On 5 October 2010 Sotheby’s will stage their first Paris sale devoted to Natural History, comprising 86 lots selected for their quality and rarity, consigned from private collections in Europe and the United States.

Sotheby’s were one of the first firms to stage auctions in this field and, in 1997, obtained an as yet unsurpassed record price of $8.4m for Sue, a complete Tyrannosaurus Rex, 13ft tall and 42ft long, with all her teeth and vertebrae, now in The Field Museum, Chicago. These quasi-mythical creatures have fascinated mankind since the 16th century, with connoisseurs of curiosities and collectors of prehistoric bones, fossils and minerals vying to add them to their collections. They also earned a keen following among 20th century artists, who saw in them new sources of inspiration and experimentation. Over the last decade, several auctions of these vanished giants have been held in France, giving collectors the chance to make their childhood dreams come true by adding to their cabinet of curiosities, or collecting them as works of art.

This inugural sale coincides with Sotheby’s second participation in the Paris Nuit Blanche on Saturday 2 October, with viewing continuing until midnight.

In the words of Eric Mickeler, the sale’s consultant expert: ‘Whether you look at them as artistic masterpieces or wonders of Nature, dinosaur skeletons, fossils and minerals retrace the saga of evolution – especially that of mighty terrestrial and marine mammals who are now extinct (only whales remain, and they are under threat). Interest in these prehistoric remains has undergone a striking resurgence in France over the last few years, and offers a new approach to our paleontological heritage.’

Dinosaurs & Skeletons
The sale’s most spectacular offering is a rare, complete skeleton, 33ft long, of the carnivorous dinosaur Allosaurus, discovered in Wyoming, United States. The skeleton is 70% complete, and its dimensions suggest it was a female (estimate on request).

The Allosaurus (‘different lizard’), sometimes referred to as the ‘T-Rex of the Jurassic Period,’ belonged to the Theropod sub-species that lived 155-145 million years ago and weighed up to 3 tonnes. It was a ferocious carnivore, whose enormous articulated jaws, with their 70 curved teeth, could open extraordinarily wide to enable it to swallow large prey. Its short upper limbs ended in three deadly claws, used to immobilize its victims and tear off their flesh.

Giant skeletons of carnivorous dinosaurs rarely appear on the market. This one has been scientically prepared according to UNESCO guidelines by a team of European paleontologists.

Another of the sale’s most sought-after items will doubtless be a Dorygnathus Banthesis, a flying reptile with 35-inch wingspan found in its black matrix in Holzmaden (Germany) in 1932. With its oval skull and curved teeth, this pterosaur is one of the few specimens of Dorygnathus to have survived in an excellent state of conservation (est. €160,000-250,000).

Another star of the sale should be a complete skeleton of a plesiosaurus, Cryptocleidus sp., one of the few specimens still in private hands. It was found in a limestone outcrop in Blockley, Gloucestershire (U.K.) in the early 1990s. The 6ft 7in x 9ft 10in skeleton was situated in the Davoei Zone of the Lower Lias, and is some 190 million years old (est. €320,000-370,000).

This exceptional plesiosaurus is the best-preserved specimen discovered to date, with thorax, tail, neck, limbs and skull all fully preserved. The form of this aquatic reptile, which was an extremely rapid predator, inspired the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Its five digits each contain more bones than those of land-bound reptiles.

Fossilized Specimens
A superb pair of prehistoric crabs, Harpactocarcinus Punctulatus (Middle Eocene Period), freed from their original matrix after being buried near Vicenza (Italy) for 45 million years, form masterpieces in the eyes of paleontology collectors (est. €14,000-16,000).

The Vicenza region once witnessed intense volcanic activity and was regularly covered with lava, which smothered the surrounding fauna. These crabs, petrified in rare and complex circumstances, were buried intact following the phenomenon of orogenesis (mountain-building process).

A magnificent 8ft x 7ft 5in wall-plaque, with a fossilized palm-leaf (Sabalites sp. Cenozoic) of exceptional quality, was discovered in the Green River Formation and is highly representative of the flora that existed in South-West Wyoming during the Eocene Period, 50 million years ago.

The fragile nature of the monumental palm-leaf, the presence of fishes, and the quality of preservation make this an item of the utmost rarity (est. €80,000-100,000).

Minerals & Shells
The sale also includes a broad selection of minerals, starring a rare citrine with smoky quartz from Goiabeira (Minas Gerais), Brazil, dubbed The Magic Flower, and unquestionably the most spectacular ever found. Its giant, sparkling crystals are crowned with a ring of smoky, lemon-coloured crystals (est. €320,000-350,000).

Another highlight is a magnificent rubellite from the Jonas Mine in Brazil, 20in tall and weighing 22kg. The legendary discovery of this geological pocket in 1978 led to the excavation of the largest and most beautiful tourmaline crystals in the world, with a unique ‘red fruit’ colour, reposing on quartz crystals and snow-white albite crystals. They soon found their way into the world’s leading Natural History museums and collections, and this is one of the first examples to appear on the market for 30 years (est. €320,000-350,000).

