Aestheticus Rex

Greetings from Design Week in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:23:00 +0000

Hello dear readers. Just a quick post. Between the museum exhibitions, galleries and auction previews it has been an exciting time thus far...despite the spring rain. Yesterday I had the opportunity to take in the 20th Century preview at Tajan and I must say I forgot how well suited their art deco space is to this material.

Tajan Premises: Design Sale (23 May 2013) Photo: AR

There were many offerings between Printz, Ruhlmann (the chair and ottoman in the foreground) and an impressive Adnet suite in parchment. But I was captivated by something a bit earlier in the category.

Georges De Feure Writing Table and Chair Photo: AR

For me, this is a lovely rare survival that is not often seen. This finely carved art nouveau writing table and chair retain their original upholstery scheme. The chair and table are by Georges De Feure who was a master of florid art nouveau that was slightly more restrained then his contemporaries. It is always a treat to see how the period upholstery operates with the work, incorporating the motifs from the carving and integrating the work as a whole.

Georges De Feure Chair Photo: AR

Detail Photo: AR

Detail of table upholstery Photo: AR

Detail of carving to leg Photo: AR

This piece will hit the block tomorrow and I will post an update. While art nouveau is not the hottest commodity in this category it has seen a resurgence in the past few years and intact works such as these are what a serious collector seeks. I am off to hit the galleries....until next time. --AR

Rateau's Commission For the Duchess de Alba to be Sold at Christie's Paris: Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:09:00 +0000

Duchess de Alba's Bathroom, Liria Palace, Madrid circa 1922 Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Hello dear readers. Well I hope you enjoyed my first post on this subject. The Christie's catalogue is out and many questions have been answered regarding this elusive Rateau commission for the Liria Palace in Madrid. According to the catalogue, upon the marriage of the XVII Duke of Alba to the future Duchess (doña María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay), in 1920 an entire enfilade of rooms were commissioned for her use including a boudoir, bedroom and bathroom.

Liria Place, Madrid: Plan of first floor with the Duchess' suite highlighted in white. Image via Christie's (Fonds Rateau)

We now know that this fabled suite of rooms had a rather short shelf-life. The Duchess died 11 January 1934 of tuberculosis and the Liria Palace itself was greatly destroyed during the tumultuous Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). According to the catalogue essay, in advance of the looming revolution, many of the palace treasures and furnishings were safeguarded at either the British Embassy or the Banco de Espana. So now the mystery is solved, The Rateau interiors enjoyed a mere decade of completeness before the tides of war sealed their fate. Now, onto the surviving artworks themselves.

Alba commission Rateau torcheres Image via Christie's

We know the floor lamps "aux oiseau" as this image was included with the press release for this sale issued in February. The lamps are being offered individually each at an estimate of €1,500,000-2,000,000. They are two from the four that were originally installed in the bathroom.

Alba commission low table "aux oiseau" Image via Christie's

As I stated previously this iconic low table is a Rateau collector's must-have item and seems to be in very good order. I am completely unfazed by the estimate of €1,500,000-2,000,000. It will do far better than that.

Alba commission Rateau low table "aux oiseau" shown in situ Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

Now onto the adjustable daybed. The previous literature on the subject suggested that this was a unique work. It has now come to light that it is one of two recorded. The other example with cream upholstery shown in my previous post was exhibited at Delorenzo Gallery, New York in 1990. It can be deduced that it was subsequently sold, its whereabouts are currently unknown.

Alba commission Rateau adjustable daybed Image via Christie's

The Alba daybed has never left their possession and looks to be in good condition. It has been recovered in an animal print fabric in keeping with the original ocelot upholstery. While it is no longer classified as a "unique" work it is only one of two known and with this stellar provenance the estimate of €400,000-600,000 still seems conservative.

Alba commission Rateau adjustable daybed shown in-situ Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

Detail of daybed Image via Christie's

I really enjoy the shell and drapery carved frieze on the seatrail. The bronze pendent's are functional as well as beautiful as they hold the pins that secure the adjustable sides in various positions.

Now onto the dressing table. It appears that over the years of movement and storage that the original top and bronze-mounted mirror superstructure have been lost.

Alba commission Rateau dressing table Image via Christie's

Alba commission Rateau dressing table in its original configuration shown in-situ Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

Detail of dressing table showing original bronze mounted mirror Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

As you can see from the period images the mirror and its sculptural mount are now lacking. I would surmise that the the top has been replaced as well. It either took a spill in the past ninety years or was modified to make it a more versatile piece. I will be attending the exhibition so I will be able to check for sure because if the top is original it will have plugged holes to the surface where the bronze mount was affixed. From the images it looks like the present top is thicker and in the period photos the upper edges appear to be rounded (however it may just be glare). Rateau made versions to this table with and without mirrors so the present condition is not a deal-breaker and explains the €600,000-800,000 estimate. It will perform quite well with this conservative approach.

Alba commission Rateau Canape aux Cols Cygnes Image via Christie's

Now to the sofa, it looks very smart in it brown satin upholstery. The catalogue confirms that it was originally covered in dark pony skin. It also notes that all four legs have been replaced to the original specifications. It is also noted that the patinated seatrail has been restored to its original color. However, if you look at the period image, the seatrail had additional stenciling, carving or appliques when it was originally installed.

Alba commission Rateau Canape aux Cols Cygnes shown in-situ with original seatrail decoration Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

The rosettes at either end of the seatrail appear to be in low-relief in the period photo as well. I will be intriguing to read the condition report for this lot to see what was needed to make it presentable for the auction. That said, the estimate seems right at €200,000-300,000. Not conservative given the condition, but that will likely not matter given the provenance.

Alba commission Rateau marble bathtub Image via Christie's

Last but not least we come to the marble tub. I was curious as to how it was configured. It was in-fact carved out of a solid square block of white marble. As you can see from the period image the mass was sunken into the floor with only the edge molding exposed.

Alba commission Rateau bathtub shown in-situ Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

Unfortunately, it is now lacking its cast bronze fixtures. As you can see from the detail below the holes have been patched.

Detail of carved marble tub showing the infilled holes from the bronze taps Image via Christie's

Detail showing original bronze taps from the Alba commission Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

The arrangement of birds and floral motifs are in keeping with the rest of the room's decorative scheme. The same arrangement of bird faucets and stopper were utilized in the bathroom of Jeanne Lanvin as well.

Rateau bronze bath fixtures from Jeanne Lanvin's Bathroom Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

The catalogue also notes that the tub will not be displayed at Christie's Paris office but rather at the Monin warehouse located on the northern border of the city. I can only guess it has to do with the massive weight of the work causing logistical and safety concerns. On a side note, I heard that the tub spent part of the past sixty years as a water feature in the gardens of the Liria Palace. The mind reels, but I digress. The tub is indeed a great object but as I stated before it will need the right buyer who is willing to take on a project. Lacking its bronze hardware and being relegated to an off-site display location, I do hope that it meets its €150,000-200,000 estimate. Fingers crossed.

Stay tuned for updates from the design sales in paris later this month!--AR.

Rare Lalique Masterwork Sells in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 02:31:00 +0000

Rene Lalique: Winged Woman Balustrade Section, Detail. Image via Sotheby's

Hello Dear Readers. Just a quick post today. In reviewing recent sales during this gloomy snowy Saturday I came across this stunner that sold at Sotheby's Paris some four weeks ago. In a previous post regarding the sale of Tiffany Masterworks from the Garden Museum at Michaan's Auctions, I noted that the Museum's art nouveau treasures were being offered later at Sotheby's Paris salesroom. I thought for sure they would be sold at the usual times for this material...the spring season but alas the sale was slated for February 16th. There were many interesting pieces that I had not seen in some years but the rare Rene Lalique patinated bronze winged woman balustrade panel stole the show achieving the highest price of the sale.

Rene Lalique: Patinated bronze Winged Woman Balustrade Section Image via Sotheby's

This panel was part of a sculptural balustrade within Rene Lalique's display with Siegfried Bing at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900.

Rene Lalique installation at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle Image via Allposters.com

Detail of installation showing balustrade. Image via Sotheby's

Further detail showing balustrade Image via Sotheby's

The bronze panel offered at Sotheby's was one of five that formed a decorative balustrade that was backed with a sheer gauze simulating wings from which Lalque jewels were hung. According to Sotheby's description:

Contemporary illustrations of Lalique's display at the 1900 Exposition universelle show five sculpted bronze figures in three different poses. Two have their hands under the chin, one in the collection of the Kunstgwerbemuseum Berlin (acquisition no. 1901-111), the other on exhibition in the Lalique Museum, Hakone, Japan (lent by Shai Bandmann); one with both arms raised above her head with head to her left (private collection) and two with arms raised above her head (the present example and private collection).

As the cataloging shows the panel is one of five produced and only one of two made utilizing the same figure which may explain the result.

Detail of present model at the exhibition Universelle Paris 1900 Image via Sotheby's

The panel was estimated at €200,000-300,000 and achieved a stellar €1,240,750 ($1,658,313). This was quite an unexpected result and is a testament to the rarity and desirability of the work. As an investment it was a rather wise one. It was purchased by the Garden Museum in 1998 at Christies New York for $134,500 against an estimate of $100,000-150,000.

