Lot 2286. A fine and rare pink-enamelled meiping, Daoguang six-character seal mark and of the period (1821-1850); 9 7/8 in. (25 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 400,000 - HKD 600,000. Price realised HKD 625,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

Lot 2287. A fine flambé-glazed 'Pomegranate' vase, Qianlong incised six-character seal mark and of the period (1736-1795); 8 in. (20.2 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 1,000,000 - HKD 1,500,000. Price realised HKD 2,190,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

Lot 2303. A celadon-glazed cong-form vase, Xuantong six-character mark and of the period (1909-1911); 11 1/4 in. (28.2 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 300,000. Price realised HKD 250,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

Lot 2304. A large Dehua figure of Guanyin, Qing dynasty, 17th-18th century; 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 300,000. Price realised HKD 250,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

The elegant figure is shown standing barefoot on a base of swirling waves with her head turned to one side providing a serene expression. Her upswept hair is dressed in a topknot fastened with a ruyi-shaped pin, her body draped with a loose robe with heavy folds partially covering the bare chest spanned by a bejewelled necklace. The reverse is impressed with a two-character seal mark jin feng, 'cautiously sealed', Japanese wood box.

Note: The impressed mark on the current figure, jin feng, is a seal frequently used by scholars in ancient times on their letter correspondences to indicate that a document has been sealed. This mark can be seen on a number of Dehua and Yixing wares, including a large Dehua seated figure of Maitreya mentioned by P.J. Donnelly in Blanc de Chine, New York, 1969, p. 256, where the author mistakenly identified the mark as wan bang, or 'all nations', at the time. 

Christie's. IMPERIAL SALE: IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. 29 May 2013. Convention Hall.

Lorenz Bäumer. Broche Scarabée d’automne. Diamant Jaune RPC 2.05cts Citrine 9.31cts Diamants blancs 2.60cts Diamants chocolats 3.84cts Saphir rose 0.24ct Saphirs orange 0.04ct Or 65.77g Laque Aluminium (matière olfactive) 0.08g Poids total 70g ©Lorenz Bäumer

Lorenz Bäumer. Broche Scarabée Été. Béryls, Opale de feu, Saphir bleu, Saphir jaune, Saphir orange, Tourmaline bleue, Tourmalines Paraiba, Or blanc. ©Lorenz Bäumer

Lorenz Bäumer. Broche Scarabée Noir et Blanc. Diamants blancs, Diamants noirs, Or blanc. ©Lorenz Bäumer

Lorenz Bäumer. Broche Scarabée Jaune. Diamant jaune coussin, 1,02 carats. Diamants blancs 0,93 carat. Saphir bleu 0,21 carat. Diamants blancs 1,31 carats. Saphirs jaunes 6,82 carats. Saphirs bleus 0,75 carat. Tsavorites 2,43 carats. Or blanc et jaune 57,35 grammes. ©Lorenz Bäumer

Lorenz Bäumer. Broche Scarabée Rouge et Noir. Rubellite 11,02 carats. Diamants blancs fancy 1,06 carat. Diamants blancs 3,24 carats. Diamants noirs 4,88 carats. Saphirs roses 2,97 carats. Or blanc 60,90 grammes. Laque. Alumineux poreux. ©Lorenz Bäumer

Lorenz Bäumer. Broche Scarabée Violet. Opale de feu 4,73 carats. Améthystes 12,59 carats. Diamant blanc 0,84 carat. Onyx 7,14 carats. Diamants blancs 1,20 carat. Diamants noirs 1,33 carat. Saphirs violets 7,05 carats. Saphirs orange 2,22 carats. Or blanc et rose 71,60 grammes. ©Lorenz Bäumer

Ces scarabées, dont les ailes s’ouvrent par pression sur la pierre de centre, possède en son cœur un nouvel alliage d’or qui permet de recevoir quelques gouttes de parfum et d’en restituer le sillage à la demande.

Le site de Lorenz Bäumer

The Martyrdom of Saint Valeria and Saint Martial by the Vatican Mosaic Studio, 1895, was displayed at St. Peter's Basilica and the Studio for nearly a century. © M.S. Rau Antiques, New Orleans.

Everyone loves a good story. In the realm of fine art and antiques, a good story, or what we call “provenance”, has the power to take a work of art from exceptional to awe-inspiring.

In terms of workmanship, subject matter and sheer size, this incredible micromosaic detailing the Biblical story of Saints Valeria and Martial has it all. Measuring over 10 feet tall, the precision and detail required to execute such a piece is baffling. Combined with the high cost of materials, micromosaics of this immense size and artistry are beyond rare.

When you factor in its provenance of being crafted by the prestigious Vatican’s Mosaic Studio and displayed in St. Peter’s Basilica, you’re dealing with an undeniable masterpiece of historical significance.  

The Martyrdom of Saint Valeria and Saint Martial by the Vatican Mosaic Studio, detail. © M.S. Rau Antiques, New Orleans.

It took a team of seven skilled mosaicists over two and a half years to complete this majestic masterpiece. Given that Vatican relics, especially ones on such a grand scale as this, almost never leave the holy site, it is clear to discern that this is the most important artwork of its kind to come on the market in many years.

