Sotheby’s wins UK court battle over disputed Caravaggio painting ‘The Cardsharps’

Étiquettes

'The Cardsharps', Caravaggio, Lancelot Thwaytes, Sotheby's

In this picture taken on October 30, 2014, « The Cardsharps » by ‘follower of’ Caravaggio is displayed in the Museum of the Order of St John in central London. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL.

LONDON (AFP).- Sotheby’s on Friday won its legal battle with a man who claimed the auction house negligently led him to undersell a painting acquired by an expert who later declared it to be a Caravaggio.

Lancelot William Thwaytes sold the painting, known as « The Cardsharps« , to the partner of renowned collector Denis Mahon at a London auction in 2006 for £42,000 ($63,700, 55,000 euros) after Sotheby’s billed it as being the work of a « follower » of the Italian Renaissance master.

But a year later, at his 97th birthday party, Mahon claimed that the work was an original, painted around 1595, and insured it for £10 million.

Thwaytes sued Sotheby’s for negligence, claiming they hadn’t sufficiently examined whether the painting, which depicts a pair of card cheats fleecing a privileged young man, could be an original.

His lawyers said not enough top experts had been consulted and that pre-sale tests of the painting were inadequate.

Summing up at London’s High Court, judge Vivien Rose said the auction house’s experts had reasonably reached the conclusion that the quality of the painting « was not sufficiently high to indicate that it might be by Caravaggio« .

Sotheby’s Old Master experts maintain that the original painting is on display in the Kimbell Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.

Judge Rose ruled the auction house had been justified in relying on « the connoisseurship and expertise » of their own specialists in assessing the quality of the painting.

Thwaytes inherited the work after his family bought it for a reported fee of £140 in 1962.

Mahon died in 2011, aged 100, and the painting is currently owned by his heirs. It is on loan to a museum in Clerkenwell in London. © 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

In this picture taken on November 21, 2014, Lancelot Thwaytes leaves the Rolls Building in London. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS.

Fine classical Chinese paintings & calligraphy to be offered at Sotheby’s New York

Étiquettes

Avalokitesvara, Bamboo and Rock, Chen Hongshou, Dunhuang Grottoes, Figures, Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, Ink and color on silk, ink on paper, ink on yellow paper, Letters, Lotus After Shitao, Ming Dynasty, Ni Yuanlu, Poem In Running Script, Poems in Cursive Script, Portrait Of Avalokitesvara, Sotheby's, Tang Yin, Wait for a Boat in Autumn, Xiyuan Poems in Cursive Script, Zhang Daqian, Zheng Xie

 

Chen Hongshou (1598-1652), Figures, signed Hongshou, dated gengyin (1650). With one seal of the artist, lao lian, and one collector’s seal, cheng yi zhai zhen wan; ink and color on silk, framed;144.6 by 56 cm. 57 by 22 in. Estimate 800,000 — 1,200,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

NEW YORK, NY.- On 18 September 2014 Sotheby’s New York will present the bi annual various-owner Fine Classical Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy sale immediately followed by a single owner auction from the Collection of General and Mrs. Zhu. The sales include a range of calligraphy by masters such as Wang Shouren, Xie Jin, Wen Zhengming, and Ni Yuanlu, and Classical paintings by Zheng Xie, Tang Yin, and Chen Hongshou among others. The full offering goes on view on Friday 12 September. 

HIGHLIGHTS

The various owner sale is led by Chen Hongshou’s Figures from 1650 (est. $800,000/1.2 million). The painting beautifully represents the artist’s skill at capturing the human form and comes from an important Singapore collection. (lot 772)

Zheng Xie was one of the ‘Eight Eccentrics’ – a group of Qing Dynasty artists who pioneered a new bold and experimental approach to painting. Bamboo and Rock is a well preserved large-scale example from this period that has remained in the same private collection for decades (est. $850,000/1.2 million). (lot 821)

Zheng Xie (1693-1765), Bamboo and Rock, signed Banqiao Zheng Xie, with two seals of the artist, ban qiao dao ren, bing chen jin shi. With one collector’s seal, xiao xian ye lao; ink and color on paper, hanging scroll; 239 by 122 cm. 94 by 48 in. Estimate 850,000 — 1,200,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