A complete Sphenodiscus Lenticularis ammonite (Late Cretaceous Period), from the Fox Hills Formation in South Dakota’s White River Badlands, is covered with a magnificent iridescent, mother-of-pearl-like layer of ammolite on a fossilized shell, giving it the appearance of a precious stone similar to opal (est. €20,000-25,000).

With its shiny, glass-like exterior, a fascinating pale blue Aquamarine from Três Barras (Santa Catarina), Brazil, clearly comes from the Jequitinhonha River Valley (est. €18,000-20,000).

The sale ends with contemporary pictures/works of art by Pesnel, made from blocks of lapis lazuli (Point Infini du Cosmos, est. €55,000-65,000); a giant agate from Minas Gerais, Brazil (Grain de Sable, est. €45,000-55,000); and Greek cipolin marble (L’Intrus, est. €25,000-35,000).

Sotheby’s expert consultant: Prof. Eric Mickeler
Eric Mickeler, an expert in natural history and assessor for the French customs authorities, was a botanist and orchid enthusiast before devoting himself to tropical ornithology, which he still teaches. Thanks to his numerous entomological field-trips to French Guyana, and to his learned ornithological observations, he is acknowledged as a leading specialist by collectors around the world. Over the last decade Prof. Mickeler has been involved in promoting Natural History as an independent consultant, making Paris a frontline venue for the speciality.

Viewing
Friday 1–Monday 4 October
Saturday 2 October – Nuit Blanche until midnight

On 5 October 2010 Sotheby’s will stage their first Paris sale devoted to Natural History, comprising 86 lots selected for their quality and rarity, consigned from private collections in Europe and the United States.

Sotheby’s were one of the first firms to stage auctions in this field and, in 1997, obtained an as yet unsurpassed record price of $8.4m for Sue, a complete Tyrannosaurus Rex, 13ft tall and 42ft long, with all her teeth and vertebrae, now in The Field Museum, Chicago. These quasi-mythical creatures have fascinated mankind since the 16th century, with connoisseurs of curiosities and collectors of prehistoric bones, fossils and minerals vying to add them to their collections. They also earned a keen following among 20th century artists, who saw in them new sources of inspiration and experimentation. Over the last decade, several auctions of these vanished giants have been held in France, giving collectors the chance to make their childhood dreams come true by adding to their cabinet of curiosities, or collecting them as works of art.

This inugural sale coincides with Sotheby’s second participation in the Paris Nuit Blanche on Saturday 2 October, with viewing continuing until midnight.

In the words of Eric Mickeler, the sale’s consultant expert: ‘Whether you look at them as artistic masterpieces or wonders of Nature, dinosaur skeletons, fossils and minerals retrace the saga of evolution – especially that of mighty terrestrial and marine mammals who are now extinct (only whales remain, and they are under threat). Interest in these prehistoric remains has undergone a striking resurgence in France over the last few years, and offers a new approach to our paleontological heritage.’

Dinosaurs & Skeletons
The sale’s most spectacular offering is a rare, complete skeleton, 33ft long, of the carnivorous dinosaur Allosaurus, discovered in Wyoming, United States. The skeleton is 70% complete, and its dimensions suggest it was a female (estimate on request).

The Allosaurus (‘different lizard’), sometimes referred to as the ‘T-Rex of the Jurassic Period,’ belonged to the Theropod sub-species that lived 155-145 million years ago and weighed up to 3 tonnes. It was a ferocious carnivore, whose enormous articulated jaws, with their 70 curved teeth, could open extraordinarily wide to enable it to swallow large prey. Its short upper limbs ended in three deadly claws, used to immobilize its victims and tear off their flesh.

Giant skeletons of carnivorous dinosaurs rarely appear on the market. This one has been scientically prepared according to UNESCO guidelines by a team of European paleontologists.

Another of the sale’s most sought-after items will doubtless be a Dorygnathus Banthesis, a flying reptile with 35-inch wingspan found in its black matrix in Holzmaden (Germany) in 1932. With its oval skull and curved teeth, this pterosaur is one of the few specimens of Dorygnathus to have survived in an excellent state of conservation (est. €160,000-250,000).

Another star of the sale should be a complete skeleton of a plesiosaurus, Cryptocleidus sp., one of the few specimens still in private hands. It was found in a limestone outcrop in Blockley, Gloucestershire (U.K.) in the early 1990s. The 6ft 7in x 9ft 10in skeleton was situated in the Davoei Zone of the Lower Lias, and is some 190 million years old (est. €320,000-370,000).

This exceptional plesiosaurus is the best-preserved specimen discovered to date, with thorax, tail, neck, limbs and skull all fully preserved. The form of this aquatic reptile, which was an extremely rapid predator, inspired the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Its five digits each contain more bones than those of land-bound reptiles.

Fossilized Specimens
A superb pair of prehistoric crabs, Harpactocarcinus Punctulatus (Middle Eocene Period), freed from their original matrix after being buried near Vicenza (Italy) for 45 million years, form masterpieces in the eyes of paleontology collectors (est. €14,000-16,000).

