Auction Blog

Sotheby’s two-day Milan auction saw 70,6 % sold with excellent prices set for good quality works with updated estimates.

Stefano Moreni, responsible of the sale, comments: “Along with this November results I would like to underline that Sotheby’s has raised in Italy the best annual total ever for contemporary art and 2008 total is € 25.083.080 (+ 4% on 2007).”

The 3 sale catalogues offered a total of 286 lots, showing a constant and progressive selectiveness according to an International sale strategy.

Among the best sold of the sale we would like to mention Cy Twombly (lot 247, doubling its starting estimate and selling for € 432,750 and the wide rug by Boetti – cover of the sale catalogue part 1 - which raised € 408.750.

The private collection offered in a single catalogue has set interesting prices for Dorazio (lot124 and 111), Scanavino (lot 110) , Melotti (lo115) and Daniel Spoerri’s Tableau piège (eaten by Gilbert and George and Schum) has doubled its starting estimate ( lot 133, sold for € 40.350).

“The second small and refined private group – says Raphaelle Blanga, specialist of the department - published in the centre of the catalogue part 1 has raised good prices for lot 230, Castellani, with € 204.750 (all the works by this artist offered in the auction have been sold, see for example also lot 251, Superficie bianca, 1969, whose starting estimate has been more than doubled). Good results also fetched for Jean Dubuffet ( lot 237), for the two works by Klein ( lot239 and lot 245) and a brilliant price set for Blue Daughters of air by Sam Francis that from an estimate of € 60/80.000 has been sold for € 102.750”.

Among the Transavanguardia artists of the sale, interesting prices has been raised by Clemente and De Maria and an excellent result has been realized also for the wide 1984 work by Mimmo Paladino titled Vespero selling for € 216.750.

Vasarely and Carlos Cruz Diez are in constant growing. Cruz Diez (lot 254) with Physichromie n. 655 dated 1973 has been sold for € 78.750.

Asta Cielare II by Arnaldo Pomodoro, a bronze sculpture coming from an American private collection, has raised € 90.750.

See more here:
Milan Contemporary Art Sale Results

A group of four WWI medal including the Distinguished Conduct Medal from a Dorset family are included in the two day collectors’ auction on Thursday 11th & Friday 12th December at Charterhouse in Sherborne.

“The Distinguished Conduct Medal was awarded to Sergeant P Finlay of the Dorset Yeomanry for his gallantry during the Gallipoli campaign.” Commented Richard Bromell. “The vendor, who is the niece of Sergeant Finlay, has decided to sell this family group of medals knowing that it will go the home of a collector and there has already been a good deal of interest shown in the group.”

The Gallipoli Campaign took place on the Gallipoli peninsula during 1915 and 1916. It was a joint French and British Empire operation mounted to capture the ottoman capital of Constantinople, which is modern day Istanbul, and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed with heavy casualties on both sides.

The medal group, which is estimated at £1,500-2,500, comes up for auction on Friday 12th December with other medals, collectors’ items and clocks. On the previous day is the Charterhouse auction devoted to nearly 400 lots of trains and railwayana. Catalogues are available from the auctioneers or on their web site www.charterhouse-auctions.co.uk

Charterhouse is now accepting entries for their two day January sale with a major collection of Border Fine Arts being combined with Doulton & Beswick, with pictures, books & antiques the following day, closely followed by classic cars, motorbikes and automobilia at the prestigious Bristol Classic Car Show in February which attracts tens of thousands of enthusiasts. For further information regarding these sales visit:

www.charterhouse-auctions.co.uk

See the original post here:
Gallipoli Medals for British Auction