A carved marble group of two addorsed lions marble lions from the tomb of Charles V by André Beauneveu sold for £9,349,000 / $12,088,257 / €10,648,511. World auction record for any medieval work of art. © Christie’s Images Limited 2017.

LONDON.- Christie’s Classic Week concluded on 13 July 2017, achieving a combined total of £87,169,480 / $112,601,271 / €98,976,239 across 11 sales, spanning the Decorative Arts, Antiquities, Old Master & British Paintings, Victorian, Pre-Raphaelite & British Impressionist Art, 19th Century Works of Art, Books and Manuscripts and The Collection of Raine, Countess Spencer. The week witnessed global participation from 65 countries, along with significant online bidding, highlighting the international collecting base for the Classic Week categories. Online bidding was particularly evident in Antiquities, Valuable Books and Manuscripts and The Collection of Raine, Countess Spencer, which saw over 40% of the works being bid for by online buyers. The sales were led by Francesco Guardi’s The Rialto Bridge with the Palazzo Dei Camerlenghi, which realised £26,205,000 / $33,883,065 / €29,847,496, the highest price achieved for an Old Master painting this year across all houses and the marble lions from the tomb of Charles V by André Beauneveu, which sold for £9,349,000 / $12,088,257 / €10,648,511, a world auction record for any medieval work of art. The Collection of Raine, Countess Spencer inspired determined bidding, achieving £1,905,938 / $2,458,660 / €2,146,086, with sell-through rates of 93% by lot and 95% by value and brings the total for the collection to £2,753,938 / $3,555,124 / €3,111,958, including the paintings offered in the Old Masters Evening Sale. The top lot of the sale was an 18 carat gold, ruby and diamond parure by Van Cleef & Arpels, which realised £221,000 / $285,090 / €248,846. Further highlights of Classic Week include Albert Einstein’s billiard briar pipe, which achieved £52,500 / $67,253 / €58,590, against a pre-sale estimate of £5,000 to £8,000 and The Maria Fitzherbert Jewel, which sold for £341,000 / $440,913 / €388,399, achieving an artist record for a portrait miniature by Richard Cosway. The results of this week demonstrates the confidence of a buoyant global market for the Classic Week sales and confirms the success of the cross-category concept. 

Lot 25. Francesco Guardi (Venice 1712-1793), Venice: the Rialto Bridge with the Palazzo dei Camerlenghi, signed ‘GUARDI’ (lower left), oil on canvas, 47 1/8 x 80½ in. (119.7 x 204.3 cm). Estimate On Request. Price realised £26,205,000 / $33,883,065 / €29,847,496, the highest price achieved for an Old Master painting this year across all houses. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

(Cf. http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2017/07/08/35458922.html)

Lot 180. An 18 carat gold, ruby and diamond parure, by Van Cleef & Arpels. Estimate £100,000 - 150,000 (USD 129,000 - USD 193,500). Price realised £221,000 / $285,090 / €248,846. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

(Cf. my post http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2017/07/11/35469392.html)

CLASSIC WEEK BY NUMBERS

• Christie’s July 2017 Classic Week total: £87,169,480 / $112,601,271 / €98,976,239. 

• 34% increase in online registrants from July 2016 Classic Week and global record numbers of online registrations were seen for the following categories: Antiquities, Valuable Books and Manuscripts, 19th Century European and Orientalist Art. 

• The online sale, Einstein: Letters to a friend achieved sell-through rates of 100% by lot and value, achieving £1,291,667 / $1,666,250 / €1,454,417, over five times its low estimate.  

• Registered bidders from 65 countries for Classic Week sales, up from 53 last season. 

• Strong average sell-through rates: 80% by lot and 80% by value. 

• 1,216 works of art sold during Classic Week.  

Significant participation of public institutions acquiring: 

Lot 144. A ceremonial bronze dirk of the 'Plougrescant-Ommerschans' type, Middle Bronze Age, circa 1500-1350 B.C.; 26 ¾ in. (68.3 cm). high. Estimate £80,000 - 120,000 (USD 101,840 - USD 152,760). Sold for £485,000 / $626,135 / €550,475) to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

(Cf. http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2017/07/03/35442595.html)

Lot 47. Giuseppe Cades (Rome 1750-1799), Portrait of the princes Camillo and Francesco Borghese as young boys, signed, dated and inscribed 'G Cades 1778/ ritratti de principi Borghese nella loro fanciullezza./ PAOLO V.' and 'Facata di S. Pietro di Roma', black and red chalk, brown and grey wash, heightened with white (partly oxidized), the heads of the boys cut out and laid down, watermark bend with a fleur-de-lys, 11 7/8 x 9 7/8 in. (30.2 x 25 cm). Estimate £20,000 - GBP 30,000. Sold for £56,250 / $72,618 / €63,843 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

