Submitted by aarAdmin on Tue, 08/13/2024 - 00:00
Melbourne-based Leski Auctions August 11 Eye for Beauty sale certainly lived up to its name when a gorgeous 19th/20th century Russian silver photo album with a hand painted front panel (lot 39) was knocked down for $16,000 – 16 times its upper catalogue estimate.
This was part II of a single owner private collection of decorative arts that featured a comprehensive range of items including silver, Chinese and Asian art, jewellery and watches, religious icons and artefacts, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, furniture, paintings and other collectables.
A 19th century English 84-piece sterling silver King’s pattern cutlery set in an attractive oak canteen (lot 56) bearing the label MacKay, Cunningham & Co. Goldsmiths to the Queen, Jewellers & Manufacturer of Silver Plate, 54 Prince Street, Edinburgh, was a strong result at the top of its $7000 estimate – while the same price was achieved for a rare 17th/18th century Chinese carved jade cup (lot 57), more than three times its listing.
A 19th/20th century Russian yellow gold and Siberian agate cigarette case (lot 231) sold for double its lower estimate, a $5500 exchange, and several watches also were among the top 10 items.
One, an Omega Speedmaster Professional (lot 224), brought $5000, again twice the lower estimate, and the other, an Omega Speedmaster Michael Schumacher edition (lot 223), $4200.
A third watch, a Raymond Weil “Don Giovanni” automatic chronograph in an 18-carat gold case (lot 227), sold for $4800.
An early 20th century horse racing patinated cast bronze (lot 391) by French sculptor Maurice Guiraud Rivere (1881-1947) reached the top of its $5000 estimate, while the same price was paid for Italian painter Francesco Zuccarelli’s (1702-1788) landscape painting featuring riders and figures (lot 707).
Born in Toulouse, Guiraud’s work was part of the sculpture event in the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics art competition.
Zuccarelli is considered the most important mid-18th century landscape painter to emerge from Venice and in 1768 he became a founding member of England’s Royal Academy of Arts.
Other top auction items include a pair of early to mid-20th century Murano glass lamps with bunches of hanging grapes (lot 667) that brought $3600 and a 19th century Bohemian jewellery box made from carved crystal with gold mount set with garnets (lot 19) which sold for $3200.