The present work as illustrated at its previous sale, Christie's New York, 10 December 1998, Lot 111 Image via Christie's

A decorative art item increasing in value by over ten times in fifteen years is not too shabby to say the very least. At the same sale in 1998, another version from the suite of five was offered, making $101,500 against the same estimate of $100,000-150,000. This appears to be the example owned by collector Shai Bandmann presently on loan to the Lalique Museum in Hakone, Japan.

The example presently on loan to the Lalique Museum Hakone, Japan, Christie's New York, 10 December 1998, Lot 112 Image via Christie's

The new $1.6M price may motivate the owners of the three other privately held examples to consider selling. We will have to wait and see. Until next time.--AR

Rare Tiffany Furniture on the Block at Ivey-Selkirk

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 04:35:00 +0000

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman carved and micromosaic inlaid side chair. Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Hello dear readers. A dedicated follower tipped me off to this exciting Tiffany consignment that has emerged at St. Louis regional auction house Ivey-Selkirk.

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman set of four carved and micro mosaic inlaid primavera wood side chairs Image via Ivey Selkirk

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman micro mosaic inlaid carved primavera wood side table Image via Ivey-Selkirk

The table is being offered on its own at $70,000-100,000 and the chairs are being offered as a set of four at $30,000-40,000. While it is not in their description, the primary wood is tropical primavera which is a blonde timber with a fine grain not unlike mahogany. The pieces are further embellished with fine wood and brass micro mosaic bands and small square panels. The catalogue does correctly note that this group of furniture relates to the suite Tiffany and Colman created for the music room of sugar baron H. O. Havemeyer's Manhattan mansion. A settee from that commission surfaced at Doyle New York in February of 2012 achieving a staggering $422,500. You can read the details in my previous post.

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman carved wood settee offered at Doyle's New York Image via Doyle's New York

Music room of the H. O. Havemeyer house, New York, circa 1891 Image via Flickr

While the works are very similar in their exotic influence, carving and overall details, the Ivey-Selkirk group is actually a dead ringer for a pair of Tiffany/Colman armchairs in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman carved and micro mosaic inlaid primavera wood armchair, circa 1891 Image via Metmuseum.org

If I were a gambling man I would guess that they all were from the same original commission. The table and chairs at Ivey-Selkirk have no listed provenance and the armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum merely list their 1964 donation by Mr. and Mrs. George E. Seligman. While we do not know their origins they are all made of the same materials and match in the fine details.

Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Tiffany/Colman chairs at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Tiffany/Colman armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Image via Metmuseum.org

The lush flowers are the same from their shallowly carved roots up to their overlapping leaves and blooms. The array of fine micro mosaic inlays are exact as well.

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman chairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Image via Metmuseum.org

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman chairs at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum Image via Metmuseum.org

And while the table is now lacking its glass ball feet, there is evidence that it had them as the side chairs and the armchairs at the Met do. Note the same reeded round tapered legs as well.

Leg detail from the Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Leg and caster detail from the Tiffany/Colman chairs at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Leg and caster detail from the Tiffany/Colman armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum Image via Metmuseum.org

The table and side chairs are in "estate condition" meaning that it appears they have been untouched which is what serious collectors dream about. It is much easer to improve fine chips, scratches and a darkened original finish than to attempt to reverse an aggressive restoration. The Tiffany group at Ivey-Selkirk truly ticks all the boxes and I expect them fly at these conservative estimates. Expect results well into the six figures for each lot. I am positive all the requisite advisors, dealers and important collectors are circling as we speak. Items like these do not come to light every season so this is a big deal in the Tiffany world. I do hope that Metropolitan Museum has a donor step-in to buy the group as it would be a perfect ending to have this mystery Tiffany commission reunited at long last. Until March 16th we wait.--A.R.

Tabletop detail of Tiffany/Coleman table at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

UPDATE:

I have been in touch with the specialists at Ivey-Selkirk and have gotten a bit more information. It appears that their Tiffany group of furniture was acquired by the family of the present owners in Washington, D.C. in 1968-69 from a house sale or other trade source. As is often the case the trail has run cold. In the course of my research (according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art) I read that Louis C. Tiffany displayed furniture with these Indian inspired inlays at the 1893 World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago. Tiffany described the micro mosaic as "patterns . . . made of thousands of squares of natural wood, one sixteenth-of-an-inch in size, of different colors, and each individual square surrounded by a minute line of metal." To my knowledge there is no known image of the works displayed bearing this technique, so alas I cannot say with certainty that the Ivey-Selkirk group along with the Met Museum armchairs were at the World's fair. But, it cannot be ruled out either. They do not appear in the known images of the Havemeyer Mansion and precious little is known regarding other private commissions of that period. Unusual Tiffany pieces have surfaced before achieving wild results with absolutely no provenance so I wouldn't rule out the present group or the World Fair connection. We have a week to go and I for one am on pins and needles. Until next time--AR.

Tabletop detail of Tiffany/Coleman table at Ivey-Selkirk Image via Ivey-Selkirk

UPDATE:

Well dear readers...the sale is still ongoing as I am writing this but I can confirm that both lots have sold. The table achieved a hammer price of $60,000 ($72,600 with premium) and the chairs sold for $45,000 ($54,450 with premium). I was a bit surprised that they stayed comfortably within their estimates. Perhaps it was their condition or the lack of deeper provenance information. I am sure we will see these pieces again maybe at the Met Museum, an antique show or a larger auction in New York. Until next time--AR.

Rateau's Commission For the Duchess de Alba to be Sold at Christie's Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 02:27:00 +0000

In researching my previous post on Eileen Gray and her retrospective at the Centre Pompidou, I thought of planning a trip to Paris. I did a little digging considering the upcoming auctions I could take-in....and I am glad I did. Christie's has announced that they will be selling Armand-Albert Rateau pieces from my favorite of his commissions, the private apartments of the Duchess of Alba, doña María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay (1900-1934), in the Liria Palace, Madrid. Commissioned between 1920-1921 by her husband, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falco (1878-1953), 17^th Duke of Alba.

Duchess de Alba's Bathroom, Liria Palace, Madrid circa 1922 Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

As faithful readers may notice, I have mentioned this room in a previous post and am simply ecstatic that I will be able to see some of these pieces in the flesh at long last. According to the press release:

“The House of Alba has decided to sell the Armand Albert Rateau furniture commissioned by the 17^th Duke of Alba, don Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart in the early 1920s in France, in order to support the funding of its heritage and of its various palaces throughout Spain as well as supporting new projects for the family. This is part of a general reorganization undertaken by the House of Alba, as illustrated by the recent exhibition ‘El Legado Casa d’Alba’, the first ever organized in Madrid between December 2012-March 2013. These pieces of furniture are all that remain of a larger ensemble that no longer exists. They do not form part of the historic collection of the House of Alba nor do they relate to the history of Spain”, stated the House of Alba.

Duchess de Alba's Bathroom, Liria Palace, detail of niche Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

While exciting on many levels it settles a long scholarly debate, that this interior was in-fact dismantled at some point and no longer exists. Hopefully the Christie's catalogue will shed more light on the details when it is issued. According to Christie's expert Sonja Ganne the pieces consigned include:

Alba Commission Torcheres Image via Christie's

Alba Torcheres, detail Image via Christie's

Two green patinated bronze floor lamps "aux oiseau" offered as individual lots at €1,500,000-2,000,000 each.

Alba comission bronze and marble low table "aux oiseau" Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

A dark green patinated bronze and black marble low table "aux oiseau" at €1,500,000-2,000,000

Alba commission patinated bronze and marble dressing table Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs , Paris

A deep green patinated bronze and black marble dressing table at €600,000-800,000

Alba commission carved giltwood and bronze adjustable daybed Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

A carved giltwood and patinated bronze adjustable daybed at €400,000-600,000

Alba commission parcel gilt carved wood canapé "aux cols de cygne" Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

A parcel gilt carved wood canapé "aux cols de cygne" at €200,000-300,000

Alba commission carved white marble bath tub Image via Musee des Arts Decortifs, Paris

A carved white marble bath tub at €150,000-200,000

The line-up is astonishing and I feel that the estimates are actually quite conservative given the rarity of Rateau's works and the fact that these pieces come directly from this original coveted commission. The torcheres are the same model that were utilized in Jean Lanvin's bathroom (now in the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris). To my knowledge a torchere of this model has not been up at auction in the past few decades, if ever.

Rateau design for a floor lamp variation Image via Fonds Rateau

Two similar and less ornate lamps were offered as successive lots at the Delorenzo tribute sale at Christie's New York in December 2010 achieving $842,500 and $1,142,500 respectively.

One of two Rateau lamps offered in the Delorenzo Sale at Christie's New York Image via Christie's

A similar example was offered at Christie's Paris from the amazing sale of the Collection of Claude and Simone Dray in June of 2006, then making $1,302,782.

Related Rateau torchere from the Claude and Simone Dray sale, Christie's Paris Image via Christie's

Also in the Dray sale was a slightly more elaborate version with an ivory switch...the rare variation was reflected in the price as it achieved a staggering $2,307,673.