Tang Yin is one of the great Chinese historical figures of the Ming Dynastry whose fame extends far beyond his renown as a painter. Works such as Wait for a Boat in Autumn appear on the market extremely rarely (est. $300/400,000). (lot 750)

Tang Yin (1470-1523), Wait for a Boat in Autumn, signed Wujun Tang Yin, with one seal of the artist, tang bo hu, ink and color on silk, hanging scroll, 67.5 by 31.7 cm. 26 1/2  by 12 1/2 in.  Estimate 300,000 — 400,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

Among a strong group of calligraphy being offered in the sales is Poems in Cursive Script by the influential artist and polticial figure Ni Yuanlu (est. $250/350,000). Very few handscrolls by the artist remain in existence and it is particularly rare to find an example with such extensive text. (lot 797)

Ni Yuanlu (1593-1644), Poems in Cursive Script (detail), signed Yuanlu, with two seals of the artist, ni yuan lu, hong bao. Colophon by He Zhen (19th century), dated jihai of the Daoguang reign (1839), spring, signed Qiantang He Zhen, with two seals, chen zhen, fang gu; Qian Yaohe (?-1830), signed Qian Yaohe, dated the eighth year of the Daoguang reign, wuzi, the fifteenth day of the eleventh lunar month (Nov. 21, 1828), with one seal, qian yaohe; Naito Konan (1866-1934), signed Neiteng Hu, dated bingyin (1926), the eleventh lunar month, with one seal, hu nan; Nagao Uzan (1864-1942), signed Changwei jia, dated bingyin, the seventeenth day of the eleventh lunar month (Dec. 21, 1926), with two seals, chang wei jia yin, yu shan. Titleslip by Inukai Tsuyoshi (1855-1931), signed Quanyang Yi, with two seals, both illegible; Frontispiece by Inukai Tsuyoshi, signed Quanyang Yi, with two seals, quan yang yi yin, zi yuan. With two collector’s seals of Pei Jingfu (1854-1924), bo qian bao ci guo yu mihng zhu jun ma, pei jing fu; two collector’s seals of Yan Liangyu (Qing Dynasty), liang yu, bao hou shen ding, ceng zai yan shi san ai xuan, san an xuan; Jin Futing (19th Century), jin fu ting shou xian shi shou cang; and four other collectors’ seals, de jian shen ding, shang yu ni yi zhen shang, wu xing yao zhuo suo jian miao ji, gui hua xuan cang. Ink on paper, handscroll, 22.5 by 186.4 cm. 8 7/8  by 73 3/8  in. Estimate 250,000 — 350,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

Wen Zhengming is one of the four great masters of the Ming Dynasty and is represented in the National Museums of both Beijing and Taipei. Xiyuan Poems in Cursive Script comes from the Estate of Wai-Kam Ho – a connoisseur and museum curator who worked at many distinguished institutions and spent the last few months of his life working at the Shanghai Museum (est. $200/250,000). (lot 782)

Wen Zhengming (140-1559), Xiyuan Poems in Cursive Script, signed Zhengming at the age of eighty-six, dated yimao (1555), the sixth lunar month, with three seals of the artist, zheng zhong fu yin (2), wen zheng ming yin, ting yun
With three collector’s seals of Cheng Qi (1911-1988), cheng bo fen tu shu ji, shuang song lou, yan bo sui chu xiao you xian; ink and color on paper, handscroll, 24.7 by 450 cm. 9 3/4  by 177 1/4  in. Estimate 200,000 — 250,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

The single-owner sale of eight pieces formerly in the collection of General Zhu Shaoliang and Mrs. Zhu includes four works by Zhang Daqian and four pre-modern works of painting and calligraphy. The sale is led by Zhang Daqian’s Portrait Of Avalokitesvara From Dunhuang Buddhist Cave which the artist painted during his stay in the Mogao caves in the early 1940s (est. $2.6/3.2 million). Zhang Daqian spent over two and a half years in the caves on the edge of the Gobi Desert painstakingly copying the intricate murals that covered the walls and ceiling. The painting depicts Avalokitesvara holding a crystal plate and a ribbon from the robe. With rich color and dignified figure, this work absorbs the best quality of the Dunhuang art. (lot 967)