The micromosaic is based upon the 17th-century Baroque painting of the same subject that was created for St. Peter’s Basilica in 1627. That work hung above the holy site’s altar of St. Martial until 1824. This prompted cardinals and bishops from Limoges, France (where the saints depicted hailed) to tirelessly request for over 60 years to have the painting re-installed. By the time their request was given an audience, the painting had already found its way into an Italian museum’s collection.

The Martyrdom of Saint Valeria and Saint Martial by the Vatican Mosaic Studio, detail. © M.S. Rau Antiques, New Orleans.

Pope Leo XIII agreed to have the painting recreated in mosaic form and displayed where the original painting once hung. A team of seven artisans, led by head Vatican mosaicist Salvatore Nobii, completed and installed the masterpiece in 1895. It was removed in 1963 and taken to the Vatican Mosaic Studio where it was prominently displayed for two decades. Eventually, Pope John Paul II gifted the mosaic to a very generous parishioner.

Pictured in author Frank DiFederico’s 1983 book The Mosaics of Saint Peter's: Decorating the New Basilica, this stunning tour de force is inscribed, including with the initials R.F.S.P.V. (Reverend Workshop of St. Peters) and dated. The only known work of its caliber not housed in a museum, this micromosaic brings new meaning to the term “masterpiece”.

Currently on offer at M.S. Rau Antiques, the Vatican Micromosaic of Saints Valeria and Martial along with numerous other treasures, is included (in giclée form) in the gallery’s latest exhibition Vice & Virtue: An Exhibition of Sex, Saints and Sin, open from April 7 – June 9, 2018.

The inscription on the bottom tells of the the original 17th-century painting upon which the micromosaic is based and its creation by the famed Vatican Mosaic Studio, dated 1895. © M.S. Rau Antiques, New Orleans.

This map shows the location within St. Peter's Basilica where this micromosaic was displayed. © M.S. Rau Antiques, New Orleans.

From a Private European Collection. A set of turned and carved ivory, ebony and lignum vitae objects. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

urope's interest for curiosities and its inventive spirit during the late Renaissance motivated certain countries to make ivory artefacts using a lathe. The first 'Kunstdrechsler', turnery artisans, had access to the the book, De Divina Proportione, by the monk Luca Paccioli published in 1509 and also had knowledge of complex drawings developed by Leonardo da Vinci.

Southern Germany, notably the center of Nuremberg, a city of goldsmiths, scientists and especially mathematicians, was a major production center. Henceforth in Nuremberg, Peter Zick (1571-1629), founder of one of the most important workshops, invented the world's first pierced ball or 'Counterfeitkugeln'. These spheres or polyhedra, carved from a single block, containing a series of decreasing sized balls, reveals an alliance of mathematical knowledge, technical beauty and perfection. This workshop lasted until 1731.

Dresden and even Regensburg, where Johann Martin Teuber published a lathe manual in 1756, were also important hubs for the realization of these objects. France was also a country of production and the oldest reference concerning these objects was definitely that of Père Charles Plumier, L'art de Tourner en perfection, published in 1701. A master turner renowned in France was Nicolas Grollier de Servière. The latter was trained in Germany before receiving, once he was famous, Louis XIV in person for a visit of his workshop. This same craftsman named 'Pièces de Délicatesse' (delicate items) for his finely turned, molded and carved ivory wares. Others referred to them as 'Tours de Force' (powerful turneries). The 'Pièces Excentriques' (eccentric items) were those shaped atop different centers such as balls pierced with several openings, nested inside one another, like the first two lots presented. The 'Pièces Hors du Rond' (other than round items) consist of rectangular shapes, cubic, etc.

This art of crafting with one of the most valuable materials became even an aristocratic and princely pastime practiced by the Emperors Charles V, Rudolph II and Ferdinand II of Habsburg among others

Placed in curiosity cabinets or 'Kunstkammern', most have been dispersed but some collections have remained almost intact. Among the most important, we must mention today one belonging to the Medici family, still housed at the Museo degli Argenti of the Pitti Palace, and one in the Rosenborg Palace in Copenhagen.

Lot 27. A turned and molded ivory and Indian ebony 'Tour de Force', circa 1790. Haut. 25 cm. ; Height 10 in. Estimate 25,000 — 35,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

the upper part with sixteen concentric pierced spheres, on a pedestal.

Literature references: G. Grollier de Servière, Recueil d'ouvrages, curieux de mathématique et de mécanique, Paris, 1751
G. Laue, Gedrehte Kostbarkeiten, Munich, 2004
E. von Philippovich, Elfenbein, Braunschweig, 1961
C. Plumier, L'art du Tourneur, Lyon, 1701
E. Schlumberger, « Les ivoires tournés du palais Pitti », in Connaissance des Arts, December 1962, n. 130, pp. 156-163.

Lot 28. A turned and molded ivory and Indian ebony 'Tour de Force', circa 1775. Haut. 28,5 cm. ; Height 11 1/4 in. Estimate 25,000 — 35,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

the upper part with thirteen concentric pierced spheres on a pedestal.

Provenance: Sale Sotheby's New York, 25-26 January 2007, lot 246.