The Vicenza region once witnessed intense volcanic activity and was regularly covered with lava, which smothered the surrounding fauna. These crabs, petrified in rare and complex circumstances, were buried intact following the phenomenon of orogenesis (mountain-building process).

A magnificent 8ft x 7ft 5in wall-plaque, with a fossilized palm-leaf (Sabalites sp. Cenozoic) of exceptional quality, was discovered in the Green River Formation and is highly representative of the flora that existed in South-West Wyoming during the Eocene Period, 50 million years ago.

The fragile nature of the monumental palm-leaf, the presence of fishes, and the quality of preservation make this an item of the utmost rarity (est. €80,000-100,000).

Minerals & Shells
The sale also includes a broad selection of minerals, starring a rare citrine with smoky quartz from Goiabeira (Minas Gerais), Brazil, dubbed The Magic Flower, and unquestionably the most spectacular ever found. Its giant, sparkling crystals are crowned with a ring of smoky, lemon-coloured crystals (est. €320,000-350,000).

Another highlight is a magnificent rubellite from the Jonas Mine in Brazil, 20in tall and weighing 22kg. The legendary discovery of this geological pocket in 1978 led to the excavation of the largest and most beautiful tourmaline crystals in the world, with a unique ‘red fruit’ colour, reposing on quartz crystals and snow-white albite crystals. They soon found their way into the world’s leading Natural History museums and collections, and this is one of the first examples to appear on the market for 30 years (est. €320,000-350,000).

A complete Sphenodiscus Lenticularis ammonite (Late Cretaceous Period), from the Fox Hills Formation in South Dakota’s White River Badlands, is covered with a magnificent iridescent, mother-of-pearl-like layer of ammolite on a fossilized shell, giving it the appearance of a precious stone similar to opal (est. €20,000-25,000).

With its shiny, glass-like exterior, a fascinating pale blue Aquamarine from Três Barras (Santa Catarina), Brazil, clearly comes from the Jequitinhonha River Valley (est. €18,000-20,000).

The sale ends with contemporary pictures/works of art by Pesnel, made from blocks of lapis lazuli (Point Infini du Cosmos, est. €55,000-65,000); a giant agate from Minas Gerais, Brazil (Grain de Sable, est. €45,000-55,000); and Greek cipolin marble (L’Intrus, est. €25,000-35,000).

Sotheby’s expert consultant: Prof. Eric Mickeler
Eric Mickeler, an expert in natural history and assessor for the French customs authorities, was a botanist and orchid enthusiast before devoting himself to tropical ornithology, which he still teaches. Thanks to his numerous entomological field-trips to French Guyana, and to his learned ornithological observations, he is acknowledged as a leading specialist by collectors around the world. Over the last decade Prof. Mickeler has been involved in promoting Natural History as an independent consultant, making Paris a frontline venue for the speciality.

Viewing
Friday 1–Monday 4 October
Saturday 2 October – Nuit Blanche until midnight

Sotheby’s Paris will bring to a conclusion the story of the legendary collection begun by Antenor Patiño (1894-1982) and continued with supreme elegance and refinement by his widow Beatriz Patiño until her death in 2009. The collection – divided between Madame Patiño’s principal residence La Quinta in Portugal and her Paris flat – gives Sotheby’s another opportunity to pay tribute to the exquisite taste and style which fashioned the Patiño legend.

The catalogue devoted to the collection reveals the contents of the last two residences on which Madame Patiño lavished her traditional decorative care and flair: the ‘new’ Quinta in Estoril, her masterpiece designed in 1990; and her Paris flat, where every detail went towards creating a subtle harmony between baroque abundance and domestic intimacy. Many works of art, pictures and items of furniture are illustrated in their earlier settings – the initial Quinta, luxurious Paris town-houses, and swanky New York apartments.

The collection’s furniture and works of art combine English cosiness with Italian exuberance, French neo-classical grandeur and iconoclastic works of art.

Neo-classical highlights include a rare pair of flat-backed painted and gilded beechwood chairs, typical of the decorative vogue of the late 18th century and directly inspired by the Classical Revival that presaged the Empire style (estimate €30,000-50,000). A pretty Louis XV chair stamped F. Leroy, with modern leopard-skin upholstery, blends neo-classicism with decorative panache (est. €40,000-60,000).

Later pieces of furniture include a pair of 19th century, Louis XVI-style Boulle marquetry tables with arabesques, lambrequins and scrolls in the style of Philippe Montigny (est. €40,000-60,000); and a pair of 20th century bridge tables by Jansen (est. €2,000-3,000), similar to those in the Baron de Redé Collection.

Important objets d’art include a pair of Louis XIV gilt-bronze wall-lights (est. €40,000-60,000); a pair of important silver single-branch wall-lights made by Johann Valentin Gevers in Augsburg circa 1710 (est. €80,000-120,000); a pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze candlesticks attributed to Etienne Martincourt similar to those in the Wallace Collection, British Museum, Huntington Collection and Getty Museum (est. €50,000-80,000); and a pair of mid-18th century Italian giltwood double-frame mirrors thought to originate from a palazzo in northern Italy (est. €60,000-80,000).

