The first ever meeting of the Modern Art lovers group was at Christies and then Sotheby's. These pre-auction previews are always great; you get a warm welcome, free cloakroom and thick book - from Christies at least- with (almost) everything to be sold in the day and evening auctions in the week to come. The fabulous Deux Lectrices by Picasso was my favourite piece on show - estmated at £15m by Sotheby's. The wondrous room of ceramics and mugs, vases and other pottery by Picasso was a pure joy .
There is a most healthy selection of British artworks on sale on the same Thursday evening starting at 6pm. A fabulous Hepworth sculpture ("Two Forms with White - Greek" est £1.3m - £1.8m) and a cute mini-size "Rocking Chair No 2" by Henry Moore (est over £1m) that would sit atop a mantlepiece most easily. Also two top drawer Lowrys , both est. under £1m, a Bomberg and a fab Burra ("Fish stall Glasgow" 1949) both under £0.5m est. The only picture with an estimate over £1m is the Stanley Spencer "Hilda and I at Burghclere" whci has a high est. of £1.8m. Perhaps more impressive was the Bacon triptych at Sotheby's.
Matisse was barely represented except for one exquisite piece. There was an impressive German Expressionism room, some lovely Scheile, one Kandinsky, and three ultra collectable Magrittes at Christies, The Picasso still life was small but lovely, but the large Picasso Christies were pinning there highest hopes has wobbled in expectations, and the Russian money has meant the Malevich abstract black / blue shape has come on as a late replacement in the starring role - £20m - £30m est. I cant help feeling it will go for more than the Picasso, just because Malevich portrait went for so much in the spring sale. We will see this week.
Tense bidding war ends with the Klimt portrait of Gertrude Loew going for £22m - Wednesday 24th Sotheby's Evening Sale -
A fantastically tense bidding war erupted half way through Sotheby's main auction of Modern art and Impressionism on Wednesday night. The auctioneer couldn't decide whether to be patient or bad tempered as the bids kept on coming in increments of point one - or £100,000 in laymans money.It surged to £15m odd fairly swiftly, and then there was a long pause. Fair warning was given, and it seemed the hammer would fall on the sweet but unspectacular portrait of Gertrude Loew. It has none of Klimts usual showmanship, no gold leaf, no arresting coats or emboidery, no flashy, look at me frame. But something seemed to happen in one of the telephone bidders ears, and we were off again. The auctioneers encouragement worked on one of the two parties, and he/she accepted his requests to go up by half a million in one bid, while at the other side of the room, the competition kept on bidding at £0.1m scale. Finally we reached £22m and no end of imploring could bring any more funds to bear. The lady with the plunging neckline shook her head and we knew it was over. With the usual extras, the Klimt went for just under £25m .
The previously discussed Malevich black rectangle obscuring other coloured shapes went for over £20m, beating the Picasso "Deux Personages - La Lecture" - not Les Lectrices which i previously called it.. This fetched £16m, as did the famous Manet picture commonly known to hang at The Courthauld - "Le Bar aux Folies Begeres". This is a copy or similar version. A Degas went for over £15m, and a Gaughin still life went for over £10m.
Not everything was a success. One of the Legers (pictured above) didnt meet its reserve, nor did one of the Hepworths. The Matisse i loved - "Femme a L'"Ombelle", a great beauty with an umbrella and seascape went for £2m. The other Leger picture - "La Femme Couchant" - did sell for £3.4m.
The main Picasso ceramics and pottery sale is on Thursday - day sale.
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