LONDON.- Following Wednesday night's Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale, today at Sotheby's in London a collection of unique ceramics by Pablo Picasso belonging to the artist’s granddaughter, Marina Picasso, soared well above the pre-sale high estimate to bring a combined total of £12,344,250 / $19,373,066 / €17,342,440. The ‘White Glove’, 100% sold, auction saw 87% of lots achieving prices above their high estimates. 

Guillaume Cerutti, CEO, Sotheby’s France and Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe, said: “We are delighted with today’s remarkable results, as is Mrs. Marina Picasso. A part of the sale proceeds will be allocated to educational programs for children in need, a cause that she has always championed. We thank her once again for entrusting us with works from her legendary collection and it has been a privilege working with her on bringing this wonderful group of ceramics to auction.” 

James Mackie, Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art specialist, said: “Today’s auction of unique Picasso ceramics was a landmark moment for sales of the artist’s work, setting a new benchmark for this medium. What makes these ceramics so special is that they were modelled by the artist’s own hands and are infused with a raw energy. Unlike Picasso’s editioned ceramics, each work is truly a one-off and this is why we saw such a fevered demand from collectors.” 

One of the most extensive and important groups of the artist’s work in this medium, the collection offered an incomparable insight into Picasso’s work in clay and the extraordinary breadth of his creativity and versatility. The collection comprised 126 lots, spanning examples from 1947-48 through to the late 1960s, and encompassing hand-painted plates, vases and tiles, to hand-modelled figures and more sculptural pieces. 

The top lot was Picasso’s Cabri, a vase of a baby goat, which sold for £485,000, over four times the pre-sale low estimate (£120,000-180,000). 

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), Cabri, painted ceramic; manipulated vase; height: 37cm., 14 1/2 in. Executed circa 1947, this work is unique. Estimate 120,000 — 180,000  GBP. Lot sold. 485,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

Collection of Marina Picasso.

Literature: Cahiers d’Art, Paris, 1948, full page illustration p. 135

Vase positif negatif, a large jug into which Picasso cut out a vase-shaped form while the clay was still wet, realised £365,000 (est. £180,000-250,000).

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), Vase positif négatif, dated 1.II.54; stamped Madoura plein feu on the underside; painted and partially glazed ceramic; large jug with cut out vase; height: 36cm., 14 1/8 in. Executed on 1st February 1954, this work is unique. Estimate 180,000 — 250,000  GBP. Lot sold. 365,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

Collection of Marina Picasso.

Exhibited: Malaga, Museo Picasso Malaga, Picasso. Object and Image, 2007-08, no. 12, illustrated in colour in the catalogue 

Literature: Marilyn McCully & Michael Raeburn, The Collection of the Museu Picasso. Ceramics, Barcelona, 2012, illustrated in colour p. 86
Céramicas de Picasso. Un regalo de Jacqueline a Barcelona (exhibition catalogue), Museu Picasso, Barcelona, 2012, illustrated in colour p. 86 

Another highlights: 

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), Tête mythologique; dated twice 1.2.48; painted, incised and partially glazed ceramic; gothic jug with cut out eyes and mouth; height: 34.5cm., 13 1/2 in. Executed on 1st February 1948, this work is unique. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000  GBP. Lot sold. 317,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

Collection of Marina Picasso

Exhibited: Miami, Center for the Fine Arts, Picasso: At work, at home. Selections from the Marina Picasso Collection, 1985-86, no. 102, illustrated in the catalogue
Tokyo, Musées d'Art Yomiuri Shimbun Sha, Exposition Pablo Picasso, Collection Marina Picasso, 1986-87, no. CC-9, illustrated in the catalogue
Künzelsau, Museum Würth & Karlsruhe, Badisches Landesmuseum, Picasso, Sein Dialog mit der Keramik. Werke aus der Sammlung Marina Picasso, 1999, no.
Künzelsau, Museum Würth & Karlsruhe, Badisches Landesmuseum, Picasso, Sein Dialog mit der Keramik. Werke aus der Sammlung Marina Picasso, 1999, no. 10, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe & Pillsbury and Peters Fine Art, Dallas, Picasso in clay: Three decades of ceramics from the Marina Picasso Collection, 2000, no. 5, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Geneva, Galerie Jan Krugier, Ditesheim & Cie, Le feu et la terre, 2004-05  

Literature: Cahiers d'Art, Paris, 1948, illustrated p. 114

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), Homme et Femme; dated twice 1.2.48; painted, incised and partially glazed ceramic; gothic jug with cut out eyes and mouth; height: 34.5cm., 13 1/2 in. Executed on 1st February 1948, this work is unique. Estimate 35,000 — 45,000  GBP. Lot sold. 293,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), Femmes Fleurs; dated 31.1.48 and numbered II; painted, incised and partially glazed ceramic; gothic jug; height: 35cm., 13 3/4 in. Executed on 31st January 1948, this work is unique. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000  GBP. Lot sold. 269,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

Collection of Marina Picasso

Exhibited: Künzelsau, Museum Würth & Karlsruhe, Badisches Landesmuseum, Picasso, Sein Dialog mit der Keramik. Werke aus der Sammlung Marina Picasso, 1999, no. 9, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe & Pillsbury and Peters Fine Art, Dallas, Picasso in clay: Three decades of ceramics from the Marina Picasso Collection, 2000, no. 4, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Cannes, Centre d'art La Malmaison, Picasso, Le nu en liberté. Collection Marina Picasso, 2006-13, illustrated in colour in the catalogue  

Literature: Cahiers d’Art, Paris, 1948, full page illustration p. 105