Zhang Daqian (Chang Dai-chien) 1899-1983, Portrait Of Avalokitesvara From Dunhuang Grottoes, signed shujun Zhang Yuan, dated guiwei (1943), the sixth lunar month, with a dedication to Mrs. Zhu (Hua Defen, 20th Century), and two seals of the artist, yuan, da qian, ink and color on paper, hanging scroll, 128 by 66.1 cm. 50 1/2  by 26 in. Estimate 2,600,000 — 3,200,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

Other highlights include Lotus After Shitao (est. $800,000/1 million, lot 968) and Poem In Running Script (est. $50/70,000, lot 962) also by Zhang Daqian while the calligraphic works include Letters by Dong Qichang (est. $120/150,000).

Zhang Daqian (Chang Dai-chien) 1899-1983, Lotus After Shitao, signed shujun Zhang Yuan, dated guiwei (1943) autumn, with two seals of the artist, zhang yuan zhi yin, da qian. ink on yellow paper, hanging scroll, 166 by 74.3cm. 65 3/8  by 29 1/4  in. Estimate 800,000 — 1,000,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

Artist’s inscription: 
A blossom and a leaf: the meaning of [the Buddha’s] arrival from the West: Did Dadi know this or not then? 
I wish to move and live amidst the flowers,
But worry that my mundane thoughts would disturb the waters. 

Zhang Daqian (Chang Dai-chien) 1899-1983, Poem In Running Script, signed shujun Zhang Yuan, with two seals of the artist, yuan, daqian; ink on paper, hanging scroll, 143.5 by 38 cm. 56 1/2  by 15 in. Estimate 50,000 — 70,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

Aritist Inscription:
How have affairs changed over the years?
Even Buddha seems aged and weary.
With his magical bowl he tamed the Dragon;
With his powers he guards the Pigeon King.
Beyond the Jade Pass is a dusty vastness;
The Dang River is a roiling whiteness.
On the collapsed pagoda no bells ring;
A profound darkness confronts the sun setting.

A poem on the West Qianfo cave site in Dunhuang, recorded for Master Yimin’s instruction and correction.

Dong Qichang (1555-1636), Letters. 1. signed « name is on the letter cover », dated the ninth day of the sixth lunar month, with one seal, qi chang – 2. signed « name is on the letter cover » – 3. signed « name is on the letter cover », dated the twenty-eighth day of the fourth lunar month – 4. signed « name is on the letter cover », dated the twentieth day of the sixth lunar month. Colophon by Fan Zhenxu (1872-1960), signed Dongxue laoren, dated yihai (1935) mid-summer, with one seal, yu qin; Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), signed Daqian Zhang Yuan, dated renwu (1942), the beginning of summer, with two seals, yuan, da qian; Gao Yihan (1885-1968), signed Gao Yihan, with one seal, gao yi han yin; Wu Jingheng (1865-1953), signed Wu Jingheng, dated thirty-first year of the republic (1942), the eighth lunar month, with one seal, wu jing heng yin; ink on paper, handscroll; 26.7 by 216.5 cm. 10 1/ 2  by 85 1/8  in.  Estimate 120,000 — 150,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby’s.

‘A Dialogue Between Tribal & Decorative Art’ opens at Galerie Aveline in association with Sotheby’s

Étiquettes

French Furniture, Galerie Aveline, Sotheby's, Tribal Art

The event to be staged with Sotheby’s also shows that, over and beyond the traditional gallery/auctioneer divide, there is scope for joint projects of benefit to both parties – and to the art market as a whole.

PARIS.- From September 9-22 an exhibition entitled Afrique(s) at Galerie Aveline (94 rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré), staged in association with Sotheby’s, will see African artworks in dialogue with the gallery’s hallmark French furniture and works of art. 