Variant Rateau torchere from the Claude and Simone Dray sale, Christie's Paris Image via Christie's

It is this variant nature and the rare Alba provenance that lead me to believe that the Alba torcheres will each soar past their estimates of €1,500,000-2,000,000.

Rateau design drawing for the table "aux oiseau" Image via Fonds Rateau

Now on to the table "aux oiseau". This is a model, that while rare, was a staple for well heeled Rateau clients most notably Jeanne Lanvin who had one in her bedroom.

Jean Lanvin's "table aux oiseau" at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

The last example at public auction was a variant of the Alba/Lanvin model with closer set, more arched birds centered by a flower and lacking the tray top opting for just the simple marble slab.

Rateau "table aux oiseau" from the Claude and Simone Dray Sale, Christie's Paris Image via Christie's

This table not surprisingly also came from the Christie's Paris Dray sale in 2006 where it achieved $2,601, 667. It appears that the Dray table was presented at the booth of Galerie Vallois at the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris this past September. Again, with this price as a base line I feel that the Alba table will blow through its estimates of €1,500,000-2,000,000 given its rarity and provenance.

Rateau Design for a vanity table Image via Fonds Rateau

Now the vanity table is a Rateau design icon that turns-up with and without the mirror. Jeanne Lanvin had a variant in her Paris apartment (on view at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris) and one presently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Rateu dressing table at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Image via Metmuseum.org

Rateau's variant dressing table for Jeanne Lanvin Image via Musee des Arts Decortifs, Paris

The last example at auction once again came from the Collection of Claude and Simone Dray at Christie's Paris in June of 2006. It realized a heady €1,916,000 against a seemingly conservative €500,000-700,000.

Rateau dressing table from the Dray Collection Image via Christie's

With this in mind, once again the example from the Alba commission seems conservative at €600,000-800,000.

Rateau's adjustible daybed from the Alba commission shown in two positions Image via Editions de L'Amateur

There is no comparable for the Alba daybed which makes sense as the literature suggests that it is unique. The period images above show it in two positions and with its original ocelot fur upholstery. Thankfully for us it was photographed more recently with both the head and foot in raised positions making it a more versatile curule form bench.

Rateau adjustible daybed shown with ends raised Image via Editions de L'Amateur

Rateau's carved wood furniture typically does not reach the prices of his works in bronze. But, the fact that it comes from the Alba commission and is apparently a unique work, I expect bidders to completely ignore the sale estimates of €400,000-600,000.

UPDATE: The catalogue is out and it has recently come to light that there are two examples of this daybed. The example above in the cream upholstery was part of a Rateau exhibition at Delorenzo Gallery, New York in 1990. Its present whereabouts are unknown...

Now onto the parcel giltwood canapé "aux cols de cygne". There is not an auction precedent for this work to my knowledge and its rather historicist Empire style form seems right at an estimate of €200,000-300,000. I still think that it will go well over the high estimate, but it is not the most highly prized work in the offering. It is by no means a unique work, but I personally have not encountered one in in the flesh. The Alba model appears to have been originally covered in a dark satin or dark short haired fur and the literature shows this period image of the same model covered in a light striped fur.

Rateau canape "aux cols de cygne" Image via Fonds Rateau

In the period, the model was also seen at the 1925 Paris exposition where Rateau recreated the Alba bathroom at the Arnold Seligmann Gallery on the Place Vendome. The example at the exhibition was covered in a striped fabric and had a minimally carved seat rail.

Rateau installation at Arnold Seligmann Gallery, Paris 1925 Image via Fonds Rateau

Last but not least we come to the tub. It is a great object, but as with all site specific works and architectural elements it will prove to be a tough sell which is reflected in its relatively modest €150,000-250,000 estimate. Hopefully it still has its sculptural bronze taps and spout as this will help. However, at the end of the day, you need that special client who has a vision and is willing to design an entire room around this dreamy sunken tub. This type of client can prove to be elusive and if the piece passes it will be hard to sell in a later auction stripped of its context. But I will think good thoughts.

Alba commission carved white marble bath tub Image via Musee des Arts Decortifs, Paris

As a final thought, I mused over the press release's rather adamant stance that "these pieces of furniture are all that remain of a larger ensemble that no longer exists". As you peer once more into the period images you notice a second pair of floor lamps, a bronze mounted alabaster floor vase, a small vanity chair and tabouret that are unaccounted for.

Duchess de Alba's Bathroom, Liria Palace, Madrid circa 1922 Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Detail showing vanity chair Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Detail showing floor vase Image via Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Detail image showing low stool/tabouret Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Who knows where these pieces are or if they will ever surface and don't get me started about the elaborately lacquered and painted walls. If you look at the plan you see that it was a round room created by cleverly framing out a square room, thus creating concealed niches for the sink, w.c., closet, and an alternate exit/staff access.

Plan of the Duchess de Alba's bathroom. Image via Fonds Rateau

For color images of this type of Rateau painted decoration see my previous post on the subject. I plan to provide updated information as we learn more about the Alba consignment at Christie's. Until next time--AR.

UPDATE:
It has come to my attention that Galerie Vallois presented a canapé "aux cols de cygne" with a matching chair at the 2004 Paris Biennale des Antiquaires. The pieces came from a group of works that were from the apartment of Jeanne Lanvin circa 1920.

Galerie Vallois Rateau Installation at the Paris Biennale des Antiquaires in 2004 Image via Galerie Vallois

Rare Eileen Gray Lamp at Auction on Heels of Centre Pompidou Retrospctive

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 03:03:00 +0000

Hello Dear readers. It is funny how inspiration comes in waves. While doing some unrelated research, I found that this early Eileen Gray lamp is on the block (today) at the regional auction house Leclere in Marsaille.

Eileen Gray ivory, ebony and parchment table lamp, circa 1922-25 Image via Leclare

I was not readily familiar with this form but the experts at Leclere presented a period image of this model within the "Monte-Carlo Boudoir" Gray produced for the XIV Salon des Artistes Decorateurs, Paris of 1923.

Eileen Gray, Monte Carlo Boudoir for the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs, Paris 1923 Image via Leclare

I was familiar with this sumptuously tinted image and was a bit lost as I thought I had "seen it all". In scanning the finer details...voila!

Detail showing lamp model on the low table Image via Leclare

I simply love discovering something "new" about a subject I had considered so well covered. After doing a bit of digging I found a few examples that have been on the market within the last decade.

Eileen Gray ivory, ebony and parchment table lamp, circa 1922-25 Image via Artfact

Camard & Associes had this example in March of 2010 achieving €120,000 against an estimate of €120,000-150,000, making the example at Leclare a relative bargain at €50,0000-60,000. The Camard example was a bit more exciting as the shade is embellished with a westernized interpretation of an African pattern. We will have to wait and see the result as the Leclere sale. While the sale had a nice mix of 20th century design the Gray lamp was the top lot and definitely stood out amongst the rest of the offerings. One wonders why the consignor would not have chosen to sell with a larger house in Paris...but I digress. If its provenance holds-up (it was acquired by a family in the period directly from the artist and then made its way to a Parisian private collection) then I would see no problem with it flying past the conservative estimates listed.

Eileen Gray pair of rosewood and mahogany table lamps , circa 1920 Image via Artiste

This pair of lamps of the same design but in carved wood were offered at Christie's New York in September of 2007 achieving $22,500 against an estimate of $25,000-35,000. These are perfectly elegant, but I prefer the examples in ivory with their original shades.

In the course of researching this post it has come to my attention that the Centre Pompidou in Paris has just opened a sweeping retrospective of the Gray's work on now through May 20th. The displays are after my own heart showing the objects (where possible) against backdrops of period images of their original commission/interior. It just so happens the they feature the Monte-Carlo Boudoir...

Monte-Carlo Boudoir items displayed at the Centre Pompidou Image via Arte-Case

As you can see from the rather small image (my apologies) they are showing the ivory table lamp, floor lamp and a side table form the original installation. I am not sure who presently owns the table lamp or the side table. But the African inspired floor lamp is on loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

Eileen Gray lacquer and parchment floor lamp, circa 1923 Image via VMFA

This exhibition is terribly exciting and I have just ordered the catalogue. I think that a trip to Paris is in order as the closing of the Gray exhibition coincides with what are shaping up to be exciting sales at Christie's and Sotheby's....details to follow. I will post the results of the table lamp at Leclere as soon as they are published. Until next time--AR.

P.S. Here is a highlight reel put together by the Centre Pompidou...

Eileen Gray, du 20 février au 20 mai 2013 by centrepompidou

UPDATE:
The lamp did indeed sell for a confirmed price of €73,000! It must have passed the test to achieve such a good price. My congratulations to Leclere.

Second "Jazz" Screen Emerges in Charity Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 01:55:00 +0000

Indore "Jazz" screen Image courtesy Bid & Hammer

Hello Dear Readers. While reviewing my backlog of emails I came across a delightful press release that was forwarded from a subscriber in India. As I predicted in my previous post, the second and more famous "Jazz" screen by art deco designer Etienne Drian has resurfaced...