Lot 29. An Anglo-Indian turned ivory and ebonised wood hour glass, circa 1900. Haut. 17 cm. ; Height 6 3/4 in. Estimate 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Lot 30. An English carved ivory and Indian ebony bust of a philosopher in a shape of a term, circa 1825, an English corinthian molded and carved ivory and Indian ebony column, mid-19th century, and a pair of Anglo-Indian ivory, ebonised wood and Indian ebony ribbed candlesticks as columns. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

with the mark REAL EBONY under each base of the candlesticks
Quantity: 3
Le buste : haut. 13,3 cm. ; The bust : height 5¼ in. ; La colonne: haut. 35,5 cm. ; The column : height 14 in. ; les bougeoirs : haut. 19 cm. ; The candlesticks : height 7 ½in.

Lot 31. An Anglo-Indian turned and molded ivory and Indian ebony pocket watch-stand holder, circa 1860, and a pair of turned ivory candlesticks. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Quantity: 3
Le porte-montre : haut. 16,5 cm. ; The watch stand holder : height 6 ½ in. ; Les bougeoirs : haut. 19,5 cm. ; The candlesticks : height 7 ¾ in.

Lot 33. A pair of turned and molded ivory candlesticks in neoclassical style, circa 1850, and a pair of turned and molded ivory, Indian ebony and ebonised wood columns, early 20th century. Estimate 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Quantity: 4
Haut. (colonnes) 38 cm. ; Height (columns) 15 in. ; Haut. (bougeoirs) 13 cm. ; Height (candlesticks) 5 in.

Lot 34. A turned and molded ivory and Indian ebony Medici vase on a column, probably Parisian, early 20th century. Haut. 30 cm; Height 11 3/4 in. Estimate 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Lot 35. A molded and carved ivory, bone and lignum vitae wood small rotunda, circa 1890, and a turned, molded and carved ivory and lignum vitae wood cup, circa 1830-1840.Estimate 2,500 — 4,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

the upper part of the cup with a vase, on three fluted columns, and a central pilar
Quantity: 2
Haut. (temple) 19,5 cm. ; Haut. (coupe) 26,5 cm. ; Height (temple) 7¾ in., Haut. 26,5 cm. ; Height (cup) 10½ in.

Lot 36. A turned, molded and carved ivory, bone and lignium vitae wood temple, circa 1880. Haut. 37 cm. ; Height 14 1/2 in. Estimate 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

The top partly pierced, on four columns, with a basket inside.

Lot 37. A pair of turned, molded and carved ivory and lignum vitae wood cups, circa 1850. Haut. 11 cm. ; Height 4 1/2 in. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Lot 38. Two molded and carved ivory and lignum vitae wood mounted coconuts covered cups, early 19th century. Haut. 18,5 et 17 cm. ; Height 7 1/4  and 6 3/4 in. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Lot 39. Two turned, molded and carved ivory and lignum vitae wood covered cups, probably English, 19th century. Haut. 20 et 24 cm. ; Height 8 and 9.½ in. Estimate 4,000 — 6,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Lot 40. A molded and carved ivory and Indian ebony vase on a fluted column, circa 1860. Haut. 20 cm. ; Height 8 in. Estimate 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

Lot 42. Two sandalwood, ivory, Indian ebony and rosewood, silver nails and green tinted bovine bone inlaid boxes, and a book cover as a writing board, second half 19th century. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

the boxes with rosettes and stars; (some losses); the book cover with a geometrical cube pattern and stars; (some accidents)
Quantity: 3
Boîte 1 : haut. 7cm., larg. 30 cm., prof. 12 cm. ; Box 1: height 2¾ in., width 11¾ in., depth 5 in. ; Boîte 2 : haut. 8 cm., larg. 34 cm., prof. 13 cm. ; Box 2: height 3¼ in., width 13½ in., depth 5 in., La reliure : 26 cm. x 22 cm. ; The book cover: 10¼ x 8¾ in.

Lot 43. Four moulded and turned ivory boxes, 19th century. Estimate 1,500 — 2,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

the first one cylindrical, the second one as a navette with a cover, the third as a cylinder made of four boxes, and the fourth oblong
Quantity: 4
Boîte 1: 4,5 x 5,5 cm. ; Box 1 : 1 3/4 x 2 1/4 in. ; Boîte 2 : 2 x 8,5 cm. ; Box 2 : 0. 3/4 x 3 3/4 in. ; Boîte 3 : 11 x 5 cm. ; Box 3 : 4 1/4 x 2 in. ; Boîte 4: 14 x 5,3 cm. ; Box 4 5 1/2 x 2 in.

Lot 44. Two sandalwood and ivory, green tinted bovine bone, Indian ebony and silver nails inlaid book holders, probably Iran, Tabriz, circa 1860. Estimate 5,000 — 8,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

with rosettes and stars
Quantity: 2
Serre-livre 1 : haut. déplié 14,5 cm., larg. 31 cm., prof. 15 cm. ; Book holder 1 : height unfolded 6 ¾ in., width 12 ¼ in., depth 6 in. ; Serre livre 2 : haut. déplié 15 cm., long. 31,5 cm., prof. 14,5 cm. ; Book holder 2 : height unfolded 6 in., width 12 ½in., depth 5 ¾in.

Lot 45. A sandalwood, black painted ivory and bovine bone game box, Anglo-Indian work, early 19th century. Estimate 5,000 — 8,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

rectangular, with foliate scrolls and Chinese figures
Haut. 5 cm., larg. 23 cm., prof. 9 cm. ; Height 2 in., width 9 in., depth 3 1/2 in.

