The President of Christie’s Paris, Cécile Verdier, selling one of the top lots of the week, Dutch School, Circa 1650, The Triumph Of David
New York – Christie’s landmark Rothschild auction series finished in triumphant style totaling $62,656,516, showing the strong demand for decorative arts of all categories and price levels, and underscoring the enduring power of the Rothschild provenance on both sides of the Atlantic. The four sales averaged 280 percent sold hammer above low estimate, and 98 percent sold by lot. Millennial buyers accounted for an average of 15 percent of bidders and buyers across the week, and bidders and buyers from 40 nations participated. Christie’s broke the record for European 18th century seat furniture and then broke that record in the very same sale. Records were also set for Hispano-Moresque and Bernard Palissy earthenware as well as for 17th century flatware.
Jonathan Rendell, Christie's Deputy Chairman, Americas and the President of Christie’s Paris, Cécile Verdier, said, "This historic sale garnered extraordinary results across the categories we offered, a tribute to the collecting of James, Betty, Alphonse and Leonora de Rothschild. Objects which had been with the family for close to 150 years drew bids from collectors, museums and the trade. The many records achieved for these pieces bear witness to their rarity, beauty and provenance.”
ROTHSCHILD MASTERPIECES: EVENING SALE | 11 OCTOBER 2023: LIVE
Total $43,237,900; 245% hammer above low estimate; 95% sold by lot.
The first-ever dedicated North American sale of works belonging to one of the great collecting families, began with a sale of masterpieces. The leading lot of the day was Gerrit Dou’s A young woman holding a hare with a boy at a window, which made $7,068,000. Other top lots included, Dutch School, circa 1650 The Triumph of David, a monumental series of painted and embossed leather panels, which realized $4,406,000. A pair of late Louis XV gilt walnut fauteuils a la reine by the 18th-century French furniture maker Louis Delanois set the record for 18th century European chairs making $4,406,00, and then shortly after that this record was broken again by a Delanois pair of late Louis XV giltwood and white-painted fauteuils, supplied to Madame Du Barry for her Château De Louveciennes, Circa 1770-1771, which made $6,221,000, the second-highest price ever for European chairs of any era. Christie’s also set a record for a Hispano-moresque earthenware blue and lustred armorial charger that brought $1,033,200.
Christie’s is proud to announce that the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio purchased a Dutch silver-gilt mounted nautilus cup, bearing the mark of Cornelis Jansz van der Burch, Delft, 1607 for $1,502,000. Heather Lemonedes Brown, Virginia N. and Randall J. Barbato Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Cleveland Museum, said, "The Cleveland Museum of Art is absolutely delighted to have acquired the Dutch Nautilus Cup at Christie's highly anticipated Rothschild Masterpieces sale. Although silver was extremely important in the Dutch Republic, until now, the CMA has not owned an example of Dutch silver. The Nautilus Cup is extremely rare; only five other such cups made in Delft during this period are known. This remarkable object—with a sea monster mask motif incorporated into the highly decorative silver-gilt mount that frames the shell from Indonesia—will captivate visitors when the Cup is on view in the Harold C. Schott Foundation Gallery for Dutch Painting (213)."
ROTHSCHILD MASTERPIECES: THE KUNSTKAMMER | 12 OCTOBER 2023: LIVE
Total $9,204,048; 245% hammer above low estimate; 99% sold by lot.
The opening day sale of the series was led by a large Duchy of Urbino Maiolica istoriato charger, circa 1525, probably Castel Durante, which made $730,800. Other notable results included: a German Renaissance silver-gilt mounted carved nautilus cup and cover, mark of Melchior Bair, Augsburg, 1602-1606, which made $390,600, and a large Hispano-Moresque earthenware gold-lustred basin or ewer-stand, circa 1475-1494, Valencia, probably Manises, which brought $352,800.
ROTHSCHILD MASTERPIECES: LE GOÛT ROTHSCHILD | 13 OCTOBER 2023: LIVE
Total $7,951,734; 229% hammer above low estimate; 98% sold by lot.
The top lot in this sale, named for the famous “Rothschild taste,” that was deeply influential in both Europe and the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was a Louis XVI ormolu group depicting an allegory of learning, knowledge and vigilance, which brought $522,900, making $522,900. Other top lots included, a pair of Directoire mahogany and ebonized bergeres by Jean-Baptiste Claude Sené, circa 1795-1800, which made $340,200 and a pair of Louis XV ormolu chenets 'aux chevaux cabres,' attributed to Jacques Caffieri, circa 1745-49, which fetched $403,200.
ROTHSCHILD MASTERPIECES: THE ONLINE SALE | 3-17 OCTOBER 2023
Total $2,262,834; 401% hammer above low estimate; 100% sold by lot.
The online sale offered collectors a wide range of objects at all levels. Highlights of the sale include: a German gold-mounted hardstone walking stick by Johann Christian Neuber, Dresden, circa 1780, which made $37,800; a French post-Palissy earthenware ewer of the 17th century that brought $88,200 and a pair of mid-19th century French ormolu chenets that realized $75,600.
THE ROTHSCHILD SERIES CONTINUES WITH LOTS IN THE FOLLOWING SALES AT CHRISTIE’S PARIS
• 16 NOVEMBER 2023 LIVE | DERNIERS SOUVENIRS DE FERRIERES
• 21 NOVEMBER 2023 LIVE | THE EXCEPTIONAL SALE
• 7 – 21 NOVEMBER 2023 ONLINE | LES GRENIERS DE FERRIERES
• 22 NOVEMBER 2023 LIVE | LIVRES RARES ET MANUSCRITS, INCLUANT UNE SELECTION DE LA BIBLIOTHEQUE DE LA FAMILLE ROTHSCHILD
About Christie’s
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction, launched the first fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art and manages an investment fund to support innovative startups in the art market. Christie’s is also committed to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide. To learn more, browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.
* Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price - see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue. *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium.