CHRISTIE'S EUROPEAN DECORATIVE ARTS MONTH TOTALS $32 MILLION Christie’s is pleased to announce that European Decorative Arts Month, a month-long celebration comprising sales, public exhibitions and special events, realized $32 million.
News-Antique.com - Nov 03,2007 - New York – Christie’s is pleased to announce that European Decorative Arts Month, a
month-long celebration comprising sales, public exhibitions and special events, realized $32
million. This season’s series demonstrated the vibrancy of the traditional collecting categories,
with buyers around the world responding enthusiastically to the range of treasures offered that
together encapsulated the richness and extraordinary variety of nearly 500 years of design.
“With the market shifting towards modernism, interest in the traditional collecting areas of the decorative arts
nevertheless remains remarkably strong. The lectures held during the month leading up to the sales, on
Piranesi, Marie Antoinette, and Antique Silver, were standing room only. It was particularly gratifying to
see that two of the strongest sales were in the traditional fields of English Furniture and Silver,” said Will
Strafford, Head of European Furniture & Decorative Arts in New York.
The highlight auction of the series was the first in a three-city series of
sales of Important Furniture and Works of Art from Steinitz, the
renowned Parisian antiques gallery. Opening in New York on October
19th, Le Goût Steinitz I presented a selection of the finest examples of
French craftsmanship and provided a wonderful showcase for the elegant
objects and theatrical richness that define Steinitz’s legendary taste, while
offering a selection carefully edited to appeal to the American collector.
Totaling $5.5 million in just 79 lots, this first installment of the three-part series marked a
strong opening, and continued success is expected in Paris on November 14 and London on
December 6.
Each of the six European Decorative Arts Months sales witnessed exceptional results for
exceptional works, with strong prices across collecting categories. The Important English
Furniture & Ceramics sale on October 11 presented several significant and well-formed
collections, including that of Neil and Sharon Phillips which offered perhaps the star lot of
the sale: an elegant pair of early George III mahogany armchairs attributed to Thomas
Chippendale, circa 1760. Identical in nearly every detail to the Dumfries House suite, these
chairs were among the most sought after items in the sale and were sold to an American
private collector for $769,000.
Other important results in the series – which further demonstrate the
breadth of items offered in these varied sales - include the spectacular pair
of Russian ivory vases which led the October 19 sale of Important
European Furniture, Works of Art, Ceramics & Carpets and more than
doubled their high estimate to realize $421,000. The October 25 sale of
19th Century Furniture, Sculpture, Works of Art & Ceramics saw
strong response to the fresh selections offered, resulting in the several private collections
offered selling will in excess of their high estimates. Noteworthy results from this sale
include the pair of Louis XIV style ‘Boulle’ commodes by Blake of London which sold to an
American private collector for $577,000. The Collection of 19th century Meissen from
Dr. W.A. Criswell, also sold on October 25, incited enthusiastic bidding with its no reserve
lots and tax-exempt status. The sale will