Lot 46. An Indian sandalwood and partly black-painted ivory and bovine bone mounted buffalo horn box, circa 1870, an ivory carved card box, Indian, circa 1800, and an Anglo-Indian molded and carved ivory and Indian ebony decorative cylinder, circa 1880. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

the horn box with partly pierced elements, garlands of flowers and Indian deities, the card box with foliate scrolls
Quantity: 3
Le coffret : haut. 8 cm., larg. 21,5 cm., prof. 11 cm. ; The casket box : height 3¼ in., width 8½ in., depth 4¼ in. ; Le porte-cartes : 10 x 6 cm. ; The card box : 4 x 2 ½ in. ; la boîte cylindrique: Long. 14,7 cm., diam. 7,5 cm. ; The cylinder box : length 5¾ in., diameter 3 in.

Lot 47. An anglo-indian partly black painted ivory and bovine bone, sandalwood and Indian ebony game box, early 19th century. Estimate 5,000 — 8,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2018.

he inside compartment with four pawns
Haut. 5 cm., larg. 12,5 cm., prof. 9 cm. ; Height 2 in., width 5 in., depth 3 1/2 in. 

Sotheby's. Important Mobilier, Sculptures et Objets d'art, Paris, 11 Apr 2018, 10:30 AM

Lot 304. Vase en porcelaine de la famille rose, Chine, dynastie Qing, marque et époque Jiaqing (1796-1820); 30 cm, 11 7/8 in. Estimate 30,000 — 40,000 €. Lot sold 46,350 €. Courtesy Sotheby's 2011

de forme lanterne, à décor émailléà l'imitation des cloisonnés de fleurs de lotus accompagnées de la double-carpe, de la pierre sonore et de svastika dans des rinceaux fleuris sur fond bleu nuit, le pied souligné d'une frise de grecques et pétales stylisés, l'épaulement de fleurs de ruyi et feuilles de bananier, marque à six caractères en rouge de fer à la base ; le col coupé, restaurations.

A blue-ground cloisonné style famille rose lantern vase, China, Qing dynasty (1796-1820)

Provenance: Christie's London, 12th May 2009, lot 172.

Note: See a pair of green-ground cloisonné style Famille Rose 'lantern' vases also from the Jiaqing reign sold in these rooms, 9 June 2011, lot 188.

Sotheby's. Arts D'Asie, Paris, 15 déc. 2011

NEW YORK, NY.- Francis Bacon’s Study for Portrait (1977, estimate on request) will star in Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction, which will take place on 17 May 2018. The powerful large-scale eulogy to his great muse and lover George Dyer was painted in Paris in 1977 and was last exhibited in London the same year at the Royal Academy of Arts in a group exhibition titled ‘British Painting: 1952-77’. A poignant celebration of his most important subject, Study for Portrait will be on view in London until 15 April, the first time it has been seen there since the show at the Royal Academy over 40 years ago. The work comes from the distinguished collection of Magnus Konow, who acquired it from Bacon through Marlborough Gallery shortly after its creation in 1977. This therefore represents the first time the work will be offered at auction. As a young man, based in Monaco, Konow built an impressive collection of works by School of London painters, and particularly admired Bacon, with whom he became friends during the 1970s. In 1983, Konow gifted a triptych of George Dyer, Three Studies for a Portrait (1973), to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where it remains in the permanent collection. At the time that Bacon and Konow developed their friendship, Bacon was a regular visitor to Monaco from Paris, sometimes with Lucian Freud, staying with Konow for bouts of gambling in Monte Carlo. 

With its majestic, near-sculptural figure seated against a screen of deep velvet black, in Study for Portrait, Bacon further developed elements from his 1968 masterpiece Two Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer (Sara Hildén Art Museum, Finland), as well as his landmark Triptych of 1976. The present work also extends the language of the dark, cinematic ‘black triptychs’ made in the aftermath of Dyer’s death in 1971. This tragic event, which took place less than thirty-six hours before the opening of Bacon’s career-defining retrospective at the Grand Palais, had a devastating impact upon the artist, prompting him to take a studio in Paris. By 1977, buoyed by the success of his major exhibition at Galerie Claude Bernard that year, his grief had given way to a period of newfound contentment, reflection and innovation. Backlit by streaks of red and green, and bracketed with raw linen, the central panel appears to hover before the viewer in three dimensions. Dry transfer lettering, inspired by Picasso’s Cubist collages, evokes the literary rubble of the artist’s studio floor, where John Deakin photographed Dyer seated in his underwear. If the black triptychs had replayed the harrowing details of his death, here Bacon weaves a fantasy of reincarnation. As bright red blood stains his shadow – evocative of the artist’s own silhouette – Dyer is momentarily restored to the flesh.  

Francis Outred, Chairman & Head of Post-War & Contemporary Art EMERI, Christie’s: “Whilst Bacon would never fully come to terms with the death of his beloved George Dyer, the works produced in the wake of this tragedy remain some of the twentieth century’s most vivid interrogations of the human condition. Held in the same private collection since the year of its creation, Study for Portrait, 1977, extends the language of the landmark black triptychs into a glowing, visceral celebration of his most iconic muse. With its virtuosic play of texture, raw canvas and piercing colour, it demonstrates the innovative new directions that Bacon’s practice would take as he built a new life for himself in Paris. It is a privilege to be exhibiting this work once again in London for the first time in over forty years, close to its original unveiling at the Royal Academy in 1977.”  