Aveline and Sotheby’s have two objectives in mounting this joint venture: to help collectors in both fields – French Furniture and Tribal Art – rediscover the atmosphere of the first Paris collections of African Art; and to enjoin connoisseurs to perceive the potential overlap and exchange between objects which may seem to have little in common but are united by beauty of form, evocative power and the talent of their creators.

Whether in terms of materials (ebony, mahogany, ivory) or traditional/ animal-based iconography, African art was a source of inspiration for European decorative arts from the 17th century onwards. The exhibition reflects Aveline’s policy of opening the world of decorative arts to other horizons, in the wake of such exhibitions as Exoticism in European Art (2010) and Patrons for Fontainebleau (2012), featuring furniture from Empress Josephine’s Turkish boudoir. More recently Galerie Aveline staged an innovative confrontation between paintings by British contemporary artist Malcolm Morley and the gallery’s collection of 18th century furniture. 

The event to be staged with Sotheby’s also shows that, over and beyond the traditional gallery/auctioneer divide, there is scope for joint projects of benefit to both parties – and to the art market as a whole. 

The exhibition will also feature a selection of highlights of African art to be offered for auction in New York and Paris this Autumn, notably from two major collections from either side of the Atlantic: one American, the other European. The latter, centred on art from the Congo, features several historic pieces not seen in public since 1937. 

Sotheby’s will also be hosting an exhibition of Treasures of Oceanic Art from the Murray Frum Collection at the same time, prior to their sale in Paris on September 16. 

Sotheby’s Hong Kong to offer heirlooms of Chinese art from the Hosokawa clan

Étiquettes

1Famille-Rose688, “Floral Scroll” Hexagonal Table, “Landscape” Couch-Bed, “Lotus Scroll” Vase, “Magpies And Prunus” Cup, “Three Friends Of Winter” Ruyi Sceptre, brushpot, Carved Zitan, celadon-glazed, Couch-Bed, Double-Gourd, doucai, Handscroll Painting, Hexagonal Table, Hosokawa Clan, Imperial “Landscape” Handscroll, Imperial Poems, Kangxi period, Mark And Period Of Yongzheng, Qianlong period, Qing dynasty, Reticulated Wood, Ruyi Sceptre, Seal Mark And Period Of Qianlong, Sotheby's, Yun Shouping, Zitan

The Hosokawa Clan and Eisei Bunko (Eisei Archive). Photo: Sotheby’s

HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Hong Kong will present Heirlooms of Chinese Art from the Hosokawa Clan at the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Autumn Sales on 8 October. Dating back to the 14th century, the Hosokawa clan has contributed many prominent figures to Japanese history and ranks among the most prestigious daimyo families. The sale presents an eclectic selection of outstanding porcelain, furniture, paintings and calligraphy, mostly focusing on the exquisite taste prevalent at the Qing court. Among the highlights are a meticulously decorated Qianlong celadon-glazed vase and a zitan hexagonal table intricately carved with Western-style floral scrolls made for the Imperial court. The sale will offer 30 objects, with a total estimate of over HK$38 million / US$4.9 million. 

Ryoichi Hirano, International Senior Specialist for Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art and Deputy Managing Director, Sotheby’s, observed, “The taste of the Hosokawas has been refined over many generations and their collection shows great reverence for Chinese aesthetics. We call them bunjin, literati, in the traditional Chinese sense of the word. I am greatly honoured to have this opportunity to introduce these outstanding works of art and paintings from Japan.” 

The Hosokawa Clan and Eisei Bunko (Eisei Archive)

The Hosokawa are a branch of the Seiwa Genji that trace their lineage back to Hosokawa Yoriari (1332 – 91), who fought alongside Ashikaga Takauji, and whose patriarch in early modern times was the powerful Sengoku-period daimyo Hosokawa Fujitaka (1534 – 1610). Fujitaka not only survived the constant warfare, but also found time for artistic pursuits—from waka poetry and the Noh theatre to the ancient tea ceremony. The family’s commitment to the arts and culture continues today. 

