulthess at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) in New York on December 7 was led at $8.4m (£6.36m) by a classic René Magritte (1896-1967) Surrealist painting.

img_24-2.jpg

Bratbys on offer bought direct from the artist

20 December 2021

Two works by ‘kitchen sink’ realist John Bratby (1928-92) were offered in the latest picture sale at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

img_29-1.jpg

Hindu legends and real life

20 December 2021

Modestly estimated at $3000-5000, a richly illustrated manuscript that presents in two finely bound folio volumes a pictorial record of the ‘Costumes et Plantes de L’Hindoustan’ made $80,000 (£58,395) in a New York auction.

img_22-1.jpg

Tantalising sketch gives glimpse ‘of a young Francis Bacon’

20 December 2021

Shepeard collection includes a drawing thought to be an unrecorded portrait of the artist

img_28-1.jpg

Kepler masterpiece leads New York auction boasting a string a of six-figure results

20 December 2021

A Christie’s New York (25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) online timed sale achieved six-figure bids for no fewer than eight lots and very high prices for a great many others while running up an impressive and premium-inclusive total of close on $4.75m (£3.45m).

img_44-2.jpg

Hans Coper pot comes in at a hefty $260,000

20 December 2021

When Phillips held an auction in London on November 10 in association with Maak Contemporary Ceramics of selections from the collection of Dr John P Driscoll, it produced a number of record-breaking prices for Hans Coper (1920-81) and ended with a new auction high for the studio potter of £520,000 (ATG No 2518).

 Italian alabaster vases

Bid Barometer: issue 2523

20 December 2021

ATG’s pick of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com, featuring both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

News

Categories