Decorative elements typical of Portuguese Baroque include an important pair of early 18th century, carved oak porte-torchères in the form of two life-size classical figures, announcing the onset of Portuguese Rococo which was to thrive during the reign of João V (est. €80,000-100,000). Such porte-torchères often represent ceroferary angels, like the pair made in 1726 in a style close to that associated with sculptor Marceliano de Araujo and the Convent of Aveiro.

The sale’s silver hails from across Europe. France takes centre-stage, with pieces from Strasbourg, but Germany, Russia and England items are also featured. Prestigious provenances include Tsarinas Elizabeth I and Catherine II of Russia; Countess Palatine Elizabeth Augusta; and the Duchess of Rutland – not forgetting the celebrated Chaumet service commissioned by Simon I. Patiño.

Two pairs of silver dishes with bell-covers (one oval, the other rectangular) from Strasbourg, made by Jacques-Henri Alberti (1768) and Jean-Louis III Imlin (1767-69), bear the mongram of Countess Palatine Elizabeth Augusta (est. €25,000-35,000). There is also a silver-gilt dinner-service (Paris 1757/8) with the monogram of Catherine II of Russia (est. €15,000-20,000), and cutlery by Joachim Friederich Kirstein (1758-1808) with the arms of Cardinal de Rohan, Archbishop of Strasbourg (est. €3,000-5,000).

A pair of triangular silver bowls from the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Service, attributed to Carl Gustav Hallmuth (St Petersburg c.1774), also come complete with their bell-covers (est. €50,000-70,000). Various Russian and French silversmiths helped make this service (commissioned by Catherine the Great) from 1770 onwards. It was inherited by Catherine’s son Paul I, then passed to his daughter Elena, who married Grand Duke Friedrich-Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1799.

The assured taste harmoniously uniting all these items from different countries can also be admired in more exotic items, some from Latin America – such as the spectacular silver chandelier thought to have been made in what is now Bolivia (c.1700), 6ft 1in (1.85m) high and 3ft 3in (1m) across, with central bowl ringed by leafy openwork motifs (est. €50,000-80,000).

Old Masters include a fine selection of works from the French, Spanish and Northern schools. A spectacular pair of hunting scenes by Jacques-Charles Oudry is typical of the spirit of 18th century France (est. €100,000-150,000). The artist’s style and choice of subject-matter are directly inspired by his father’s work; the canvas featuring a water-spaniel can be likened to another picture by the artist dated 1753, while that featuring a similar recalls a work dated 1740 now in the Swedish Embassy in Paris.

Jean-François Garneray’s Portrait of a Young Woman in a Blue Dress, in a magnificent Louis XVI giltwood frame, is a subtle, poetic composition evocative of the refinement of late 18th century France (est. €40,000-60,000). Robert Griffier’s Riverscape with Geese, Barbary Duck, Northern Lapwing & Other Birds, formerly owned by the Earl of Shrewbury & Waterford, is another showstopper (est. €40,000-60,000).

Spanish art consists of two portraits much influenced by Goya: a portrait of a woman in a muslin dress (est. €8,000-12,000); and an enchanting little portrait of a woman with fan (est. €6,000-8,000).

The collection’s array of Dutch 18th century ‘monochrome’ still lifes comprises works by such leading masters of the genre as Pieter Claesz, with a composition based on a work by Jan Jansz Treck now in Antwerp’s Royal Museum of Fine Arts (est. €8,000-12,000).

There is also one of the few signed paintings by Willem Claesz Heda’s pupil Maerten de Boelema de Stomme (est. €25,000-35,000), a little-known artist first mentioned in the register of St Luke’s Guild in Haarlem in 1642, when he was already 31. Heda’s influence is clearly visible, even though his pupil seems to have taken some compositional liberties, resulting in a slightly confused impression.

Numerous objects of charm reflect Madame Patiño’s attention to detail when decorating her different residences – like a casket covered in red velvet (probably Italian, 16th/17th century) from the collection of Prince Solms-Braünfels (est. €8,000-12,000); and a pair of three-light lanterns (est. €500 up) similar to those in the Baron de Redé Collection.

The auction, to be staged by Sotheby’s Paris in conjunction with the Millerand & Saint-Seine expertise bureau, pursues a tradition dating back to the sale of the estate of Antenor Patiño in New York in 1986. Sotheby’s have since staged equally successful sales of Books & Manuscripts, Furniture, Silver and Old Masters from various branches of the Patiño family.

Viewing:
Friday 17 to Tuesday 21 September 10am – 6pm
Sunday 19 September 2pm-6pm

Auction:
September 22 & 23

An exceptional 19-strong motor car collection which belonged to the late Swiss gentleman driver and car collector, Peter F Baumberger (1925-2009), is to be sold by Bonhams at the Gstaad Palace Hotel, Switzerland on 20 August 2010. All motor cars will be sold without reserve to the highest bidder.