Lot 29. Domenico Maria Canuti (Bologna 1625-1684), The Apotheosis of Romulus: design for a ceiling decoration, black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, heightened with white, with perspectival indications, watermark Orsini Arms, 9 3/8 x 14 7/8 in. (24 x 37.7 cm). Estimate £10,000 - GBP 15,000. Sold for £20,000 / $25,820 / €22,700 to the Cleveland Museum of Art. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 65. Gaspar van Wittel, called Vanvitelli (Amersfoort 1652/53-1736 Rome), A view of Amersfoort from the Eem river, indistinctively described '[...]ate nel[...]' (lower right), bodycolour on vellum, traces of red chalk squaring, laid down on panel, 10¾ x 18 7/8 in. (27.5 x 48 cm). Estimate £150,000 - GBP 250,000. Sold for £20,000 / $25,820 / €22,700 to the Cleveland Museum of Art. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The Museum Flehite, Amersfoort with the support of Vereniging Rembrandt: Gaspar van Wittel, called Vanvitelli, A view of Amersfoort (price realised: £185,000 / $238,835 / €209,975)  

19 Auction Records were set for: 

Lot 10. A carved marble group of two addorsed lions marble lions from the tomb of Charles V by André Beauneveu (circa 1335–1402), 1364–66. With entwined tails, on an integrally carved rectangular base with applied silver plaque engraved ‘THESE LYONS/ were brought from ST. DENNIS in 1802/ by Sir T. N. having been placed at the feet of the recumbent statue of CHARLES the V of/ FRANCE on the TOMB which is now in PARIS in the MUSÉE DES MONUMENS.’; traces of gilding, the reverse simply finished, 17¾ in. (45 cm.) wide; 11½ in. (29.2 cm.) high; 4 ¾ in. (12 cm) deep. Estimate On Request. Sold for £9,349,000 / $12,088,257 / €10,648,511. World auction record for any medieval work of art. © Christie’s Images Limited 2017.

Lot 14. The Maria Fitzherbert Jewel. A diamond-glazed locket containing a portrait of King George IV when Prince of Wales (1762-1830), the portrait miniature, on ivory, by Richard Cosway, R.A. (British, 1742-1821), the locket almost certainly supplied by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, London, circa 1800.  Estimate £80,000 - 120,000. Sold for £341,000 / $440,913 / €388,399. © Christie’s Images Limited 2017.

Lot 4. A glazed terracotta roundel depicting the Virgin and Child with an adoring angel, by Santi Buglioni (1494-1576), Florence, circa 1510-20,  49 in. (124.5 cm.) diam.; 7 ½ in. (19 cm.) deep. Estimate £60,000 -  100,000. Sold for £68,750/ $88,894 / €78,300. © Christie’s Images Limited 2017.

Lot 24. A pair of Louis XVI engraved, gilt and polychrome-decorated silver foil views of the Chateau dee Saint Hubert, by Thomas Compigné, circa 1775, 9 ¼ x 12 ¼ in. (23.4 x 31 cm), 11 3/8 x 14 3/8 in. (28.8 x 36.5 cm.) with frames. Estimate £40,000 - 60,000. Sold for £50,000/ $64,650 / €56,950. © Christie’s Images Limited 2017.

Lot 3. David Rijckaert II (Antwerp 1589-1642), A stoneware ewer, a Berkemeyer and a conical glass in abekerschroef, with confectionary in a silver platter, on a ledge, oil on panel, 19 5/8 x 13 5/8 in. (49.7 x 35.1 cm). Estimate £70,000 - 100,000. Price realised £557,000 / $720,201 / €634,423) © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

(Cf. my post: http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2017/07/07/35455894.html)