Magnus Konow: “Bacon would always talk about Dyer. I think that he was the only man he really loved in his life. I find this work is so powerful – for me it is probably one of the best paintings of their mystical love affair, and that’s what drew me to it.” 

Widely exhibited internationally, the work represents the culmination of Bacon’s painterly language during one of the most significant periods of his practice. The work’s saturated colour fields and stark geometries border on abstraction. Bacon plays with different textures of black, offsetting the matte backdrop with the lustrous central panel. The pale lilac ground, rendered in thin pigmented layers, is juxtaposed with bright accents of blue, canary yellow and red. The billowing shadow, formally at odds with the figure, spreads across the surface like tar. Circular lenses, derived from a book on radiography, punctuate the figure as if attempting to bring his form more clearly into focus. The flesh itself is an ode to carnal pleasure, wrought with fluid, tactile brushstrokes, spectral veils of white and scumbled strains of colour around the eyes and mouth. It is Dyer in his prime, flickering like a projection or an x-ray, presiding over the composition with the tortured grandeur of Bacon’s former Popes. Raised upon a dais against a blank, clinical abyss, his quivering form speaks to the transient nature of the human condition.  

Magnus Konow’s family roots are in Norway: his father was a celebrated Norwegian Olympic sailor, who competed in multiple Olympics between 1908 and 1948, winning two gold medals and one silver. His paternal grandmother, Dagny Konow, sat for Edvard Munch during the late 1880s.

Lot 133. Man Ray (1890-1976), Minotaur, dated and numbered '36' in pencil and with the photographer's '31 bis, Rue Campagne Première' studio stamp (Manford M6) and posthumous copyright stamp (Manford M30) on the reverse, 1933, 5 7/8  by 9 1/4  in. (14.9 by 23.5 cm.) Estimate: $150/250,000. Sold for $175,000. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

NEW YORK, NY.- Emily Bierman, Head of Sotheby’s Photographs Department in New York, commented: “We are delighted with the results of today’s sales – the first Photographs auction of the new year. There was robust demand across the sales with our top lots spanning from early photography – setting a new record for William Henry Fox Talbot – to experimental 1920s and 1930s works – including Man Ray’s Minotaur for $175,000 – to classic mid-century images such as Alfred Stieglitz’s exceptional Equivalent 227, which more than tripled its presale estimate at $150,000. It was a privilege to present ‘A Beautiful Life: Photographs from the Collection of Leland Hirsch’ and share the beauty pioneer’s vision with the world. The overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from collectors reflects the quality and importance of the collection he assembled. We once again saw many new bidders in the sale as well as significant interest from Asia, in addition to our traditional collecting centers of Western Europe and the United States, demonstrating the increasingly global nature of the field.” 

A Beautiful Life: Photographs from the Collection of Leland Hirsch 
Auction Total $2 Million 
Leland Hirsch, CEO of Celeb Luxury commented: “I am absolutely thrilled with the results we saw today from the sale of my very personal collection of photographs. I am particularly happy that we set a new record for Herb Ritts’ powerful image of the ‘Big Five’ supermodels and the strong price we achieved for Avedon’s Dovima, among the highest of the season. Sotheby's thoughtful presentation and focused marketing achieved results far beyond expectations. As always, working with Emily and whole Sotheby’s team proved to be a delightful and fulfilling experience.” 

Assembled with passion over the course of nearly two decades by the ‘godfather of haircolor,’ this superb collection of photographs offered some of the most recognizable images of the 20th and 21st centuries, featuring works by iconic fashion photographers Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Peter Beard as well as convention-defying works by Diane Arbus and Man Ray. The sale was led by Richard Avedon’s Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, August 1955 which achieved $375,000 (estimate $300/500,000). Created in 1955 and published by Harper’s Bazaar for their September issue, the present work is a monument in the history of fashion photography, fully illustrating the artist’s profound gifts as a photographer. 

From the Collection of Leland Hirsch. Lot 27. Richard Avedon (1923-2004), Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, large format, flush-mounted to linen, signed and editioned '32/50' in pencil and with title, date, edition and copyright/reproduction limitation stamps on the reverse, framed, 1955, printed later, 51 1/2  by 41 in. (130.8 by 101.1 cm.) Estimate: $300/500,000. Sold for $375,000. Courtesy Sotheby’s

From the Collection of Leland Hirsch. Lot 45. Peter Beard (B. 1938), 'Hog Ranch Front Lawn, Night Feeder (2:00 AM) with Maureen Gallagher & Mbuno, Feb. 1987', photographer in ink, framed, 1987, printed and assembled in the 1990s, 50 3/8  by 71 3/8  in. (128 by 181.3 cm.) Estimate: $200/300,000. Sold for $250,000 . Courtesy Sotheby’s

a unique object, mural-sized, signed, titled, dated, annotated 'Peter Beard, Hog Ranch, Box 47616, Nairobi, Kenya,' and inscribed with a passage from Joseph Conrad by the photographer in black, white, and red inks on the image, and with drawings of insects and animals, blood, and collage elements: a box of matches; a leaf; a photo strip of 3 images of a baby mountain gorilla; half-tone reproductions of a red sweater, Peter Beard photographs of animals, and a self-portrait with a crocodile annotated 'I'll write whenever I can' by the photographer in ink, framed, 1987, printed and assembled in the 1990s . 