Headlining the sale is a 1962 Mercedes Benz 300SL Roadster, one of the final 209 cars built which featured the ultra-desirable aluminium engine. Fascinatingly, this example was dispatched new to Kuwait painted in blue-grey with a cream trim. It has a keen pre-sale estimate of CHF 400,000 – 600,000.

Highlights also include a classic 1973 Porsche 911 RS 2.7 Carrera (estimate CHF 100,000 – 140,000); and modern high performance cars such as a 2009 Ferrari California (estimate CHF 220,000 – 250,000) and a 1996 Bentley Continental T (estimate CHF 80,000 – 100,000).

Baumberger became passionate about motor cars at an early age. He began motor racing in 1955 with a Porsche 1600, and went on to race a Jaguar XK120, a Lotus (six of which he ordered from Colin Chapman in 1958), and a Lancia Appia Zagato. He had a particular fondness for Ferraris, and in 1966 bought three new Ferrari 275GTB/4s for himself and his two stepsons to race. In 1972 he became a founding member of the Swiss Ferrari club. In recent years, Baumberger was a familiar father figure at motor events including the Tour Auto and Tour du Maroc. As well as a keen involvement in motorsport, he held board positions with companies including Lindt chocolate and Swatch, while his career started as MD and Vice President of RCA Overseas in America.

Simon Kidston of Kidston SA, the Baumberger family’s agent, under whose instruction Bonhams is conducting the sale, says: “Peter was a good friend and a generous host. Although it’s sad to see his collection dispersed, he loved sharing his passion and would have wanted that his cars continue to give pleasure to others.”

ALL CARS TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER WITHOUT RESERVE

www.bonhams.com/cars

Sotheby’s sales of Asian Art in Paris totalled €13.2m ($15.9m), well ahead of pre-sale total estimate of €3.9-5.5m and a 106% increase on the corresponding sale in June 2009. The sale was 93.8% sold by value and 71% of lots cleared their high estimate.

The auction’s star lot was a magnificent gilt-bronze figure of Amitayus that brought €1,016,750 ($1,216,694) against an estimate of €200,000-300,000. This Qing Dynasty sculpture, portraying the Buddha of Eternal Life thought to preside over the Western Paradise, was published in Ulrich von Shroeder’s reference work on Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, and dates from the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722).

Ritual objects were among the sale’s most keenly contested lots. A gilt-bronze bell and stand from a European collection, dating from the 13th year of the reign of Qianlong (1748), posted the day’s second-highest price of €744,750 ($891,205) (est. €60,000-80,000).

A superb selection of carved rhinoceros horns confirmed the high prices obtained by this type of items on the Hong Kong market in April, led by a 17th-18th century Qing libation cup at €528,750 ($632,729) (lot 160).

The sale concluded with the Arts of Japan. Two superb prints by Tôshûsai Sharaku, portraying the actors Ichikawa Ebizo IV in the rôle of Takemura Sadanoshin (lot 295), and Arashi Ryuzo II in the rôle of the usurer Ishibe kinkichi (lot 296, est. €200,000-300,000), fetched the section’s highest prices of €336,750 ($409.972) and €228,750 ($273.734) respectively. These two prints are amongst the best designs by this very enigmatic artist who only produced over a period of one year in 1794 and 1795.

On 14 June 2010 Sotheby’s Amsterdam will offer both 19th Century European Paintings and Modern & Contemporary Art. Sotheby’s has combined these two collecting fields into one sale since there is a demonstrable overlap in interest in Hague School and early 20th century art. From 11 till 13 June, more than 150 works will be on display during the viewing days at Sotheby’s Amsterdam. The works to be offered are estimated to realize in excess of €2 – 3 million.

Cornelis Springer, The fishmarket and bridge in Oudewater. Estimate: €150.000 – 180.000. Photo: Sotheby’s

One of the highlights in the 19th century paintings section is an important townscape of Oudewater by Cornelis Springer (1817-1891) in his best period, dated 1859, with an estimated prize of €150,000 – 180,000. Springer was as famous in this period that he needed to draw up a waiting list for his buyers. Sotheby’s Amsterdam achieved a record prize of € 1.1 million for this artist in 2006, the highest result for a painting by Springer. Other highlights in this section are works by Hermanus Koekkoek, Andreas Schelfhout, Barend Cornelis Koekkoek and Hendrik Willem Mesdag.

The Modern & Contemporary Art section includes works by CoBrA artists like, Karel Appel and Corneille as well as ZERO artists like, Jan Schoonhoven and François Morellet. Sotheby’s holds the world record for both ZERO artists: in February 2010 a Schoonhoven was sold in London for over €887,000 and in March 2010 a world record of €432,000 is established for a work by Morellet during the spectacular sale of the BAT Collection formerly known as the Peter Stuyvesant Collection in Amsterdam. One of the highlights in the modern section is a painting by Georg Baselitz (1938), Der Lasterbaum from 1986. For the first time a painting by this artist will be offered in the Netherlands. Der Lasterbaum is reduced from a medieval religious manuscript in which women are encouraged to enjoy the virtues instead of the vices of live. By rotating the work, for which Baselitz is known, the painting has an inverted meaning. Der Lasterbaum has an estimated prize of €180,000 – 240,000.