Maharaja of Indore's "Jazz" screen Image via Paul Fraser Collectibles

The screen is being offered as the centerpiece of charity auction on March 9th which is part of the inaugural "One World Retreat" held in Jodhpur to benefit the Indian Head Injury Foundation. It seems a noble and worthy cause attracting artifacts and philanthropists from across the globe (including Sting). You can read the press release here.

It seems that the screen has not traveled too far in the past eighty years as it was was executed for the ballroom/theatre of the Maharaja of Indore's art deco Manik Bagh palace. Paul Fraser Collectibles blog notes that the Maharaja of Indore acquired the screen at a French exhibition in 1931 which is a new bit of information in its history. I have reached out to the auction company running the sale (Bid & Hammer) for further information and images so I will keep you posted on my findings. Hopefully it is in better condition than its sister that sold at Christie's New York in June of 2011 for $110,500. According to Paul Fraser the sale estimate for the Indore screen is $736,000-1,100,000. This seems rather steep considering how the example at Christie's performed, but it is for a good cause so wee shall see how it goes. On a side note, the screen sold at Christie's was beautifully restored by the experts at Lowy in New York City. You can see the process over at their blog.

--AR

UPDATE:
A client service representative from Bid & Hammer has thankfully forwarded better images and the cataloging for their screen.

Indore "Jazz" screen Image courtesy Bid & Hammer

The cataloging highlights the fact that the screen was in-fact purchased from an exhibition in France by the Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II of Indore in 1931 and placed in the Music Room of his fabled art deco Manik Bagh Palace. The screen then passed by descent to his daughter, Usha Devi, the present Maharani of Indore who in turn gifted it to the present owner in 1977. From the images the screen appears to be in an excellent state of preservation which is not often the case with the verre eglomise works of Etienne Drian. The sale estimate was confirmed to be $740,740-1,111,111. The estimate does cause a bit of sticker shock, but the condition and stellar Indore provenance are strong attributes in its favor.

For those not in the know, Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II of Indore was Oxford educated and quite the aesthete.

Portrait of the Maharaja of Indore, Yeswant Rao Holkar (1908-1961) by Bernard Boutet de Monvel

I have always found his 1934 portrait in traditional dress to be haunting. Modern and lavish yet with an austerity that demands attention. This is counter-balanced by his companion portrait in Western evening clothes.

Portrait of the Maharaja of Indore, Yeswant Rao Holkar (1908-1961) by Bernard Boutet de Monvel

He succeeded his father as Maharaja of Indore in 1926 and in 1930 commissioned German architect Eckart Muthesius to design a refined art deco palace. The young architect worked in cooperation with the premier art deco and avant guard designers of the day including Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Alix and Louis Sognot, Eileen Gray and Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann. The result was a late art deco masterwork moving toward the international style.

Maharaja's Bedroom, Manik Bagh Palace Image via Arnoldsche

This is evidenced by the Maharaja's sleek cool bedroom seen above. The contents were disbursed in a celebrated sale at Sotheby's Monaco in 1980, therefore items do turn up at auction and their provenance is a major factor in the estimates and prices realized.

Maharaja's Bed, designed by Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix Image via Artfact.com

The Maharaja's bed was last at auction at Sotheby's in 2003 and achieved $209,600. An example of Eileen Gray's "Transat" chair is also seen in the period image of the bedroom. It surfaced again at Sotheby's Paris in 2011 but failed to sell on an estimate of €700,000-1,000,000.

Eileen Gray, "Transat" Chair, circa 1930 Image via Artfact.com

Entrance Hall of Manik Bagh Palace Image via Arnoldsche

I have included the image above as it captures the understated opulence that greeted one right at the front door. It also shows a rare Muthesius floor lamp, one of a pair designed specifically for this commission. The pair surfaced once more at Christie's Paris in 2009 from the collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge achieving a staggering €2,529,000 against an estimate of €400,000-600,000.

Torcheres designed by Eckart Muthesius for Manik Bagh Palace Image via Artfact.com

One final example of the allure of and Indore provenance comes in the form of chrome and glass wall shelves that were designed by Muthesius for the palace's library.

Detail of the library from Manik Bagh Palace Image via Liveauctioneers.com

The set of shelves, chic and yet unassuming, were offered at Christie's Paris from the Collection of the Chateau de Gourdon in 2011 at an estimate of €400,000-600,000, achieving €481,000.

Wall mounted shelves from the library at Manik Bagh Palace Image via Artnet.com

I look forward to the results of the One World Retreat auction on March 9th. I hope the screen achieves a record for Drian and benefits a noble cause in the process. Again for more information contact Bid & Hammer or the One World Retreat.

--AR

UPDATE:
The One World Retreat auction took place last weekend and unfortunately the screen failed to sell. Bid & Hammer Auctioneers are still entertaining after sale offers if you are interested.--AR

Greetings from Design Miami...

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:25:00 +0000

Hello dear readers. As Basel week kicks off in Miami I send you my best visual thoughts from the front lines. While Basel proper looms in the near distance, I spent most of Tuesday soaking in the treasures of Design Miami, and lets face it, these are my people... So lets get to it, shall we?

The booth of Todd McDonald NYC

I was captivated by the booth of Todd McDonald who has long been a friend of good design, but his array of period Eames was quite a warm respite. Along with the ESU's and esoteric leg splints he brought a great collection of design jewelry which was already finding homes amongst fair attendees on opening night.

Galerie Downtown-Francois Laffanour Paris

Galerie Downtown Paris was a Prouve-Perriand affair and I must say sometimes it does pay to keep like with like. I had preview access and thus the booth was free from clients who can delightfilly distract from the most stridently prepared gesumtkunstwerk.

Galerie Downtown-Francois Laffanour Paris

While I could never personally live with this much Mouille/Prouve/Perriand outside of the Congo, it does make sense in the design wilds of Miami and I am sure many of these masterworks will find new homes before the week is out.

Moderne Gallery of Philadelphia

While Moderne Gallery of Philadelphia is a leading exponent of the New Hope School (read Nakashima) their booth was decidedly a Wharton Escherick affair. While I like his works in small doses it was impressive to see so many models in one spot. The pair of stools at top left were particularly exquisite.

Galerie Jacques Lacoste Paris

Galerie Jacques Lacoste never (ever) seems to disappoint. I rarely get verbose but he always manages to procure the masterful examples of Royere. His booth was excellently curated and while breathable was stocked full of top-notch French 40s design.

Jason Jacques, Inc.
As an admitted design geek the booth New York "pot dealer" Jason Jacques made me lose myself for a moment as there was so much to absorb. I must hand it to him he brought out many ceramic works of unmatched quality and provenance (I would hate to be his shipper/insurer).

Masterworks by Viennese ceramicist Ernst Wahliss

This particular group of vessels by the Viennese ceramicist Ernst Wahliss made me so very happy. While being firmly rooted in the Jugenstil (1900s) they made me think of Murakami especially the mushroom shaped pot in the foreground (below).

I leave you lastly with an unexpected new discovery. The highlight of every season is the encounter with something that captivates the eye with its uniqueness, may I present the "Fragile Future" chandeleier (2012) by Ralph Nauta and Lonneke Gordijn.

I apologize in advance for the rather cold nature of the captured light but this is the nature of LEDs. It read from a distance as a work of Harry Bertoia, but having never seen a model close to this I knew my design vocabulary was leading me astray. The framework is constructed of polished bronze, but the "bulbs" are actually individually adhered "dandelion seeds" to commercial LEDs, thus recreating and array of clustered dandelions.

Detail

The table lamp version of this chandelier was clad in glass which made complete sense as one can only imagine that these delicate reconstructed dandelions would become caked with dust over time. Oh well, sometimes design is simply made for dreaming....More to follow from my week at the Basel Fair...

Wrightsman Collection Yields Royal Jewel

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 07:31:00 +0000

Diamond Bow Brooch: Image courtesy Sotheby's

Hello again. It has been far too long since my last offering but the business of business has once again gotten in the way. But this post will not disappoint. It seems that Sotheby's has snagged a consignment of jewels from the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art donor Jayne Wrightsman. Sotheby's was a shoe-in as they have been selling off Jayne's treasures ever since they aided her in dusbursing works from her Palm Beach residence in 1984. The present sale is a single owner catalogue rife with the standard sets of jewels that were requisite for a 5th avenue hostess of the 1950s-1980s. Big, colorful and impressive, but the sale saves one treasure for last....the above royal brooch.

Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna wearing the brooch: Image via The Royal Forums

May I present the diamond and gold bow brooch of circa 1850 from the collection of Russian Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna. For those not in the know, she was the daughter of Grand Duchess Vladimir whose jewelry collection was one of the only Russian aristocratic collections to escape the revolution intact. As the story goes, the brooch was a wedding present to Grand Duchess Elena either from her mother or from the Czar himself when she married into the Greek line becoming Princess Nicholas of Greece. The brooch later passed to Elena's daughter Princess Marina of Greece. Marina was quite a beauty and made a fortuitous match marrying Prince George of Kent thus becoming a prominent member of the British Royal Family. The brooch was an apparent favorite as she wore it to numerous state events and in formal portraits most notably to the Coronation of George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth in 1953.