From the Collection of Leland Hirsch. Lot 1. Herb Ritts (1952-2002), 'Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood', mounted, signed, titled, dated, and editioned '11/25' in pencil and stamped on the reverse, overmatted, framed, 1989, 18 1/2  by 20 in. (47 by 50.8 cm.) Estimate: $50/70,000. Sold for $150,000 . Courtesy Sotheby’s

'I enjoy shooting women as feminine objects. There's a sensitivity to the photographs. Many times they're stripped down to the elements, as in the picture of the five models together. They're not like what Lindbergh or Bruce Weber does. I enjoy women being women in my way, and they're still feminine. They're very much themselves.’ – Herb Ritts.

From the Collection of Leland Hirsch. Lot 33. Diane Arbus (1923-1971), 'Child with a toy hand grenade in Central Park, N. Y. C.', signed, titled, dated, and editioned '72/75' by Doon Arbus, the photographer's daughter, in ink and with the 'A Diane Arbus Photograph' and reproduction rights stamp on the reverse, framed, exhibition labels on the reverse, 1962, printed posthumously by Neil Selkirk, 14 3/4  by 15 in. (37.5 by 38 cm.). Estimate: $70/100,000. Sold for $137,500 . Courtesy Sotheby’s

Photographs 
Auction Total $3.1 Million 
Today’s various-owner auction was led by William Henry Fox Talbot’s The Pencil Of Nature, which sold for $275,000 (estimate $150/200,000). Issued in 6 parts between 1844 and 1846 and comprised of 24 photographs, the present work was the first photographically illustrated text to be commercially sold and the culmination of more than a decade of experimentation by the famed British scientist, inventor and photography pioneer. The sale also saw record prices achieved for contemporary artists, including David Gamble, JoAnn Verburg and David Yarrow.

William Henry Fox Talbot, 'The Pencil Of Nature'. Various sizes to 6 1/4 by 8 1/2 in. (15.9 by 21.6 cm.) Estimate: $150/250,000. Sold for $275,000. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

(London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, 1844-46), the complete set of six fascicles illustrated with 24 salt prints, 21 prints on mounts with hand-ruled borders, 20 numbered in an unidentified hand in pencil or ink on the mount, 3 loose; plate 1 a variant, circa 1846, and plate 2 a substitute. 4to, grey linen-backed boards, ink title on spine, inscribed 'Herbert Lambert from M. T. Talbot, August 1921' and 'N. D. Larkin. 1959.' in ink on the title, five-line 'Notice to the Reader' inserted behind the front end paper, a modern print of Window at Lacock Abbey tipped to the front free end paper. Bound without printed wrappers.

Private collector acquires - through Sotheby’s Diamonds - The Largest D Flawless Round Brilliant in the World. 102.34 carats, The World’s Largest-Known Round, D Colour, Flawless Diamond. Price paid per carat far exceeds that for any colourless diamond sold at auction © Sotheby’s Diamonds.

LONDON. – – In February this year, Sotheby’s Diamonds, a retail boutique specialising in the world’s finest diamonds, unveiled an extraordinarily rare 102.34 carat white diamond. The only known round brilliant-cut diamond over 100 carats that is perfect according to every critical criterion (see 4 Cs below), the stone – described by Patti Wong, Chairman of Sotheby’s Diamonds, as a “masterpiece of nature” – has now found a buyer. While the identity of the new owner cannot be revealed, the stone was purchased for a price per carat, which far exceeds that for any colourless diamond sold at auction (the current auction record price per carat for a white diamond is US$260,252, set at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in 2013).

Coinciding with the sale of this exceptional stone, Sotheby’s has also sourced – for sale at auction in Geneva this May – two highly impressive white stones, each one weighing over 50 carats, and both of the same extraordinary colour and clarity as the 102.34 carat stone sold privately through Sotheby’s diamonds.

The first of the two stones is a round, brilliant cut diamond which, at 51.71 carats, ranks as the second largest D Flawless brilliant-cut diamond ever to have appeared at auction. The second stone, similarly perfect, weighs 50.39 carats but is oval, rather than round; it too is the second largest D Flawless diamond of its shape ever to have come to auction. 

The two diamonds will be highlights of Sotheby’s flagship sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels in Geneva on May 15. The round brilliant-cut diamond is estimated at CHF 7.8 – 9 million (US$ 8.2 – 9.5 m / GBP 6 – 7 m / EUR 6.7 – 7.7 m) and the oval diamond will be offered with an estimate of CHF 7 – 7.6 million (US$ 7.3 – 8 m / GBP 5.3 – 5.8 m / EUR 6 – 6.5 m). 

Speaking about the sale of the 102.34 carat diamond, Patti Wong, Founder and Chairman of Sotheby’s Diamonds, said: “When the new custodian of this stone first beheld it, they were – like everyone else who has seen it – completely captivated. It is hard to believe that something so ancient (these stones are as old as the earth itself) can be so alive, so full of fire and blinding brilliance. A rarity in the mythical world of 100- carat stones, this diamond is a wonder of nature and of man’s ability to shape nature’s creations into an object of ultimate beauty”

Looking ahead to the Geneva sale, David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewellery Division, commented, “Having witnessed the enormous effect of the 102.34 carat stone on those who saw it, we are now thrilled to bring to the market two more truly exceptional stones, both of which are among the largest, highest quality white diamonds ever to come to auction. Diamonds like these have always captivated collectors and connoisseurs alike and continue to do so today.”