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, sold more than 2, 200 equipment items, including 70 cranes, during a two-day multi-million euro Grand Opening unreserved public auction held last week (June 3 – 4) in Ocana, Spain. The auction attracted thousands of people, including more than 1,100 on-site and online registered bidders from 55 countries. The Company currently has 82 upcoming unreserved public auctions being held worldwide on its auction calendar at http://www.rbauction.com.

Guylain Turgeon, Senior VP & Managing Director, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, was pleased with the outcome of the Ocana Grand Opening auction.

“Our auctions always attract serious buyers from around the world who compete on-site and online for the items they need. They like the fact that everything sells on auction day with no minimum bids or reserve prices and that they can walk away being the new owner of any number of items being sold,” said Mr. Turgeon. “It’s why our auctions are such a great way to sell assets at true market value.”

The large selection of more than 70 cranes sold in the Ocana auction included 12 tower cranes and 68 all terrain and rough terrain cranes. The largest crane for sale in the auction-a 2007 Liebherr LTM-1250 all terrain crane-sold for one million Euro to a buyer from Chile. Excavators, wheel loaders, crawler tractors, pavers, rollers, dump trucks, truck tractors, transport trucks and skid steer loaders were among the other equipment items sold in the auction.

“Bidders from as far away as South America, India and Asia were drawn to the extraordinary selection of cranes and equipment we had for sale in the Ocana auction, resulting in strong prices for our consignors, ” adds Mr. Turgeon. “It demonstrates how powerful the unreserved Ritchie Bros.’ auction method is for anyone who needs to turn their surplus equipment into cash.”

There are currently more than 300 cranes listed in Ritchie Bros.’ searchable equipment database at http://www.rbauction.com, including a 2006 Manitowoc 16000 440-ton Series 1, 2 & 3 crawler crane being sold at an unreserved auction in Denver, Colorado, USA this week from June 10 – 11.

Grand Opening ceremony

On Day 2 (June 4) of the auction, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with Ocana Mayor Jose Carlos Martinez Osteso and Company officials was held to inaugurate the opening of the new Ocana site. The 60-acre (24 ha) Ocana site includes a 500-seat auction theater, Virtual Ramp area, offices, a check-in building, a refurbishing facility and a large customer parking area. The Company expects to hold approximately seven unreserved auctions in Spain each year, of which four auctions will be held in Ocana and three at the Company’s Moncofa auction site near Valencia.

Sotheby’s Paris Summer Evening Sale of Contemporary Art achieved a successful total of €9,517,050 / $11,679,324 / £7,932,168, a figure well above the pre-sale expectations of €5.1-7.0 million / $6.3-8.6 million / £4.2-5.8 million. The sale achieved exemplary sell through rates of 93% by lot and almost 100% by value and these rank as some of the highest sell through rates ever seen in a Contemporary Art sale at Sotheby’s Paris. In addition, the sale saw two works sell for more than €1 million and a remarkable 74% of the sold lots realise prices in excess of their high estimate. Buyers from all over the world competed in tonight’s sale, once again demonstrating the international stature of the Paris Contemporary Art market.

Commenting after the sale, Grégoire Billault, Director of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art department in Paris, said: “Since we started our Contemporary Art sales at Sotheby’s in Paris in 2006, our main focus has always been on the advancement of French Contemporary art and French Contemporary artists. We have transformed the auction profile for artists like Pierre Soulages, Georges Mathieu, François Morellet, Martial Raysse and Simon Hantaï by achieving new world record prices for their works of art. In each of our sales, one or several French artists have received worldwide exposure – thanks to Sotheby’s international network and reach – and tonight it was the turn of Helena Vieira da Silva, Jacques Mahé de la Villeglé and Erró to get the international recognition that they so deserved.”

Among the many successes of the sale was the new auction record price that was established for Helena Vieira da Silva when her rare and monumental painting L’Hiver – a brilliant impressionistic composition of a city in winter – sold for €1,095,150 / $1,343,968 against an estimate of €600,000-800,000. This painting came to the market with superb provenance having been part of the collection of Baron Elie de Rothschild for many years and having hung during this time in the Baron’s private lounge.

A second auction record was also set when Jacques Mahé de la Villeglé’s explosive Boulevard St-Martin sold for €312,750 / $383,807, against the estimate of €150,000-200,000, after bidding from at least four potential buyers. This price more than doubles the previous auction record for the artist. The painting was without doubt one of the finest works by the French artist to have remained in private hands and this rare acquisition opportunity was clearly recognised by collectors this evening.

Baby Rockefeller by Erró also performed well, selling for €552,750 / $678,335, easily above the estimate of €200,000-300,000 and the second highest price ever achieved for the artist at auction. This important and large scale canvas, from the Back from the USA series, was painted after Erró’s first trip to New York, and it shows similarities to leading works of American Pop Art.