Princess Marina wearing the brooch with her sisters Elizabeth and Olga: Image via Tumblr

Portrait of Princess Marina by Cecil Beaton: Image via Tumblr

Duke and Duchess of Kent (with brooch) at the coronation of George VI in 1937: Image via Operagloves.com

Duchess of Kent wearing the brooch at the Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953: Image via Tumblr

With the present climate for the repatriation of Russian Royal treasures I am confident that the brooch will sail past its estimate of $200,000-300,000 especially given the added layer of British Royal history. The listed provenance stops with Princess Marina (Duchess of Kent) so we don't know exactly how and when Jayne Wrightsman acquired it which is always frustrating, but then again this was the collector who managed to get Louis XV's desk out of France so I am sure for her anything was possible. Until next time...AR

UPDATE: The sale is over and the brooch achieved a staggering $842,500! Unfortunately the press release provides no clues as to who the buyer may be. We must wait for any further disclosures...

Tiffany Coup For Michaan's Auctions

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Hello dear readers, it has been far too long since my last post, but relatively speaking it was rather a slow summer for the art market in general. As August winds to a close the September sale catalogues are upon us as are the flurry of fall press releases. Asia Week will dominate a majority of next month as well as Sotheby's single owner sale of the Estate of Brooke Astor. However, I was stunned by a major upset in the New York dominated Tiffany Studios market. It appears that Michaan's Auctions (based in Almeda, California) has brought to market one of the best collections of Tiffany works of art in the world. Michaan's beat out both Christie's and Sotheby's for the right to sell the "Tiffany Masterworks" from The Garden Museum in Japan.

Tiffany Studios "Grape" Table Lamp, Estimate $750,000-$850,000. Photo courtesy Michaan's Auctions.

Detail, courtesy Michaan's Auctions.

This is quite a coup for the small California auction house considering that it was founded some ten years ago. With the collapse of the economy, auction houses have become much more cautious about offering 0% terms, collateral loans, and guarantees in order to secure consignments but when they do come into play it is usually the larger houses that have the wherewithal to seal the deal...not so in this case. According the their press release, Michaan's dug in deep and actually secured a group of private investors to acquire the contents of The Garden Museum outright and they will be selling it on their own behalf. Quite risky and a very bold move for a smaller auction venue, but well played I must say.

Selection of lamps, a painting and favrile glass vases from The Garden Museum. Photo courtesy Michaan's.

The Garden Museum was the brainchild of fervent Tiffany collector Mr. Takeo Horiuchi aided by noted Tiffany expert Alastair Duncan after meeting at an exhibition in 1992. From that point foreward, the pair worked closely together to track down only the best and most rarified works. Horiuchi stuck by Duncan while he suffered a career setback that would have ruined others with lesser intestinal fortitude, but that is another story for another day. Duncan played a major role in bringing this collection to market so it is a definite coup for him as well.

Wisteria and "Pony" Wisteria lamps from the collection. Photo courtesy Michaan's.

From the press release, Japan's recent seismic activity and ensuing tsunamis motivated Horiuchi to disband the museum as he felt he could no longer ensure the long term safety of the works if they stayed in Japan.

Selection of highlights from the sale. Photo courtesy Michaan's.

We will have to wait and see if a larger financial motivation comes to light. The sale is oddly placed on November 17th, a full three weeks before the 20th century sales in New York. I guess this will make it easier for collectors to to attend both the east coast and west coast sales but if I were Michaan's I would have had the sale in a pop-up space in New York to dominate the week typically won by Christie's and Sotheby's... but I digress. More to come as the details unfold. Make sure to secure your copy of Duncan's catalogue of the Museum published in 2002 as it will now likely become a scholarly collectors item. Until next time--AR.

Untouched "Civa" on the Block in France

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Detail of Face. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

Hello dear readers, it has been some time and I have regrettably been too distracted by the business of business to muse over artistic distractions but I had to take the time to post this little treasure. May I present the gilt and cold painted bronze and ivory figure of "Civa" (Shiva) by Demeter Chiparus.

Civa by Demeter Chiparus. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

Now I know many of you may think I have lost my mind. Chiparus' art deco figures of exotic dancers and femme fatales illicit very strong reactions from modern viewers. However, one must understand that these works were produced during the decadent interwar period that was rife with cabarets, ancient discoveries and a relaxation of sexual mores. Works of this nature were popular for a mere ten to fifteen years and with the rise of the second world war they were largely forgotten until the 1970s and 80s (another decadent time) when art deco art and furnishings had a revival among collectors and designers alike.

Detail of back. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

Detail of Side. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

The pose of this vaguely Indian yet Ballet Russe inspired figure is based on exoticist performers of the period.

Contortionist performer from the period.

The figure itself is made from cast bronze that is exquisitely painted in rouge and orange tones with gilding and silver embellishments. This example is the top tier of the artist's production, thus the face, hands and feet are sculpted from elephant ivory.

Detail of surface decoration. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

Detail of legs. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

The use of ivory is naturally controversial these days and does make these works hard to import and export. This is something that potential purchaser's must keep in mind. The statue is being offered by the regional French auction house Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard based in Dijon. Believe it or not, this market is proliferated with fakes both from the the period and of more recent manufacture. They are usually easy to spot but sometimes they can be quite masterfully executed. The present lot is the "Holy Grail" for serious collectors as it has an air tight provenance. According to the auction catalogue the statue was presented to a Mr. H. Lacaille on the 7th of April 1935 at the banquet of the federation of wine and spirits merchants of the eastern region and the syndicate of Haute Marne. The base bears a presentation plaque to this effect. This is all very nice in theory, but thankfully the event was photographed for posterity...with the statue present in the foreground.

1935 banquet for the wine and spirit merchants of Haute Marne.

Detail showing Civa in the period image above.

From an expert's standpoint it does not get any better than this. The work remained in the Lacaille family up until this point. With this in mind, the figure is being offered at the seemingly modest estimate of €50,000-80,000. I say that because a comparable example sold at Christie's London in 2009 for $142,699. I fully expect it to reach the $150,000 range at the very least. We shall have to wait until the hammer falls to find out.

Detail of base interior. Courtesy Cortot-Vregille-Bizouard, Dijon

As a final aside I had to publish one more detail image. If this work wasn't over the top already...the base illuminates. Now that is what I call gilding the lily. Until next time--AR.

UPDATE: The statue sold netting $140,122 with buyer's premium. This is completely in line with my thoughts and with the example that sold in London in 2009. Until next time...--AR

Rare Tiffany Settee at Doyle New York

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:27:00 +0000

Image via Doyle New YorkHello Dear Readers. Just a quick post this time but it is of the utmost importance. Thanks to an old colleague I was tipped off to this rare treasure that is slated to sell tomorrow (Feb. 8th) in Doyle New York's Belle Epoch auction. Let me introduce you to the Indian inspired carved wood settee crafted by Louis Comfort Tiffany for the music room of the H. O. Havemeyer house at 1 East 66th Street.

Image via Doyle New York
The modern upholstery may leave much to be desired but you must think it away. The Havemeyer mansion was one of the premier aesthetic movement homes in America when completed in 1892. Tiffany planned every detail of the decor and the music room was no exception.

Period Image of the Music Room
Unfortunately the home was razed in 1930 and its contents were divided by the family...some of which were disbursed. Thankfully for us many pieces have made it into public collections. From time to time they do appear at auction, but usually at Christie's and Sotheby's. Don't get me wrong, Doyle's is a New York institution, but you would expect a lot of this level to command the cover of an important December/June design sale. It is quite puzzling. Perhaps the consigner wants to sell discretely but the motive is unclear at this point.

Image Doyle New YorkThe provenance shows that the settee descended in the Havemeyer family for four generations but there is no direct indication that it was consigned by the family. It is a bit confusing as that would only add cache to the lot. That said, I have absolutely no doubt that it will sell at its estimate of $125,000-175,000. If I were a gambling man I would guess that it will sell in the $250,000-300,000 range. But there is no telling. This work is so exceedingly rare that it could easily fly despite being discretely inserted in a smaller sale venue. Until tomorrow we wait.-AR

Update:
Well I was proven to be a bit too conservative in my exhuberence, perish the thought. The lot sold this afternoon for $422,500.00. It is no surprise because lets face it...where can you find another one in private hands? I will let you know if any further details surface.--AR

Update II:
Well that did not take too long. My contact at Doyle's confirmed that there were seven active bidders competing for the settee. The lot was won by the powerhouse art consultancy McClelland + Rachen bidding on behalf of a private client. They represent some of the best 20th century art collectors so I am not surprised by this news. Evidently the underbidder was Margot Johnson who featured prominently in a previous post about Herter Brothers. How exciting. Until next time.--AR

Art Nouveau Jewelry at Sotheby's

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Detail via Sotheby's

Hello dear readers. The winter antiques/auction season is charging forward despite the fact that we have had little proof that winter has actually taken place in the Northeast thus far. As many of you know I am greatly distracted by interesting and historic jewelry. Thankfully Sotheby's Important Jewels sale this month does not disappoint. The specialists were able to cull a few fine Art Nouveau stunners from different collections for an impressive section in the sale. And here they are:

Image via Sotheby's

This rather florid pendant is by the incomparable Rene Lalique and dates to circa 1900. The enamel on gold is exquisite especially when you note the subtle details to the face enhanced by the engraving to the gold surface below. This was produced at the height of the Art Nouveau period and is exactly what a collector would want, which is likely factored into the estimate of $60,000-80,000.

