Submitted by aarAdmin on Fri, 09/19/2014 - 00:00
A collection of European furniture and art dating from the Middle Ages attracted competitive global bidding when it went under the hammer on September 14 at Mossgreen.
It is the first time such an important collection has been auctioned in Australia and, when coupled with the Australian indigenous art on offer, sold for $1.74 million (or 164 per cent by value).
Given the success of the international bidders, many of the items are now set to return to Europe.
Mossgreen managing director Paul Sumner was delighted with the huge international response and noted that European and North American buyers often won out over their Australian counterparts.
Highlights included a finely carved lamentation from the 16th century with its original gilding, which eventually sold for $82,960 including buyers premium (on a $20,000-$30,000 estimate) after strong bidding from buyers in the room, on the phone and online.
A carved stone polychrome figure of the Pieta also achieved an exceptional price, selling for $65,880against a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-15,000 and a beautiful carved polychrome wooden figure of a female saint, estimated at $7,000-10,000, changed hands for $32,940.
An exquisite 17th century biblical tapestry from Brussels, featured on the catalogue cover and the highlight of the tapestry section, was another encouraging result – estimated at $20,000-30,000 and selling for $36,600.
Many furniture items also achieved prices well above their original estimates.
A rare painted oak and walnut Spanish cabinet sold for $23,180, a rare 15th-16th century Florentine walnut and gilt cassone for $67,100 and a similar period scarce small Gothic oak cupboard for $34,160 – almost seven times its high estimate.
The Australian indigenous artefacts and artworks performed above expectation – achieving a total of $306,550 against a low estimate of $150,530.
Head of Australian indigenous art D’lan Davidson was encouraged the market was now showing confidence in quality material.
“These results are testament to a collector who focused on quality during a collecting period spanning two decades,” he said.
“It is particularly pleasing to see contemporary works fair so well. This directly affects current indigenous practitioners and has both national and international potential.”
Typical of the result was a rare early water carrying vessel that sold for $15,860 on a pre-sale estimate of $6000-$8000.
