Christie's sales of Antiquities and Ancient Jewelry Total $9.3 Million Christie's sales of Antiquities and Ancient Jewelry totaled $9.3 million yesterday and were 80% sold.
News-Antique.com - Dec 11,2007 - Christie's sales of Antiquities and Ancient Jewelry totaled $9.3 million yesterday and were 80% sold. The highest price for the day was the powerful monumental sandstone portrait of the Pharaoh Ramesses II, which sold for $517,000. The Ancient Jewelry sale, the 9th annual installment of this rarified category and the exclusive domain of Christie's, achieved its highest total ever at $2,029,350, far beyond the high estimate. The 43 lots of ancient gems and finger rings from a European private collection shattered all pre-sale expectations, highlighted by an emerald ring stone with a Julio-Claudian portrait achieving $85,000.
Antiquities & Ancient Jewelry
New York – Thursday, 6 November 2007
Sale no: 1915 & 1914 – Top Ten
[All sold prices include buyer’s premium]
Sold: $9,267,750 £4,565,394 €6,347,774
Lots Sold: 329 Lots Offered: 398 Sold by Lot: 83% Sold by $: 80%
Exchange Rate: £ = $ 2.03 / € = $ 1.46
Lot Description Estimate ($) Purchase Price Buyer
19 An Egyptian Monumental Sandstone Head of the Pharaoh Ramesses II, New Kingdom, Dynasty XI, Reign of Ramesses II, 1290-1224 B.C $400,000-600,000 $517,000£254,680€ 354,110 Anonymous
52 An Anatolian marble idol, Neolithic Period, circa early 6th Millennium B.C $300,000-400,000 $457,000£225,123€313,014 American Private
186 A Roman Marble Diana Venatrix, Circa 2nd Century A.D $200,000-300,000 $385,000£189,655€263,699 Private
106 An East Greek Marble Kouros, Archaic Period, circa 550-525 B.C $300,000-500,000 $361,000£177,833€247,260 Anonymous
199 A Byzantine Silver Lamp and Stand, Circa 5th-7th Century A.D $80,000-120,000 $289,000£142,365€197,945 European Private
179 A Roman Marble Mosaic Panel, Circa Mid 2nd Century A.D $200,000-300,000 $277,000£136,453€189,726 Private
59 A Mesopotamian Limestone Head, Syrian, Early Dynastic, Circa 2550-2250 B.C $150,000-250,000 $241,000£118,719€165,068 American Trade
75 A Neo-Elamite Votive Plaque, Circa 8th-7th Century B.C $150,000-250,000 $241,000£118,719€165,068 American Private
20 An Egyptian bronze scepter finial, New Kingdom, Dynasty XIX, 1307-1196 B.C $80,000-120,000 $229,000£112,808€156,849 American Private
151 A Roman Marble Altar for Hercules, Circa 1st Century A.D $120,000-180,000 $217,000£106,897€148,630 American Private
“Today’s sales were a great triumph” said G. Max Bernheimer, International Department Head for Christie's Antiquities. "The market remains robust for Egyptian, Near Eastern and Classical antiquities. Despite the shifts in the financial markets, American buyers continue to dominate, securing seven of the top ten lots. The highest price for the day was the powerful monumental sandstone portrait of the Pharaoh Ramesses II, which sold for $517,000. The Ancient Jewelry sale, the 9th annual installment of this rarified category and the exclusive domain of Christie's, achieved its highest total ever, far beyond the high estimate. The 43 lots of ancient gems and finger rings from a European private collection shattered all pre-sale expectations, highlighted by an emerald ring stone with a Julio-Claudian portrait achieving $85,000. The excitement carried over into the various owner section of the sale, with several lots exceeding their pre-sale estimates: a necklace of twenty-one Roman amethyst intaglios brought $121,000; a Roman gold snake bracelet soared to $67,000; a pair of Etruscan earrings with splendid granulation sold for $49,000; a Greek gold finger ring engraved with a lion wearing a Corinthian helmet climbed to