Image via Sotheby's

This sinewy comb is a perfect marriage of Art Nouveau and Egyptian motifs. It dates to just after 1905 and being a part of the pre-plastic era, it is composted predominantly of translucent tortoiseshell embellished with enamel, opals and gold fitments. It is the work of Georges Fouquet, who in my opinion, does not get the credit he deserves as his works are on the same level as the venerable Lalique.

Detail via Sotheby's

It comes in at a more modest $10,000-15,000 and is really more of collector's cabinet piece but exquisitely designed nonetheless.

Image via Sotheby's

This next offering is composed of a brooch and a separate clasp of the same design by Rene Lalique. The pieces date to circa 1900 and are being offered at an estimate of $60,000-80,000. The decoration is comprised of gold with cream enamel and amethyst stones, the brooch further embellished with pink glass raspberries. While visually interesting the lot gives me pause as there appears to be more to the story. The lot description skirts the issue by merely noting that only the clasp is signed and that the brooch has a later pin fitment. It seems clear to me that these pieces started out life as part of a larger work, perhaps a necklace with the "brooch" serving as the centerpiece or pendent. It will likely sell as it is so rare, but I am not sure where it will fall at that estimate.

Image via Sotheby's

If the previous lot seems a bit lacking this next piece is definitely everything you would want and at the same estimate of $60,000-80,000. Like the peacock, the iridescent dragonfly was a creature emblematic of the Art Nouveau movement and sensibility. This pin of opposing dragonflies was crafted by Rene Lalique between 1903-1904 in enameled gold with opals. The wings are rendered in plique-a-jour enamel which makes them akin to little stained glass windows. It is definitely a technique you want to see in a Lalique piece. I have a strong feeling this work will fare well when it is up on the block. It is a microcosm of a larger work on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I present the elaborate collar necklace that Lalique crafted for his second wife around 1900.

Image via Metmuseum.org

Again it relies on opals, enameled gold and the plique-a-jour technique....but obviously on a much larger scale and completely over the top as the artist was not constrained by the dictates of a client commission.

Image via Metmuseum.org

The collar is comprised of nine stylized maidens with wild Mucha-esque whiplash hair with arms flowing into a lobed frame with black swans on a pale blue plique-a-jour ground. Each maiden is flanked by impressive fire opals in gold vine-work mounts. The workmanship of these pieces is even more evident when you view the verso.

Image via Metmuseum.org

Truly exquisite as there is no need to provide this level of finish to the back of the work. It was donated to the Met in 1985 by the venerable Tiffany dealer Lillian Nassau. I once saw a painting of Nassau wearing the necklace and wish I could find an image of it. It shows the dramatic scale of the piece when worn.

Image via Sotheby's

The final lot to cover from the Sotheby's sale is this intricate pin executed by Georges Fouquet around 1910. Like the comb above, it is looking to the motifs of ancient Egypt for its primary inspiration (albeit filtered through the lens of the late Art Nouveau style). Again it is executed in enameled gold set with an array of semi-precious stones framed by a riviere of small rose cut diamonds. This work is priced at the seemingly popular estimate of $60,000-80,000. As a late Art Nouveau work it is beginning to stiffen-up looking ahead to what would become the Art Deco style. Fouquet took over his father's jewelry business in 1895 and his close alliance with Art Nouveau illustrator Alphonse Mucha is beyond apparent...even to the untrained eye. In 1902 he moved the business to 6 rue Royale and made quite the splash with its decor (designed by Mucha).

Period Image of facade via all-art.org

Period Image of interior via all-art.org

As you know, I do love a period image, but thankfully for us the shop was donated in its entirety to the Musee Carnavalet in Paris where it was faithfully reinstalled. Take-in the feast of details below. The next time you are in Paris it is a must see. We shall await the fate of the Art Nouveau gems at Sotheby's...until next time. AR

Image of interior via all-art.org

Detail via MGLM Architects

Detail via thetripplanner.com

Detail via Bit of Seasoning Tumblr

Facade detail via Melbourne Our Home Blogspot

The 58th Annual Winter Antiques Show

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:48:00 +0000

I braved the snow to make it out to this annual extravaganza of needful things from across the globe. The offerings were varied as usual but as a decorative arts aficionado I am embarrassed to admit that I was more captivated by the fine arts offerings this time around. Starting with this arresting John Singer Sargent charcoal drawing of the dapper Robert Gould Shaw III in the booth of the venerable Fine Art Society of London. The quality is exceptional and it stopped just about everyone. It is no wonder that is already sold so early on in the fair (I would assume near the asking price of $160,00).

The sitter was the rather ill-fated son of Nancy Langhorne Astor who ultimately committed suicide after a long battle with alcoholism and depression. However dark the underpinnings may be, it is magnificent in its sheer presence. A quick look around the internet revealed that it surfaced in a small auction in Kent last year and achieved a tidy £23,000. Who knows where it will turn up next.

When you enter the show you are confronted by the Historic Hudson River Valley installation and this rather smart pair of American Gothic revival benches. They were actually owned by Washington Irving of Sleepy Hollow fame and date to 1836 which is rather early for this style in America. I was struck by their absolute purity, before the Gothic revival was watered-down and blurred into frilly Rococo revival permutations.

This simple sweeping wheel is mesmerizing in its simplicity and almost stark modernity. Suggesting the tracery of a rose window and at the same time a spinning wheel of the coming machine age.

Above one bench hangs a portrait of Washington Irving painted by John Wesley Jarvis in 1809. It is exquisitely painted with all the requisite Empire period drama. Who knew Irving cut such a handsome figure...but I digress.

I next stumbled upon the booth of Elle Shushan and their ever expanding array of portrait miniatures. I was particularly taken by this Henry Colton Shumway portrait of a gentleman circa 1840. The elegant elongation of his form is striking. You see it in the rather gossamer depictions of women of the period and is interesting to see in a male portrait.

Maison Gerard did not disappoint with this rare Jules Leleu partially lacquered cabinet from 1933. However my focus was diverted to the lacquer panels just above and to the left of it.

One depicts a stylized city scene and the other abstract geometrics heightened with eggshell lacquer. I initially thought they were the work of Jean Dunand but in fact they are by the relatively under appreciated French lacquer artist Pierre Bobot. He deserves a full post soon I promise as I feel that he will only increase in estimation as works by Dunand become increasingly scarce and out of reach to most collectors. The panels are old friends that I remember seeing at auction in Paris this past December. They were offered from the estate of the artist's daughter Marie Therese Bobot but failed to sell even at their modest estimates. I am sure they will fare better in the capable hands of Maison Gerard.

Finally, I was quite impressed to see three Alexander Calder stabiles in the booth of Jonathan Boos. They date from the mid-1950s and it is not surprising that they were all sold so early in the show. While they are technically "fine art" they appeal to my passion for design. They transform in appearance as you move around them. Truly a microcosm of the artist's work.

Until next time--AR.

Update: The Bobot eggshell lacquer panel has sold. The venerable Maison Gerard was asking $28,000 and I am sure it found a good home. The other "Skyscraper" panel is still available to the tune of $42,000. We shall see what happens after the final weekend! Happy Hunting!

Prince of Wales Plume Brooch at Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:10:00 +0000

Now I was on the fence about this post for the past few weeks for a multitude of reasons. The brooch comes from the collection of Elizabeth Taylor and is one the centerpieces of tomorrow's sale at Christie's. Primarily the exposure was giving me pause, but it was more the fact that I could not find a period image of the Duchess of Windsor wearing it that stopped me in my tracks...selfish? Perhaps, but it always adds to the mystique of an object and makes these posts so much fun to write, but I digress... For those who missed it, the brooch was created in 1935 and was a gift from Edward, Prince of Wales to his paramour Wallis Simpson making it one of those talismanic objects that in itself symbolizes one of the greatest romances of the 20th century.

The three joined plumes are a symbol of the Prince of Wales, the heir apparent, thus this gift in a sense demonstrated the Prince's intention to make the twice divorced Wallis Simpson his queen. It is the stuff of legend but it is a bit clouded as I have heard that it was given to Wallis in 1935 and conversely in 1955. Either way it is still a romantic notion. As the story goes, Elizabeth Taylor and the then Duke and Duchess of Windsor moved in the same circles and Elizabeth admired the brooch to the extent that Richard Burton asked the Duchess if he could copy it for Liz....the stylish Duchess agreed. However, a copy was never made.

After the Duchess died in 1986 her legendary jewelry collection was sold at Sotheby's Geneva the following year to benefit the Pasteur Institute. The legend goes that Prince Charles was part of the bidding war for the piece which was ultimately won by Taylor, bidding via telephone poolside from her home in Los Angeles...naturally. At the time she paid $449,625, so it seems a bargain at the present estimate of $400,000-600,000. I am guessing that it will break the million dollar mark given the success of the Duchess' other pieces that resurfaced last year. The piece now operates on many levels from Hollywood glamour to the centerpiece of legendary if not ill fated romances. I say that not to be melodramatic but I have always been haunted by this image of the bereft Wallis peering out of a window at Buckingham Palace after the Duke's funeral.