Paris, like the other international selling centres of Contemporary Art, is able to attract international collectors and achieve strong prices for works by the great Contemporary artists of the 20th Century and this was shown once again tonight with the price realised for Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Joy. This work saw competition from at least five potential buyers, who drove the price to €1,464,750 / $1,797,541, well in excess of the pre-sale expectations of €700,000-900,000. A work which energetically mixes several of the artist’s signature motifs, it is a powerful combination of street art, jazz, television, newspapers, anatomy, Negro history and heroes.

Sotheby’s successful track record of selling works by Robert Indiana in Paris continued as well tonight when the artist’s Love, Red brought €744,750 / $913,957, above the pre-sale estimate of €500,000-700,000. An icon of Pop Art, Indiana’s Love sculptures are undoubtedly his best known works.

Furthermore, a painting by Jean-Paul Riopelle, dating from 1950, saw bidding from numerous US collectors before it sold for €516,750 / $634,156, well in excess of its estimate of €150,000-200,000. The painting came from an important private European collection and with its rare dripping technique attracted a great deal of interest.

Finally, a number of Asian works were also highly sought after and perhaps created the most lively bidding battles of the evening. Zao Wouk-Ki’s 13 février 1992 received interest from no fewer than six bidders, who took the price to over three times the pre-sale high estimate. It finally sold for €960,750 / $1,179,032. The artist’s Composition was also the subject of great demand, realising €360,750 / $442,712 against an estimate of €100,000-150,000, and establishing a new record for the artist on paper.

Sotheby’s Paris will offer one of the most carefully curated ensembles of African & Oceanic Art to be offered on the market in recent years, on June 16.

The works come from a number of esteemed private collections, including the famous Friede collection, and the sale is divided equally between Oceania and Africa. The objects have been selected based on their quality and rarity, reflecting the talent of the great artists of these two continents.

Oceanic Art
Following the tremendous success of the Rosenthal Collection in March 2010 in Paris, and the sales in Paris (5 December 2009) and New York (14 May 2010) the June 2010 auction pays tribute to the eye of John Friede and his work in promoting the recognition of the art of New Guinea and presents a rare sequence of Maori taonga from a number of private collections.

Twelve sculptures from the Marcia & John Friede Jolika Collection illustrate the archaic beauty and power of New Guinea art. Five of these objects were formerly on view at The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, de Young Museum, San Francisco from October 2005 through February 2010. A rare 15th –17th century Ewa figure, 3ft 6in. tall, is a superb illustration of the conceptual boldness and ethereal beauty of a tradition whose sculpture counts among the oldest known from New Guinea (lot 9, est. €300,000-500,000). This figure has been dated to between 1440 and 1650 by the C14 method. Also presented is a powerful male figure from the Lower Sepik, 28in. tall, amongst the most remarkable examples of the style which developed in the region (lot 13, est. €250,000-350,000). Its long curved nose, typical of the Kandimbong figures which portray the tribe’s mythical founder. The figure was photographed in the French art dealer, Pierre Loeb’s Paris apartment in 1929 and exhibited for the first time in 1930 at the Galerie Pigalle in an exhibition which reflected the growing enthusiasm of the Surrealists for the innovative sculpture from Melanesia.

Polynesian art is represented by a group of important and archaic Maori taonga (treasures), which reflect the wealth and variety of the traditional art of New Zealand. Highlights include a large ware canoe prow, 3ft 8in long (lot 21, est. €80,000-120,000), collected during the Korrigane expedition between 1934 and 1936, and an exquisitely refined rare nephrite ear pendant, 12in. long (lot 22, est. €8,000-12,000). The surrealist design and great rarity of the stone-carved intricate Maori carving, 11in. long, together with the mystery surrounding its use, make it one of the most sought-after expressions of Maori art (lot 23, est. €50,000-70,000). Many of these sculptures boast the most distinguished provenances, including Pitt Rivers, Webster, Beasley, La Korrigane, Epstein, Ratton, and Monzino.

African Art
A magnificent and rare Senufo equestrian figure (Ivory Coast), 11in. tall, was one of the highlights at the Resonances exhibition at the Basel Art Centre in January 1984, where it was displayed opposite Picasso’s Flute Player. By underlining the formal and aesthetic overlap between Tribal and Modern Art, this exhibition anticipated Primitivism in 20th Century Art at MoMA a few months later and the Bildweltung/Visual Encounters exhibition at the Beyeler Foundation in 2009. The figure evokes the power and dignity associated with equestrian figures amongst the Senufo, captured in forms that would profoundly influence modern art (lot 39, est. €80,000-120,000).

Amongst the discoveries revealed in the sale are two previously unknown Chokwe masterpieces (Angola) acquired in 1903 and 1905, and kept in the same European family ever since: a sceptre 16in. tall (lot 74, est. €70,000-100,000); and a finial from a sceptre-tobacco box, 6in. tall (lot 75, est. €80,000-120,000). These two exceptionally rare works are attributed to the Moxico School, whose 18th and 19th century court carvers produced the most powerful and refined works of Chokwe art.

