AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK- OCTOBER 21ST: THE CONNOISSEUR'S EYE AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK
by Kelly Keating on 10/23/13
This week's finds all come from The Connoisseur's Eye auction to be held at Christie's New York on October 24, 2013. For this week's post I have focused on mainly porcelain- 4 finds, 1 pair of pottery figures and 2 lots of furniture thrown in for good measure. I chose 4 porcelain lots to highlight this week as a contrast to the general state of porcelain sales. High end pieces like the ones I selected from the Christie's sale continue to do well and fetch good money, but middle of the range and lower end porcelain, "Grandma China", even when by good makers such as Minton, Wedgwood and Royal Worcester does not fair well at all. The reasons for this dynamic is changing tastes and also to a degree eBay which creates a glut of similar items reducing their value to almost zero.
This week's first discovery is a pair of Staffordshire creamware pottery squirrels, circa 1770. Lot 690 has a pre-sale estimate of $7,000-10,000. Each stands 7.5" high and is naturalistically modeled standing on its hind legs while tethered to a mound base and nibbling a nut. The glaze on the pair is a wonderful combination of green, yellow and brown. The 18th century English pottery market has also not been fairing well lately. Just look at the recent sale at Skinner a few months ago. But even at the Boston sale unusual pieces garnered good money and these squirrels should achieve a fair nut.
The first porcelain lot this week is a pair of Sevres biscuit figurines made in 1757-66 of La Grande Jardiniere and Le Grand Jardinier. Lot 521 has a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-6,000. Each 10.25" figure is modelled after Boucher as a child holding a basket of flowers while one rests at their feet. Both bear the incised F mark for Etienne Maurice Falconet. The models were done by Jean-Baptiste de Fernex. This pair of figurines is sweet, perhaps cloyingly so, saccharine, sentimental and so on, but I adore them and would have them in my house tout suite. They speak well to their time and place, but there is also something universal about them. Hummels have the same qualities only perhaps worse. What I think elevates this pair is not only their 18th century date, but their white biscuit finish which for me forestalls the toothache I would normally get from such figures. A Hummel always gives a toothache, these adorable gardener-children do not. Bid now.
The third treasure this week is also a piece of Sevres porcelain, but not an ornament, rather a functioning vessel. Lot 528 is a hard-paste porcelain bottle cooler from a service made for the Comtesse du Barry with a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-50,000. The piece is marked with gilt interlaced L's below a crown enclosing a date letter for 1773. The bottle cooler is brightly painted on each side with chinoiserie landscape vignettes. One shows a woman being served tea and the other depicts a young lady offering a flower to her gallant. The rim is richly gilt with a concentric banding of crenellation which encloses palmettes. Sun bursts and foliate scrolls are depicted below. The cooler has shell scroll handles enriched in gilt and suspended from the handle are crossed painted garlands of exotic flowers. This piece is superb in its quality craftsmanship and exquisite painting. It's Madame du Barry provenance also makes it an extremely desirable piece and accounts for the impressive estimate.
The next 2 porcelain lots for this week are by the renown Meissen factory. The first, lot 657, is a pair of figures of river gods emblematic of summer and autumn with a pre-sale estimate of $6,000-8,000. The pair were made circa 1750 and has the blue crossed sword marks at the back of the bases and were modelled by J J Kander. The 7.5" long figures are conceived in opposition to each other. Each figure reclines against an overturned urn issuing water with a cornucopia in the crook of their arm. Summer has a beehive at his feet while Autumn has a trailing fruiting vine. What a fantastic pair for a mantelpiece! They are not sentimental or saccharine, but have almost an archeological feel to them that is very appealing.
The second Meissen find this week is a pair of wild boars, lot 664, circa 1746 and also like our river gods modelled by J J Kander with a pre-sale estimate of $12,000-18,000. One of the boars has a blue crossed sword mark under the hoof. The 5.5" long pair each have a wonderfully gruesome expression full of teeth. Their heads are lowered in search of truffles according to the catalogue. Whatever they are sniffing out, they have a fabulous presence.
The sixth find this week is also this week's first furniture lot. Lot 530 is a pair of late Louis XVI blue and grey painted and bronzed bergeres attributed to Georges Jacob circa 1785-1790 with a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-12,000. These chairs with their rectanlinear shape, the soft blue-grey color of their frames, restrained decoration and their sympathetic upholstery enable these gorgeous chairs to work in a variety of settings. Even better, change the striped fabric for something in a chenille for example and tone down the fancy nature of the chairs even more. The contrast between chair and fabric will make them even more appealing. Even the bronze female heads at the front of the armrests do not prevent these chairs from working in a more modern setting.
The final find this week is our second furniture lot. This pair of side tables is a bit quirky, but I chose them because like the French bergeres I think they could work in a variety of settings. Lot 635 is a pair of French 19th century mahogany side tables modelled as columns with a pre-sale estimate of $5,000-7,000. The tables stand 29" high and each has a door opening revealing a shelved interior with a fitted drawer. They are simple and smart.
Although this week's auction finds were full of high end items, I hope one of the lots inspired you in the design of your own space. Certain items such as figurines, I think, need to be given another chance in how we decorate our spaces. The Sevres and Meissen figures discussed here are quite expensive, but there are figurines at many different price points and many different periods that are not twee or overly sweet, but smart and appealing. Also, look for older styles such as the French bergere chairs with their fab finish that could work in a more modern setting and be updated by a more current fabric. Having an eclectic room that spans periods and styles is for me always the most appealing and one that will not get "old" easily.
If you are looking for an antique piece from a figurine to a dining room table, please contact me at [email protected] and I can assist you.
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Until next week, Kelly