To add insult to injury the rest of the royal family decamped to Balmoral and left the Duchess to her own devices. The lost look in her eyes brings home her most famous quote "you have no idea how hard it is to live out a great romance..." Hopefully the brooch will find its way to the epicenter of another great romance... Until then we wait...AR

UPDATE:

Well, the important jewels session one just concluded. It took four and a half hours to sell a mere 80 lots in an industry that usually sells between 80-100 lots in an hour. This is a testament to the interest in the sale. The Prince of Wales Brooch performed as I suspected breaking just over a million dollars achieving $1.3M with buyers premium. The press release has yet to be issued so there is no telling what disclosures can and will be made. But this I do know, the brooch sold via telephone with an Asian Christie's representative named "Mei-Mei". So the brooch may be heading East. Hopefully we will know more soon. --AR

Thanks to Interior Design Hound a period image has finally surfaced online...whew!

Templeton Crocker Redux

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:08:00 +0000

I must say, every auction season is always a gamble which adds the excitement and allure. One never knows what will surface and what prices will be achieved. In my previous post I highlighted the Jean Dunand panels at Christie's from the Templeton Crocker residence in San Francisco. Well, Phillips has a Jean-Michel Frank chair from the same commission.... this time from Mr. Crocker's personal study.

Image via Phillips

The chair itself, like the walls of the study, is embellished with straw marquetry, a particular Frank favorite. This marquetry has a shimmery effect not unlike satinwood, but is very delicate to say the least .

Image via Phillips

The marquetry here is regularly set in planks. I think it is best utilized at angles in sunburst effects as seen in a detail from the cover of Putnam's 1980 book on the artist.

The chair is priced at $90,000-110,000 which is a fairly odd increment and immediately makes me think that it is likely aggressive. That said, it is from a rare commission and according to the provenance it has not been on the market since Delorenzo Gallery sold it to a Connecticut collector in 1977. We will have to wait until December to see where it goes....AR.

Templeton Crocker Breakfast Room at Christie's

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:36:00 +0000

Detail via Christie's

Well, the Christie's 20th Century Design sale catalogue is out and I heard correctly, it features the Jean Dunand lacquered paneling from the Breakfast Room of the Templeton Crocker penthouse in San Francisco. Templeton Crocker was the millionaire heir of the Union Pacific Railroad fortune and in 1928 he traveled to Paris to have none other than Jean-Michel Frank, Pierre Legrain, Jean Dunand and Madame Lipska execute the decor for his modernist apartment in the Russian Hill section of San Francisco. French Art Deco at this level was rare in the United States at the time and rarer still in the hills of San Francisco. It took these master craftsman a year before the interiors and design elements were shipped and installed. Below is a period image of the Breakfast Room.

Image via Christie's

Long time readers know my passion for places that no longer exist and the survival of this paneling is rare considering the fragility of the medium and the difficulty in re-using something that is so intrinsically site specific. According to a New York Times article, the apartment was dismantled in 1959 and its contents placed in storage until the collection was purchased by New York publishers Peter M. and Sandra Brant and over the years various bits and pieces have emerged at auction and in museum collections. The Breakfast Room paneling is a rich lustrous black lacquer decorated with cubist fish, bubbles and streaks of light rendered in eggshell.

Image via Christie's

You will notice the small vertical and horizontal slits and divisions as the panelling was set with discreet cupboards and fall fronts for storage. This could make the already site specific paneling a bit hard to swallow especially at an estimate of $250,000-350,000. One would think that if they could have been crafted into a screen it would have been done by now. I will view them in person and provide a follow-up on that front.

Detail via Christie's

I was really taken by the cubist lacquer table and the similar treatment of the ceiling. One wonders where the table is now...perhaps still with the Brant's... I have not seen it at auction.

Detail via Christie's

Fortunately, the Brants donated the Dunand master bedroom furniture from the Templeton Crocker commission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it is presently in storage. Thankfully a period image of that room survives as well.

Image T. Bonney

While the furniture seems subdued in black and white the panelling betrays the vibrant truth. Thankfully the Metropolitan Museum is in possession of a maquette of the wall treatment.

Image via Metmuseum.org

The Met describes the bedroom suite as being executed in "lacque arraché, a technique Dunand favored, wherein a final coat of lacquer is applied over a roughened layer-in this case, metallic gray over black." Christie's offered a folding games table from the room in June of 2002 on an estimate of $30,000-50,000 but it was unsold. It picks-up on the cubist motifs of the walls.

Image via Artfact

It really gives you an impression of the art deco sleekness of the space. It was, however, Jean-Michel Frank's Sun Room decor that is in my estimation the best of the Crocker penthouse.

Image via Christie's

The sharp lines and the soaring windows revealing the cityscape beyond... one would think it was the height of Art Deco in New York. Pieces from this room have emerged but not in great quantity... at least not publicly. We will have to wait until the sale next month to see if the panelling will fly, until then we wait--AR.

Rateau Deja Vu at Christie's

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:14:00 +0000

Well the important 20th century design sales at Sotheby's and Christie's have yet to be released but I caught wind of an old friend that will be back on the block. The tag line for this blog is not "the incestuous world of design" for nothing... but I digress. If you watch the market long enough you see things emerge, disappear and crop-up in the most unlikely of places. Anyway, the rather monumental Armand-Albert Rateau screen that I posted about in May of 2010 is back on the block in Christie's December design sale. As you may recall it passed at Sotheby's when offered in June of 2010 at the staggering estimate of $400,000-600,000 which I admittedly thought was a bit steep even for this coveted artist. The reality is that the screen is extremely site specific, rather narrow and soaring to over twelve feet. When I viewed it in person its seemed that it must have been designed to fit into a niche or block a window or doorway.

It has cooled its heels for the past 18 months and is out for another try, this time more realistically priced at $150,000-200,000. Like Sotheby's, Christie's was unable to determine its history which is always a sad situation with a piece of this quality, but at this revised price it will likely sell. Rumor also has it that Christie's also has Jean Dunand panelling from the breakfast room of the fabled Templeton Crocker penthouse in San Francisco... More to come I am sure--AR

Update: Well "love is lovelier the second time around" indeed. This time it sold, achieving $158,000. I am sure we will see this piece again...its awfully hard to miss.

Auction Accidents: The Herter Brothers Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:25:00 +0000

Now dear readers, this one goes back nearly a decade but it was a rather exciting discovery at the time. May I present the "ormolu-mounted lapis lazuli-inset and etched onyx pedestals" offered in the Christie's 19th Century Sale on April 24, 2002.

Image via Christie's

They were offered with no provenance and very little information besides their general description and an estimate of $25,000-30,000. Understandably, Christie's was taken aback when the lot soared to $130,500 and sold to top Victorian furniture dealer Margot Johnson. It turns out that there was a great provenance involved...there always is in these cases. I present a period photograph of the drawing room from the William H. Vanderbilt residence at 640 Fifth Avenue ca. 1882.

Inspiring, no? The home was decorated by the notable firm of Herter Brothers and was beyond lavish...even by the standards of 5th Avenue at the time. Now it may be hard to see what I am getting at so here is a detail.

This is a detail of the doorway in the center of the image above, note the columns flanking it. Thankfully for us Mr. Vanderbilt had the entire home documented in Edward Strahan's Mr. Vanderbilt's Home and Collections of 1883. It has richly colored images that give a true sense of the decoration.

Detail

It seems that Margot Johnson had a very keen eye, but according to an article in the Maine Antiques Digest she did not act alone. She was seen at the exhibition for the sale viewing the columns with Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen. It seems that Margot Johnson was purchasing them for the museum with the aid of American Wing donors Barrie A. and Deedee Wigmore. Within six months of the sale they were restored to their original appearance and installed at the museum.

Detail

As you can see the lapis-lazuli stones were removed and replaced with red glass cabochons to restore the original look as seen in the illustrations below. The left is a detail from the period photo, the center are as they appeared at Christie's and the right are as they appear today.

The cataloging on the Met's website reveals that it is their opinion that the columns do not come from the doorways, but from matching floor lamps that were in the corners....see the period images below.

Detail

I am not sure how they came to this distinction but I defer to their judgement. The Met also notes that Christie's specialist Sebastian Davies informed them that the consignor of the columns was a South American dealer. Little is known about their journey. The house underwent a complete redecoration in 1915 and was sold by the Vanderbilt family in 1942 and subsequently demolished. While we don't know exactly where they were for nearly ninety years it is great that they surfaced in such a dramatic fashion.

Update!

A reader brought to my attention that Hirschl & Adler Galleries offered a console from the drawing room at the Winter Antiques Show in 2002. Very small world of goods indeed. According to Antiques and Fine Arts Magazine the console descended in the Vanderbilt family and then made it into the collection of Liberace...go figure.

Image via Hirschl & Adler Galleries

Happy Halloween: Vampire Killing Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Just a quick post that I had to send your way as it is Halloween. I have a predilection for the macabre and I always enjoy when one of these gruesome souvenirs come up at auction. May I present a rather extensive "Vampire Killing Kit" currently on the block at Sotheby's.

