Auction 141C

Auction Art Nouveau - Art Deco

21. November 2018 at 2:00 PM CEST



A number of small high-quality private collections brought us some of the most important pieces for this auction.

A collector’s widow finally decided to consign nearly twenty Art Nouveau glasses: a collection which was assembled in the 1980’s with great knowledge and passion. The Emile Gallé marqueterie ‚Pervenche‘ perfume bottle with stopper is particularly nice. Designed in 1900, it carries an estimate of € 8,000 - 12,000. Besides works by the Daum brothers, the collection comprises further of glasses by Emile Gallé, Burgun Schverer and Désirée Christian. Also worth mentioning is that the collector managed to purchase an important Paris 1900 World Fair vase by Franz Hofstoetter. The tall gourd shaped vase in the classical colors red, yellow and black is an icon of the typical secessionist wavy style and carries an estimate of € 10,000 - 14,000.

Two beautiful Gallé Intercalaire vases are put up for auction by the heirs of a Berlin collector. A tall ‚Fruits d’Erable‘ vase with wheel-carved maple tree decoration in a nightly scenery with shimmering gold foil in the background is estimated at € 7,000 - 9,000. The small brother of this vase is the much smaller ‚Sabot de venus‘ vase with wheel-carved orchids in front of an orange-red shiny background (€ 6,000 - 8,000). They are part of a ten-piece consignment also comprising of a highly important Minton’s China Works vase with Pâte-sur-pâte decoration. Its decoration is inspired by a poem by the Persian poet Omar Khayyam. The vase was designed by Frederick Alfred Rhead and is estimated at € 18,000 - 22,000.

Ten years ago Quittenbaum was selling a western German collection as a whole except for two pieces. Those are to be auctioned now. First of all an elaborate Daum Frères table lamp, wholly wheel carved and with fine martelé decoration, it is estimated at € 25,000 – 30,000. Second, a 60 cm tall floor vase by Emile Gallé with strong red bush rose 'Roses grimpantes' decoration on shiny yellow ground. This powerful object is offered at € 12,000 – 16,000.

Furniture by the Ecole de Nancy rounds off the offer. First of all, there is Emile Gallé’s display cabinet 'Martin pêcheurs' with marqueterie dragonflies in the back board and two elaborately sculpted kingfishers as caryatids of the top board. Highly important and probably a unique piece it is estimated at € 62,000 – 72,000. From a Berlin property comes a vanity desk by Louis Majorelle which impresses by its elegant and vibrant design. Its curvy legs in x-shape construction lead up into the framing of the mirror giving the whole design an appeal of gothic architecture. It is estimated at € 10,000 – 14,000.

This auction is the third of four auctions that will be held on 20 and 21 November 2018. On 20 November we start at 2 PM with 'Glass from lorraine – a private collection' to be followed by the small special sale 'René Lalique and Charles Schneider' at 6 PM. The Art Nouveau - Art Deco sale begins on 21 November at 2 PM and is followed by 'The Marie and David Cooper Collection of Fine Art Déco sculptures' at 6 PM. On these two auction days, about 800 lots are being offered.