Lot 6. The Master of the Antwerp Adoration (active Antwerp c. 1505-1530), A triptych: the central panel: The Crucifixion; the wings: the inner faces: A Donor, Saint James, a Carthusian monk with an angel and Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane; A Donor, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a beggar with an angel and Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene; the outer faces: Christ and the Virgin ministering to the damned, oil on panel, in an engaged frame, open: 46 ¾ x 67 ¾ in. (118.8 x 172.1 cm.); closed: 46 ¾ x 37 7/8 in. (118.8 x 96.2 cm). Estimate £600,000 - 800,000. Price realised: £965,000 / $1,247,745 / €1,099,135. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 17. Liberale da Verona (Verona c. 1445–1526/9), Tobias and the Angel: a cassone panel, tempera, gold and silver on panel, 21 ¾ x 68 7/8 in. (55 x 174.7 cm). Estimate £150,000 - 250,000. Price realised: £317,000 / $409,881 / €361,063 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 19. Pellegrino di Mariano Rossini (active 1449–1492), The Story of Mars and Venus: a cassone panel, tempera and gold on panel, 17 5/8 x 56 5/8 in. (44.8 x 144.9 cm). Estimate £60,000 - 100,000. Price realised: £81,250 / $105,056 / €92,544 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 31. Alessandro Rosi (Florence c. 1627- c. 1707), The Holy Family, oil on canvas, 47 5/8 x 43 7/8 in. (121 x 111.5 cm). Estimate £150,000 - 250,000. Price realised: £233,000 / $301,269 / €265,387 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 1. Timoteo Viti (Urbino 1469-1523), The Massacre of the Innocents (recto); Study of a head (verso), with inscription 'R. Vrb.' (recto) and '243' (verso), black chalk, pen and brown ink, 6¼ x 12½ in. (15.8 x 31.8 cm). Estimate £25,000 - 35,000. Price realised: £173,000 / $223,342 / €196,355) © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 20. Jusepe de Ribera, lo Spagnoletto (Valencia 1591-1652 Naples), Two men hunting pigeons and a woman carrying a basket on her head standing beside (recto); Two head studies (verso, faintly visible through the recto), pen and brown ink, brown wash, 4½ x 7¼ in. (12.3 x 18.5 cm). Estimate £80,000 - 120,000. Price realised: £185,000 / $238,835 / €209,975 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Lot 21. Carlo Maratti (Camerano 1625-1713 Rome), Saint John the Evangelist disputing the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception with Saints Gregory, Augustine and John Chrysostom, traces of black and red chalk, within an arched top, the upper edge trimmed, 21½ x 12¾ in. (54.5 x 32.3 cm). Estimate £80,000 - 120,000. Price realised: £209,000 / $269,819 / €237,215 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017  

Lot 46. Luigi Sabatelli (Florence 1772-1850), Armida and the sleeping Rinaldo on a chariot drawn by dragons and escorted by putti, signed 'Luigi Sabatelli feci[t]', traces of black chalk, pen and brown ink, 18 7/8 x 29¾ in. (47.9 x 75.4 cm). Estimate £20,000 - 30,000. Price realised: £60,000 / $77,460 / €68,100 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017  

Lot 57. Adriaen van der Werff (Kralingen 1659- 1722 Rotterdam), Apollo and Daphne (recto); Fragmentary sketches (verso), with inscription ‘L’enlèvement de Daphné par Apollon/ de la Collection Pieneman [the name partly erased]/ artiste peintre’ and ‘Corrège’ (verso), red chalk, stumping, the lower right margin made up, watermark Seven Provinces, 11½ x 9¼ in. (29.2 x 23.5 cm). Estimate £10,000 - 20,000. Price realised: £12,500 / $16,137 / €14,187 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

Lot 64.  Hendrik Gerrit ten Cate (Amsterdam 1803-1856), A wooded landscape with figures by a pond, with inscription 'Coll v d Duchesse [?] v Brussel [?]/ [...] 30 mei 1826/ no 69 H G ten Cate/ N? 28.' (verso), black chalk, point of the brush and grey wash, partial black chalk framing lines, fragmentary watermark with letter H, 14 7/8 x 13¼ in. (37.6 x 33.7 cm). Estimate £10,000 - 20,000. Price realised: £20,000 / $25,820 / €22,700 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

Lot 108. Samuel Frederick Brocas (Dublin 1792-1847), The General Post Office and Nelson's Pillar, Sackville Street, with the Dublin Lying-in Hospital beyond, pen and ink and watercolour, 13¾ x 21¼ in. (34.9 x 54 cm). Estimate £15,000 - 20,000. Price realised: £20,000 / $25,820 / €22,700 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

Lot 93. George Romney (Dalton-in-Furness, Lancashire 1734-1802 Kendal), The Dream of Atossa, pencil and brown ink, brown wash, 11 x 16 3/8 in. (27.9 x 41.6 cm). Estimate £20,000 - 30,000. Price realised: £81,250 / $104,893 / €92,218) (record for a work on paper) © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

Lot 23. Pollie Clarke (fl. 1893-1902), A moment of victory, dated '1902.' (lower left), oil on canvas, 54 ¼ x 84 ¼ in. (137.8 x 214 cm). Estimate £30,000 - 50,000. Price realised: £30,000 / $38,610 / €33,870 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

Lot 26. George Woolliscroft Rhead (1855-1920), O Salutaris Hostia, signed with monogram and dated '1885' (lower left) and inscribed 'O SÀLVTÀRIS . HOSTI QVÀE . COELI . PÀNDIS . OSTIVM . BELLÀ . PREMVNT . HOSTILIÀ . DÀ...OBVR . FER . ÀVXILIVM .' (lower centre), oil on canvas, unframed, 36 x 79 in. (91.4 x 200.7 cm). Estimate £30,000 - 50,000. Price realised: £75,000 / $96,525 / €84,675 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017