Sotheby's Results
September 23 2020
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The mid-season online sale at Sotheby's London ended today bringing in a total of £1,318,968 (inc. premium) with 82.7% of lots sold.
The stand out result was for the picture above, catalogued as 'Follower of Guido Reni' which realised £189,000 (inc. premium) over its estimate of £7k - £10k. The catalogue states that the painting relates to this original work in the Bob Jones University Collection in South Carolina.
As expected with such low enticing estimates, many paintings did manage to double their low estimates. An estimate after all is something of a psychological game, often engineered to get people involved rather than pass lots by.
Some other notable results were this copy of a De Heem which made £21,240 over its £4k - £6k estimate; a grisaille sketch given to a 'Follower of Van Dyck' which realised £27,720 over its £4k - £6k estimate; two portraits 'attributed to Franz Kessler' which made £56,700 over its £12k - £18k estimate; this eighteenth century Spanish colonial painting which made £20,160 over its £4k - £6k estimate; and this James Pollard of the London to Glasgow Mail Coach which made £20,160 over its £4k - £6k estimate. These are not the most enormous results. But they do show that there is still some health in low to mid-range old master market.