TWO DIAMONDS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBRE

Both of the diamonds to be offered in Geneva in May are D-Colour (the most coveted hue for white diamonds), have Flawless clarity and belong to the highly rarefied sub-category of Type IIa diamonds, which make up just 2% of gem diamonds and boast the highest optical transparency. The two diamonds were discovered and purchased at tender in Botswana. 

The round and oval diamonds were expertly cut in Antwerp (from rough diamonds weighing 196 carats and 155 carats respectively), and have been found by the GIA to have excellent cut, polish and symmetry. This is hugely important in ensuring that light passing through the stone is unimpeded, resulting in extraordinary sparkle and scintillation. Each has been given the top grading for their respective shapes: the round diamond received coveted “XXX” status, the most sought-after accolade applicable to this cut, and the oval stone was awarded “XX”, also the highest rating for its shape category. 

When it comes to stones of significant size, diamond cutters will generally try to keep the maximum weight from the rough. For this reason, elongated cushions, emerald-cuts, and pear-shapes are usually more common for large diamonds. Here, however, the master craftsmen who cut the stones have chosen round brilliant and oval cuts respectively, which show off the diamonds’ exceptional physical characteristics to maximum effect. 

These two shapes are most highly sought-after: an oval-cut diamond holds the record price per carat for any white diamond, and round brilliant-cut diamonds – which have the greatest fire and brilliance - are the rarest of all for stones of this size.

Oval diamond weighing 50.39 carats, D Colour, Flawless, Excellent Polish and Symmetry, Type IIa. Estimate 6,860,000–7,570,000 CHF / US$7,250,000–8,000,000. © Sotheby’s 

Round brilliant-cut diamond weighing 51.71 carats, D Colour, Flawless, Excellent Cut, Polish and Symmetry, Type IIa. Estimate 7,760,000–8,990,000 CHF / US$8,200,000–9,500,000. © Sotheby’s 

MORE ON THE 102.34 CARAT 

At 102.34 carats, the stone was the rarest white diamond ever to come to the market and the largest, round D colour flawless diamond known to man. The only stone of its kind ever graded by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), the diamond achieved the highest rankings under each of the criteria by which the quality of a stone is judged (‘the four Cs’). It is of D colour (the highest grade for a white diamond); of exceptional clarity (it is completely flawless, both internally and externally, belonging to a rare subgroup known as Type IIa), and of excellent cut, polish and symmetry.

ON THE MARKET FOR WHITE DIAMONDS

Demand for exceptional diamonds of all kinds, including white, has been particularly strong in recent years. In October 2013, Sotheby’s established a world auction record price per carat for a white diamond at US$ 260,252 per carat when a 118.28 carat oval diamond sold for US$30.8 million. Last year, 91% of all white diamonds offered in Sotheby’s auctions found buyers, with half of them achieving prices above their high estimate. 

The two diamonds were unveiled in London on public view from 7 until 10 April. This will then be followed by an international tour. 

13 - 17 April: New York 27 - 28 April: Singapore (round brilliant-cut diamond only) 1 - 2 May: Taipei (round brilliant-cut diamond only) 1 - 2 May: Dubai (oval diamond only) 12 - 14 May: Geneva.

SALE: MAGNIFICENT JEWELS & NOBLE JEWELS Tuesday 15 May 2018 Mandarin Oriental, Geneva 1, Quai Turrettini, 1201 Geneva

Lot 2116. A fine wucai'Dragon and Phoenix' bowl, Kangxi six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1662-1722); 5 1/8 in. (13.1 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 700,000 - HKD 1,000,000. Price realised HKD 1,050,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2013

The bowl is well potted with curved sides rising to a flared rim. The exterior is finely detailed in underglaze-blue and wucai enamels with a pair of five-clawed, striding dragons, each in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', one in red enamel with a flowing green mane, and the other green, with a blue mane. The dragons are divided by phoenix, swooping downwards with wings spread and tails fanned, all against a ground of chrysanthemum and convovulous. The rim is encircled by a band containing the Buddhist Emblems alternating with stylised double-ruyi heads. The well is painted with a dragon chasing a 'flaming pearl', box.

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's Chester, 8 July 1987
A European private collection formed in the 1980s and 1990s.

Note: A slightly larger Kangxi bowl of the same pattern is illustrated in Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1999, p. 148, no. 136. A Kangxi-marked bowl of this pattern in the collection of the Nanjing Museum is illustrated by Xu Huping, The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p. 86. Compare, also, to the pair of similar bowls included in the Hong Kong Oriental Ceramic Society, Exhibition of Ch'ing Polychrome Porcelain, 1979, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 32. 

Christie's. Imperial Sale; Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 29 May 2013, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall 

Lot 2118. A fine Ming-style copper-red decorated 'Three fish' bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1723-1735); 4 7/8 in. (12.3 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 800,000 - HKD 1,200,000. Price realised HKD 1,050,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2013

 The rounded sides of the bowl rise to a gently everted rim, all supported on a low foot ring. The exterior is decorated with three evenly-spaced carp in underglaze-red beneath a transparent glaze with a slight bluish tinge. 