Amassed over 700 years, the Hosokawa collection range from manuscripts to handscrolls, books to paintings. A number of pieces are on display at the Eisei Bunko (Eisei Archive), founded in 1950 by Hosokawa Moritatsu (1883 – 1970), the 24th-generation head of the Hosokawa family. The works in the collection—the living heritage of generations of the Hosokawa family, plus Eastern artworks assiduously assembled by Mortitatsu himself—amount to some 80,000 pieces in total, including eight that have been designated as national treasures and 32 important cultural properties. These range from an impressive variety of arms, armour and historical documents, to items associated with the tea ceremony, Noh masks and costumes, ink paintings and calligraphy, illustrated albums of flora and fauna, as well as paintings in the Chinese style. All these speak eloquently of the spirit of balancing military and cultural accomplishments that runs in every generation of the Hosokawa family. 

Auction Highlights: 

A Carved Zitan “Floral Scroll” Hexagonal Table, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, 92 x 113 x 113 cm. Est. HK$6 – 8 million / US$770,000 – 1 million. Photo: Sotheby’s

While Ming dynasty furniture is characterised by the perfection of structure through sparsely-decorated designs, elaborate designs that merged European and Chinese forms and decorative motifs were intentionally chosen by the Qianlong Emperor in his desire to display imperial supremacy and grandeur. The importance of this table, likely employed as a games table, is indicated by the exotic zitan wood from which it is constructed. The most valued of all timber, zitan is characterised by its extremely fine and dense grain, which results in a pleasing heavy weight. The deep and subtle natural lustre is comparable to the texture of jade and develops with use; hence it is impossible to reproduce artificially. Its long growth period and limited availability in China made it particularly valuable and by the Qing dynasty measures were taken for its protection. Zitan tables decorated in this fusion of Chinese and European plant and styles are rare. 

A Carved Zitan “Landscape” Couch-Bed, Qing Dynasty, 106 x 189.5 x 118.5 cm. Est. HK$5 – 7 million / US$640,000 – 900,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

The form of couch-beds can be traced back as early as the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Boldly carved with dramatic landscapes within frames fashioned to simulate bamboo trees, this grand couch-bed (luohanchuang) is an impressive display of furniture crafted in zitan which, with its jade-like silky texture, extremely fine and dense grain, subtle and deep lustre, was the favoured timber of the Ming and Qing Courts. Due to the size of beds and the scarcity of the material, zitan couch-beds are particularly rare. The revered material, thickly-rendered proportions and vast landscapes suggest that this bed would have graced the studio of an important male member of the imperial family. The vast landscapes and bamboo forms of this bed would have been appropriate for furnishing a studio as the scenes provided a form of escape from the duties of officialdom as well as serving as a means of inspiration for poems, paintings and meditations. 

An Imperial “Landscape” Handscroll, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, Dated In Accordance With 1746. Frontispiece 10.3 x 30.1 cm; artwork 10.3 by 56.7 cm. Est. HK$4 – 6 million / US$510,000 – 770,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

During his 60-year reign, Qianlong distinguished himself with both civil and martial terms, as well as with an appreciation for cultural refinement and a love of literati life. As recorded in the Shiqu baoji xubian, the Qianlong Emperor painted this scroll of “autumn mountains in mist, with a lone gazebo by the water” during New Year in 1746 in the Chonghua Gong (“Palace of Double Brilliance”). Opening with layered peaks and the beautiful scenery along the facing banks of a river, the scroll continues with a riverside gazebo drawn in minimalist brushwork, with trees and rocks rendered in an impressionistic xieyi style. 

A Reticulated Wood “Three Friends Of Winter” Ruyi Sceptre, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, 38 cm. Est. HK$2 – 3 million / US$260,000 – 380,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

Intricately carved with the “three friends of winter”, the headpiece of the current ruyi sceptre is abundant with pine, and prunus is interspersed with bamboo on the shaft. As a work of art, it is finely executed, poetically elegant, yet naturalistically modelled. During the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods, the court had a great fondness for such naturalistically carved ruyi sceptres. Incised with a date denoting the first year of Qianlong period and an additional single character jin (“entrance” or “advance”), the current scepter is a rare example made shortly after the Emperor ascended the throne. 

