1 juillet 2015

Balenciaga Haute Couture, 1962. Robe de cocktail Évêque en cloque de la maison Véron. Estimation 4,500 — 5,500 €. Photo: Sotheby's. Cristóbal Balenciaga dans son atelier, Paris, 1968 © Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson Sotheby's. Rencontres Couture à Paris de la Collection Didier Ludot, 8 juillet 2015

Balenciaga Haute Couture, automne-hiver 1965-1966. Robe du soir en plumetis de brivet entièrement appliqué de plumes d'autruche par Albert. Estimation 6,000 — 8,000 €. Photo: Sotheby's. Provenance: Garde-robe Madame Francine Weisweiller, mécène et amie de Jean Cocteau, figure emblématique du Tout-Paris d'alors. Exposition: Hommage à Balenciaga, Musée historique des tissus de Lyon du 28 septembre 1985 au 6 janvier 1986. Bibliographie: Hommage à Balenciaga, Musée des... [Lire la suite]

An Important Ruby and Diamond Bracelet, by Suzanne Belperron. Fred Leighton at Masterpiece London 2015, stand B20. A paved field of mixed shape cabochon rubies is dotted with baguette diamonds totaling approximately 2.25 carats in platinum mountings with makers marks by societe Groene et Darde and French hallmarks. René Boivin gold cuff set with a rare 52ct oval aquamarine. Fred Leighton at Masterpiece London 2015, stand B20. It is typical of the retro jewellery created in the 1940s when World War II brought... [Lire la suite]

An exquisite Tahitian pearl and diamond Cartier bracelet dating from the 1950s, which once belonged to Sita Devi, the Maharani of Baroda. Symbolic & Chase at Masterpiece London 2015, stand C7.

A magnificent diamond 'Holly Wreath' necklace set with 152ct of pear-shape, round and marquise diamonds by Harry Winston, New York. Hancocks at Masterpiece London 2015, stand C27.   Retro citrine & gold necklace, brooch & bracelet suite by Trabert & Hoeffer – Mauboussin, c.1940 – Hancocks at Masterpiece London 2015, stand C27. A suite composed of a necklace with graduating rectangular-cut citrines, terminating at a central point, with removable brooch/pendant in the form of a tied ribbon,... [Lire la suite]

Carlo Dolci (Firenze, 1616-1687), Salomè con la testa del Battista, 1670 c., olio su tela. Londra, The Royal Collections - Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2015 FLORENCE - Why devote an exhibition to Carlo Dolci? And why now?  The best way to answer those questions is by conducting an overview of the current state of scholarship in the field of 17th century art in Florence – a field on which much research has been focusing for several years now, sparked in particular by the... [Lire la suite]

Zhang Daqian, Splashed-Ink Autumn Landscape, 1965. 59 x 44.5cm. Estimate $180,000-250,000. Sold for $509,000. Photo: Bonhams. SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Two important paintings by the renowned artist Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) yielded top results in the June 23 auction of Fine Chinese Works of Art and Paintings held at Bonhams in San Francisco. A splashed in Autumn landscape, dated 1965, and titled “Qiu Shan Xiao Si” (Buddhist Temple in Autumn Mountain) (est. $180,000-250,000) brought $509,000 and a monumental landscape... [Lire la suite]

Herbert Ponting (1870-1935), The Great Wall in 1907. Photo: Wikipedia.org BEIJING (AFP).- Around 30 percent of China's Ming-era Great Wall has disappeared over time as adverse natural conditions and reckless human activities -- including stealing the bricks to build houses -- erode the UNESCO World Heritage site, state media reported. The Great Wall is not a single unbroken structure but stretches for thousands of kilometres in sections, from Shanhaiguan on the east coast to Jiayuguan in the windswept sands on the... [Lire la suite]