Provenance: Sold at Christie's Amsterdam, 5 March 1988, lot 62 (one of a pair)
A European private collection formed in the 1980s and 1990s.

Note: Ever since its first use on Imperial porcelains of the Yuan and early Ming dynasty, copper-red decoration was a challenge for the potter to create with any degree of consistency. The copper-red decoration on the current bowl has been successfully fired to a particularly even and bright red tone which appears to float within the thick transparent glaze. The design is taken from early 15th century prototypes, such as the small rounded bowl with Xuande mark, included in the Exhibition of Imperial Porcelain of the Yongle and Xuande Periods Excavated from the Site of the Ming Imperial Factory at Jingdezhen, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1989, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 75. The motif, however, is more often found on stem bowls.

Yongzheng bowls of this type appear to vary considerably in size. A slightly larger Yongzheng bowl (22.3 cm. diam.) of this design is illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, Tokyo, 1983, vol. 15, pl. 39. Another slightly larger bowl (15.2 cm. diam.) of this design was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3917. A bowl of identical size to the present example from the Nanjing Museum, was included in the exhibition, Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 49 where it is illustrated with two other variations of auspicious symbols found on this type of bowl. The first is designed with three fruits replacing the fish, as on the present bowl, forming the 'Three Abundances' of longevity, wealth and progeny. The other is with five bats providing the imagery of the 'Five Blessings': old age, health, wealth, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Another similar example decorated with fish was exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Charles B. Hoyt Collection Memorial Exhibition, 1952, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 446. 

Christie's. Imperial Sale; Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 29 May 2013, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall 

Lot 2119. An underglaze-blue and yellow-enamelled 'Dragon' dish, Kangxi six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1662-1722); 10 in. (25.2 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 1,200,000 - HKD 1,800,000. Price realised HKD 2,190,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2013

The dish is potted with shallow rounded sides rising to a slightly everted rim, and decorated on the interior with a fierce five-clawed dragon leaping amidst clouds and flaming scrolls in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl'. The well is similarly decorated with two further dragons repeated on the exterior above a petal lappet border, box.

Compare to a Kangxi-marked dish of this pattern in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi, vol.1, Beijing, pp. 138-141, no. 36; one illustrated in the Tokyo National Museum Catalogue, Japan, 1965, no. 615; and another illustrated in Mayuyama Seventy Years, vol. 1, no. 1047. 

Christie's. Imperial Sale; Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 29 May 2013, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall 

Lot 2261. A fine underglaze-blue and yellow-enamel decorated 'Dragon' bowl, Kangxi six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1662-1722); 5 5/8 in. (14.1 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 500,000 - HKD 700,000. Price realised HKD 870,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

The bowl is finely potted with rounded sides rising to a slightly everted rim, and decorated around the exterior with two sinuous five-clawed dragons striding amidst ruyiclouds and flame-scrolls in pursuit of flaming pearls, above a band of overlapping petal lappets encircling the foot. The interior is decorated with a central medallion enclosing a third dragon, box.

Christie's. Imperial Sale, Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 29 May 2013, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall

Lot 2262. A wucai brush pot, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 150,000 - HKD 200,000. Price realised HKD 250,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

Lot 107. An Important Fancy Intense Pink Diamond weighing 7.01 carats, Natural Color, SI2 clarity Ring. Estimate 4,200,000 -- 5,200,000 USD. © Sotheby's 

Accompanied by GIA report no. 1186878310 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Color, SI2 clarity.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels, New York, 18 avr. 2018, 10:00 AM

Lot 67. A magnificent pear-shaped Type IIa diamond weighing 33.25 carats D color, Flawless pendant-necklace. Estimate 4,000,000 — 5,000,000 USD. © Sotheby’s 

Suspending a pear-shaped diamond weighing 33.25 carats, topped by a marquise-shaped diamond weighing approximately 1.00 carat, length 16½ inches.

Accompanied by GIA report no. 5182740856 stating that the diamond is D color, Flawless, together with a letter from the GIA stating that the diamond has been determined to be Type IIa.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels, New York, 18 avr. 2018, 10:00 AM

Lot 48. An Important Fancy Intense Orangy Pink Diamond weighing 7.37 carats, Natural Color, VS1 clarity and Diamond Ring. Estimate 3,000,000 — 5,000,000 USD. © Sotheby’s 

Set with an emerald-cut Fancy Intense Orangy Pink diamond weighing 7.37 carats, accented by two cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut near colorless diamonds, further embellished with round near colorless diamonds and diamonds of pink hue, size 5.

Accompanied by GIA report no. 6197058597 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Orangy Pink, Natural Color, VS1 clarity.

Please note that the round diamonds of pink hue have not been tested for origin of color.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels, New York, 18 avr. 2018, 10:00 AM

Lot 138. A Rare Fancy Intense Blue Diamond weighing 3.47 carats I1 clarity Ring. Estimate 3,2,000,000 — 2,500,000 USD. © Sotheby’s 

To be sold without the mounting.

Accompanied by GIA report no. 1186953259 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Blue, I1 clarity.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels, New York, 18 avr. 2018, 10:00 AM