A Fine Doucai “Magpies And Prunus” Cup, Mark And Period Of Yongzheng, 6.9 cm, HK$1.2 – 1.5 million / US$150,000 – 190,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

This cup is notable for the skilful use of underglaze blue. Porcelain decorated in the doucai technique generally consisted of enamelling within pencilled underglaze blue lines; however the craftsman of the present cup has also expertly applied layers of cobalt to give texture and added three-dimensionality, as seen in the bodies of the birds (pictured above right). This style of decoration reflects the simple yet elegant style favoured by the Yongzheng emperor. 

A Very Rare Celadon-Glazed Double-Gourd “Lotus Scroll” Vase, Seal Mark And Period Of Qianlong, 22.4 cm Est. HK$3 – 4 million / US$380,000 – 510,000.  Photo: Sotheby’s

Striking for its elegant shape and carved decoration which emerges under a cool celadon glaze, this vase draws on celebrated porcelain traditions and reinterprets them to result in a rare and engaging piece. The form and decoration appear to have derived from early Ming moonflasks (bianhu) painted with flower scrolls in underglaze blue which were revived during the Yongzheng reign and continued into the Qianlong period. The crisp celadon glaze further reveals the Qianlong emperor’s admiration of Longquan celadon wares of the Song period and his encouragement of innovative approaches towards celadon glazes. Among those most admired by contemporary connoisseurs is the present fengqing, a pale bluish-green glaze. When applied to finely carved pieces, the thinning and pooling of the glaze on the raised lines and the recesses create very attractive contrasting tones as seen on the present piece. 

An Extremely Rare Famille-Rose Brushpot Inscribed With Imperial Poems, Seal Mark And Period Of Qianlong, Dated In Accordance With 1736; 10.2 cm. Est. HK$2.5 – 3.5 million / US$320,000 – 450,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

This piece originally belonged to an exclusive set of five brushpots, each inscribed with six poems. A second brushpot from this group can be seen in the National Palace Museum, Taipei. The poems on the present brushpot are the first six of a set of 30 composed by the Qianlong Emperor, dated from before his ascension to the throne in 1736. 

 

A Handscroll Painting Of Flowers By Yun Shouping (1633-1690), Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period, Dated In Accordance With 1688; 29.7 by 331.5 cm. HK$1.2 – 1.8 million / US$150,000 – 230,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

A famous painter of the early Qing dynasty, Yun Shouping (1633-90) ranks as one of the six masters of the early Qing, and is notable for his mogu (“boneless paintings”, colour paintings devoid of outlines) paintings of flowers. This scroll, executed in light colours in a realistic style, depicts a total of ten flowers, namely pear flower, peach blossom, tree peony (detailed right), red poppy, herbaceous peony, mallow, banana flower, chrysanthemum, narcissus and prunus (detailed below). The passage of time can be seen through the varying seasonal blooms. The quiet elegance of white pear blossoms gives in to peonies. Later come autumnal chrysanthemums in brilliant reds, whites, and purples, followed by narcissuses with their extraordinary subtle fragrance, and at last a finale of elegant prunus painted in pure ink. This naturalistically painted scroll was in the collection of Yunli (1697 – 1738), the 17th son of the Kangxi Emperor, and later in the collection of Fang Junyi (1815 – 89), a presented scholar, as well as knowledgeable connoisseur and astute collector.

A rare and large ritual bronze bell (nao), Late Shang-Early Western Zhou Dynasty, Southern Region, 11th – 10th century BC

Étiquettes

11th - 10th century BC, Late Shang- Early Western Zhou Dynasty, nao, ritual bronze bell, Sotheby's, Southern Region, yunlei spirals

A rare and large ritual bronze bell (nao), Late Shang-Early Western Zhou Dynasty, Southern Region, 11th – 10th century BC. Photo Sotheby’s

The body of oval cross-section with a concave base, cast on each side with eighteen bosses, arranged into two sections in rows of three, all within borders of yunlei spirals, the hollow cylindrical shank cast with a central knob decorated with further scrollwork, the surface of a grayish-green patina with some encrustation, wood stand (2). Height 18 1/4  in., 46.4 cm. Estimation 60,000 — 80,000 USD

Provenance: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., New York, 23rd October 1976, lot 124.
Joseph and Marie Schedel Collection, Elmore, Ohio.