Image via Sotheby's

No one to my knowledge has fully explained these rather fun oddities. However, it has been asserted that these "kits" were actually lavish souvenirs for those who travelled to eastern europe in the latter part of the 19th century which corresponds with the height of interest in the gothic novel... rather fitting no?

Image via Sotheby's

This kit contains, in part "a carved ivory and black forest lindenwood crucifix, vials with garlic, salt and "holy water," a bible, a gun with a leather powder flask and silver bullets, a dagger, four stakes and a mallet, a moulded glass cross-shaped candlestick, and an English map of Galizia, Eastern Hungary and Transylvania."

Image via Sotheby's

Sotheby's is expecting it to fetch a hefty $20,000-30,000 in their 19th century sale on November 16th. We will have to wait and see where it goes. Happy Haunting--AR

Silver "Dreamer" at Sotheby's

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I promise I am not trying to be a marketing outpost for Sotheby's but a friend brought the catalogue for the sale of Carl De Santis to my attention and I was delighted to see lot 19. If you are a regular reader you are already aware of my obsession with places that no longer exist and the objects that were once contained therein. I present the Tiffany & Co. silver puzzle game from Thomas W. Lawson's yacht, "Dreamer".

Image via Sotheby's

Detail via Sotheby's

Some of you may recognize this as a "Tower of Hanoi" mathematical puzzle which was invented by French mathematician Edouard Lucas in 1893. It appears that Sotheby's has displayed it incorrectly. It should have all of the disks on one end in a graduated stack from largest to smallest. Basically the goal to to move the entire tower to the opposite tower one disk at a time, never stacking a larger on a smaller. It sounds mind numbing to an artistic soul like myself but you can see an animation of it here. The stand, complete with a compass, is surmounted by a rather jaunty bear in a sailor suit.

Detail of inscription via Sotheby's

For the life of me I could not find a single image of the "Dreamer" which was described by the New York Times on April 28, 1900 as being 175 feet long and equipped with his and hers suites for the Lawson's as well as five other staterooms and carrying six additional smaller boats all bearing "Mr. Lawson's private signal, a white bear on a blue block in the center of a white burgee." This would explain the bear motif. Lawson, the "Copper King", was a prominent Boston financier with a rather volatile career with fortunes won and lost several times over.

Having spent time as a child in Plymouth County, Massachusetts I was aware of this rather eccentric character. Around the turn of the century, Lawson's wife Jeannie was so taken with the coastal area just north of Scituate known as Egypt that he purchased large tracts of land for their country estate and farm "Dreamwold".

Lawson was obviously sticking with the "Dream" theme this time pairing it with "wold" meaning an elevated open plain. As you can see the estate was extensive and spawned a local landmark known as Lawson Tower. As legend would have it, in 1902 the town of Scituate was erecting a large water stand pipe infringing on the views from the back windows of "Dreamwold". Lawson saw fit to have the pipe clad as a German shingled tower complete with a clock and carillon bells.

Sadly, Jeannie Lawson died in 1906 and due to a significant reversal of fortune "Dreamwold" and its contents were auctioned in 1922 to settle $225,000 in back taxes and debts. The estate was significantly altered but the main house operated for years as a restaurant and event space later being converted into condominiums in the early 1980s. Thankfully the tower still looms in the distance as a fitting folly dedicated to happier times spent on this idyllic stretch of shoreline.

Present view of Lawson Tower (lower left) and the remnants of Dreamwold (upper right)

Lawson died a few years later in 1925 virtually penniless. As an aside, this little silver game was by no means the only unusual silver treasure Lawson owned, having acquired the solid silver dressing table and stool executed by Gorham for the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Image via Dallas Museum of Art

The style is a blend of Chippendale meets art nouveau and fortunately for us it entered the collection of the Dallas Museum of Art in 2000. While the "Dreamer" is long since scrapped and "Dreamwold" is a distant memory this puzzle is a sentimental token of the gilded age and is priced to sell at $4000-6000(an example Sotheby's sold in 2001 achieved $9600). This puzzle was once thought to be unique, but others have appeared at auction at Christie's in 1992 and 1995, Bonham's in 1997, Northeast Auctions in 2000 and at Sotheby's in 2001. Granted the same example could have turned-up a few times, but it is highly unlikely that one unique piece could have appeared in all these sales. The "Dreamer" had five state rooms and numerous public spaces so it is very likely several puzzles were scattered about. We will wait and see where the gavel falls on November 4th.--AR

Update:

Well the sale came and went and the puzzle sold for $4,375 which is nearly half what the previous example sold for in 2001. Perhaps it is the economy or the fact that it is lacking an element (it likely had a thermometer in the empty hole opposite the compass). As an aside, in my research I discovered that when the game pieces are all stacked together properly the letters engraved on the sides spell out "Launched July, 1899, Designed by J F. Tams Builders, Crescent Shipyard, Built for T.W.Lawson, Boston, U. S.S.T.M. Yacht Dreamer".

Photo of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:01:00 +0000

For lovers of 20th century design this is often referred to as Mecca...

Updated!

Ok many of you knew this. It is what I like to call "design mountain" at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. This tasteful tiered ziggurat is an embodiment of the Fiell's 1000 Chairs. It is amazing to have the best chairs of the 20th century all in one spot. It is a must see...

Safra Sensation at Sotheby's

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:44:00 +0000

Photo via Sotheby'sFor those who are following the Fall auction season last week was the second in the series of sales that Sotheby's has hosted from the collection of Edmond and Lily Safra. The event consists of six catalogues spread over four days of sales. The collections are exhaustive and completely top-notch. I have opted to cover one lot that really got me excited. May I present the late Louis XVI Secretaireand Commode formerly in the Hamilton Palace Collection...

Photo via Sotheby's

What can I say....these are completely tour-de-force examples from the period that hit all the high points: sumptuous ormolu mounts, top level Japanese lacquer panels and an amazing pedigree.

Photo via Sotheby's

The overall style and in particular the use of this caryatid mount led scholars to assert that the pieces were made by Adam Weisweiller.

Photo via Sotheby's

The choice of satinwood for these interiors is always a welcome surprise. It is light and clean....starkly organized in juxtaposition with the complex ornament of the exterior

Photo via Sotheby's
I know I have mentioned in the past that Japanese lacquers were repurposed from their export forms to be used as sumptuous panels in other luxury pieces. These panels are spectacular utilizing most of the Japanese techniques. My favorite accent being kirigane, the pattern of square metallic pavers inserted in the edge of the hillside. In examples that are untarnished they catch the light as you pass by.

Photo via Sotheby's

It wasn't too much of a shock that these pieces sold for $6.9 million. They are museum worthy and on par with another set in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Photo via Metmuseum.org

This similar secretaire and commode were executed in 1783 by Jean-Henri Riesener form the private use of Marie Antoinette at the chateau of Saint-Cloud. After the revolution they too ended up in the collection of the Duke's of Hamilton. One wonders if both sets were displayed together. All told the Week of Safra sales made $45.9 million and you can review the results here. I was shocked and amazed at the results of the Russian porcelain section. Until next time-- AR

Photo of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:50:00 +0000

I am not preparing for Halloween early...I promise. Any guesses?

Update!

Well my commenter got it right it is indeed a stylized satyr capping the herm supports of this unusual Louis XVI rogue marble and ormolu tazza. They are on a stair landing at the Wallace Collection and really make you stop and take notice. I love works like this that really take a rather common form and nuance it with amazing details.

As if the satyrs were not enough there is the inconspicuous snake swirling around the central support.

The ormolu is top notch which would explain why the Wallace curators believe it was executed by master bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire.

They are great from every angle...a consummate object indeed. Until net time --AR

Auction Accidents

noreply@blogger.com (Aestheticus Rex) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:14:00 +0000

I am a little late to the party on this one, but this is a subject that is always exciting and generates much ink in the art world. I like to call them auction accidents...when items are mis-catalogued and achieve stunning results to surprised onlookers. May I present the Chippendale "style" mahogany dining chairs that were offered by Pook & Pook of Downington, PA in June of 2009.

Image via Pook & Pook
They came from the collection of El Roy and Helene Master which was known in Americana circles as a multi-generational collection spanning the last 100 years. For more about the collection see the review in the Maine Antiques Digest. The chairs were believed to be copies of 18th century Boston chairs after the designs of Robert Manwaring and were offered at a mere $1500-2500.

Parlour Chair: Plate 9 of The Cabinet and Chair-Maker's Real Friend and Companion, 1765, by Robert Manwaring via Metmuseum.org

The chair design on the left is clearly the inspiration for these chic chairs. While they are Rococo holdovers I love the little flicker of gothic seen in the ogee at the bottom of the splat.

Detail of a Master collection chair

Detail of Manwaring design via Metmuseum.org

It turns out that the chairs were indeed period and nearly identical to a rare 18th century pair of Boston chairs that were given to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1939.

Image via Metmuseum.org

Luckily the sale at Pook & Pook was well advertised and well attended. The mis-catalogued chairs made an astounding $163,800 even in the down economy and at a small regional venue....that is no small feat and speaks volumes about their rarity and quality. Until next time. --AR