The art of Central Africa features prominently, including a magnificent and rare Kuyu three-faced head (Democratic Republic of the Congo), height 14in., collected by Aristide Courtois before 1938 and then owned by Madeleine Rousseau, Hélène Kamer, and Daniel Cordier (lot 72, est. €200,000-300,000). This is one of the few known Kuyu three-faced heads. Only three other examples are documented – one in the British Museum, one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and another formerly in the Vérité collection. With exceptional talent the artist has made each face a unique expression of Kuyu ideals of strength and beauty.

A remarkable Hemba ancestor figure (D.R. Congo), 2ft 7in. tall, is one of the most remarkable pieces in the Niembo-Luika style, whose workshops produced the most prestigious works of Hemba art (lot 73, est. €350,000-500,000). The figure’s beauty and authority derive from its form and rhythm. The ancestor’s presence, underscored by the presence of cowry shells in the eye sockets, is very rare for the Hemba. To François Neyt, this masterly work dates from the first half of the 19th century – a period of intense cultural development, when the ancestor figure tradition was at its height.

Image: A magnificent and rare Kuyu three-faced head (Democratic Republic of the Congo), height 14in. Est. €200,000-300,000. Photo: Sotheby’s

Viewing
Friday 11 June 10am-6pm
Saturday 12 June 10am-6pm
Monday 14 June 10am-6pm
Tuesday 15 June 10am-6pm

Sotheby’s Paris will offer Furniture, Silver and Old Master Paintings formerly from the collection of Madame Antenor Patiño, on 22 September 2010.

The collection – divided between La Quinta, her principal residence in Portugal, and her Paris flat – affords Sotheby’s the opportunity to once again pay tribute to the renowned Patiño taste and style, in particular to that of Beatriz Patiño (Madame Antenor Patiño), the guardian of this legacy until her death in 2009.

Lounge at La Quinta, Madame Patiño’s principal residence in Portugal. Photo: Sotheby’s

The story begins with the mythical figure of Simon Iturri Patiño (1860-1947), the mining pioneer known as the Rey del Estaño (King of Tin), who discovered the most important tin mine in Bolivia. The family art collection was expanded by his son, Antenor Patiño (1894-1982), a collector and connoisseur of the French Grand Siècle and major donor to Versailles. He had a penchant for the Louis XV period and the Oriental influence on the decorative arts, and Sotheby’s sale in September will include a number of works collected by him. Madame Patiño lent a feminine touch to his taste for majesty, imbuing it with a unique charm and refinement that is instantly recognizable in her collection and the decoration of her homes.

Such taste and style were found in all of her residences, starting with La Quinta, her sumptuous home in Estoril (Portugal) completed in 1990, where every detail contributed to the subtle harmony between the Baroque and more intimate decor. Madame Patiño lavished similar care on decorating her Paris flat and New York apartment – a portion of whose contents were offered by Sotheby’s in 1997, when she moved to a new home in New York.

The collection’s furniture and objets d’art effortlessly blend English comfort, Italian exuberance and French 18th century classicism with superb works of art. A Rare Pair of Flat-Backed Painted Beechwood Chairs, with gold highlights, reflect the late 18th century decorative fashion, directly inspired by a renewed interest in the antique that paved the way for the Empire style.

France (Strasbourg) takes pride of place among the collection’s predominantly European silver, with Germany, Russia and England also represented. Many pieces have a prestigious provenance, with former owners including Tsarinas Elizabeth I and Catherine II of Russia, the Duchess of Rutland, and Elisabeth Auguste, Electress Palatine & Electress of Bavaria, not to mention the famous service made for Simon Patiño by Chaumet. The outstanding taste that underscores the harmonious unity of works from these different countries can also be seen in more contemporary or exotic pieces, including some from South America.

The Old Master Paintings in the sale comprise a fine selection from the French, Spanish and Northern Schools. A spectacular pair of hunting scenes by Jacques-Charles Oudry typifies the spirit of the French 18th century. Portrait of a Young Woman in Blue Dress in front of a Guéridon, attributed to Jean-François Garneray, is a subtly poetic composition, marvellously evocative of the refinement of late 18th century France. There are two Spanish portraits strongly influenced by Goya – an enchanting Portrait of a Woman with a Fan, and a Portrait of a Lady in Muslin Dress – and an array of 17th century Dutch ‘monochrome’ still lifes, comprising works in the tradition of the greatest masters of the genre, such as Jan Jansz Treck and Pieter Claesz, along with a work signed by the rarely-seen artist Maerten de Boelema de Stomme.

The sale of this collection at Sotheby’s Paris, staged in collaboration with the experts Millerand & Saint-Seine, perpetuates a tradition dating back to the Antenor Patiño estate auction in New York in 1986. Sotheby’s have since had the great honour of selling collections of books and manuscripts, furniture, silver and Old Masters from various branches of the Patiño family