SOTHEBY’S. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART, NEW YORK | 16 SEPT. 2014, 10:30 AM 

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), A lady on horseback and a lansquenet (B. 82; M., HOLL. 84)

Étiquettes

Albrecht Dürer, circa 1497, Engraving, lansquenet, Sotheby's

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), A lady on horseback and a lansquenet (B. 82; M., HOLL. 84). Photo Sotheby’s

Engraving, circa 1497, a Meder c-d impression; sheet: 107 by 75mm 4¼ by 3in. Estimation 1,500 — 2,500 GBP

Sotheby’s. Prints & Multiples. Londres, 16 sept. 2014, 02:00 PM

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), Coat-of-arms with a skull (B. 101; M., HOLL. 98)

Étiquettes

Albrecht Dürer, coat of arms, Coat-of-arms with a skull, Engraving, skull, Sotheby's

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), Coat-of-arms with a skull (B. 101; M., HOLL. 98). Photo Sotheby’s

Engraving, 1503, a Meder II impression, with the scratch between the ground and the lowest arc of the helmet to the right of the crest; sheet: 219 by 156mm 8 5/8 by 6 1/8 in. Estimation 1,500 — 2,500 GBP

Provenance: An unidentified collector’s mark (not in Lugt) 

Sotheby’s. Prints & Multiples. Londres, 16 sept. 2014, 02:00 PM

Two silver stem cups, Tang dynasty

Étiquettes

silver, Sotheby's, Stem cup, Tang dynasty

Two silver stem cups, Tang dynasty. Photo Sotheby’s

each with an everted rim, supported on a short spreading foot, one finely chased on the exterior with pointed arches enclosing birds and animals, separated by a beaded edge from shaped panels enclosing scrolling foliage, details picked out in gilt, all against a fine ring-punched ground; the other unadorned except for a fold around the middle (2). Heights 2 3/8  in., 6 cm. Estimation 10,000 — 15,000 USD

Provenance: Acquired in New York, 1981.

Examples of stem cups similar to the first are illustrated in Pierre Uldry, Chinesisches Gold Und Silber, Zurich, 1994, cat. nos. 134-137; and one from the Carl Kempe Collection sold in our London rooms, 14th May 2008, lot 71. A bowl with a similar decoration to the second cup is illustrated in Duan Shu’an and Li Hong, Selected Treasures from Hejiacun Tang Hoard, Beijing, 2003, no. 17. 

SOTHEBY’S. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART, NEW YORK | 16 SEPT. 2014, 10:30 AM

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), Saint Jerome in his study (B. 60; M., HOLL. 59)

Étiquettes

Albrecht Dürer, Engraving, Saint Jerome, Sotheby's

Albrecht Dürer (1471 – 1528), Saint Jerome in his study (B. 60; M., HOLL. 59). Photo Sotheby’s

Engraving, 1514, a good, warm and evenly printed impression; sheet: 242 by 185mm 9½ by 7¼in. Estimation 7,000 — 11,000 GBP

Provenance: Ex coll. Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution (L. 457e) 

Sotheby’s. Prints & Multiples. Londres, 16 sept. 2014, 02:00 PM

 

18 karat gold, coral, lapis lazuli, turquoise and diamond brooch, Trio

Étiquettes

coral, Lapis Lazuli, Sotheby's, Trio, turquoise

18 karat gold, coral, lapis lazuli, turquoise and diamond brooch, Trio. Photo Sotheby’s

The carved coral face decorated with a twisted lapis lazuli headdress and a collar decorated with turquoise cabochons, set with round and single-cut diamonds weighing approximately .55 carat, gross weight approximately 27 dwts, signed Trio; fitted with pendant loop.. Estimation 6,000 — 8,000 USD 

Sotheby’s. Important Jewels. New York | 23 Sep 2014, 10:00 AM