Results: Christie's Old Master Paintings

On January 25th Christie's New York held its Old Master Painting sale.  The results looked good based upon the pre sale estimates, with total sales from the sale of $34.34 million including buyers premiums.  The sale offered 59 lots with 42 selling for a very respectable buy through rate for the sector of 71%.  The sale sold 70% by value as well.

Six of the top ten lots were listed with anonymous buyers,  two were listed as European Trade, one as European Private and the other was through the Lee and Juliet Folger Fund at the National Gallery of Art for a Thomas de Keyser.  The de Keyse sold for $1.48 million against an estimate of $300,00 to $500,000.

The top selling lot was by Tiepolo Giambattista (Venice 1696-1770 Madrid), The Arrival of Henry III at the Villa Contarini (see image) and was a world auction record for the artist. The painting sold for $$5.9 million including buyers premium against a pre sale estimate of $4 million to $6 million.

Christie's reported on the sale

Nicholas Hall, Co-Chairman of Old Masters & 19th Century Art, comments: “The Old Master Paintings sales saw success across a wide variety of genres including 18th century Italian views, the Dutch golden age, Flemish Baroque, as well as French Rococo, as demonstrated by Fragonard and Watteau. We are particularly pleased with prices achieved for the rediscovered or reattributed works in the sale by Gerrit Dou, Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Thomas de Keyser, and the Portrait of a gentleman by Frans Hals from the Collection of Elizabeth Taylor. Additionally, between the two sales today, eleven paintings sold in excess of $1 million. We look forward to the continuation of the sales tomorrow.”

Source: Christie's