ArtCult - Les nouvelles du marché de l'art.-The Sale of the Collection of the Marquis & Marquise de

The Sale of the Collection of the Marquis & Marquise de Ravenel held at Christie's in London on November 21st and 22nd 2007 yielded a turnover of £4,925,963 (inclusive of buyer's premium

Sold:	£4,925,963	$10,167,188	€6,847,088
Lots Sold: 515	Lots Offered: 556	Sold by Lot: 93%	Sold by £: 97%
Exchange Rate£:= $2.064 / €1.390

Ten best results:

Lot	Description	Estimate (£)	Purchase Price	Buyer
100	A pair of Louis XVI gilt-walnut and gesso torchères executed by P.Gontier, carved by G.P.Cauvet and gilded by F. Mathon, circa 1778	200,000-400,000	£558,100 $1,151,918 €775,759	Private (well over the top estimate)
115	John Opie (1761-1807), The Red Boy: Portrait of Master McDonough, full-length in a red jacket and breeches with a black hat, holding a cricket bat, in a wooded landscape (oil) WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR THE ARTIST AT AUCTION	200,000-300,000	£457,300 $943,867 €635,647	Richard Green, London
50	A Roman specimen marble top on a later parcel-gilt and mahogany table, the marble top by Alfonso Cavamelli, Rome 1832, the table late 20th century	70,000-100,000	£401,300 $828,283 €557,807	Private (Top estimate crushed)
200	Follower of Antonio Canaletto, A view of the Piazzetta, Venice, looking South, with the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore beyond	60,000-80,000	£264,500 $545,928 €367,655	European Private (quite a surprising bid)
10	A pair of George I giltwood and gesso pier glasses, circa 1720, possibly Swedish	40,000-60,000	£192,500 $397,320 €267,575	Private (well over the top estimate)
102	A pair of Russian ormolu-mounted patinated bronze vases, attributed to Friedrich Bergenfeldt, probably to a design by Andrei Voronikhin, after a model by Claude Galle, circa 1805	30,000-50,000	£144,500 $298,248 €200,855	Private
45	A pair of Regency brass-mounted ebony inlaid and mahogany breakfront side cabinets, circa 1800	50,000-80,000	£126,500 $261,096 €175,835	US Private
135	A pair of George III giltwood open armchairs circa 1770, in the manner of Thomas Chippendale	20,000-40,000	£102,500 $211,560 €142,475	Private
136	A George II giltwood console table circa 1735, in the manner of William Kent	40,000-60,000	£96,500 $199,176 €134,135	Private
250	Attributed to Constant Troyon (French, 1810-1865), Two tethered hounds, one drinking water, in a landscape; and Two tethered hounds, one sitting, in a landscape	30,000-50,000	£96,500 $199,176 €134,135	US Private (quite a surprising bid considering that this painting did not carry a firm attribution to Troyon)

Comment: Orlando Rock, Director and Head of Collection and House Sales, London and Francois de Ricqles, Vice President of Christie's Paris: Christie's sale of the magnificent collection of the Marquis and Marquise de Ravanel represents a perfect embodiment of the entente cordiale. Sourced in Paris and sold in London, this marathon 2-day auction more than doubled pre-sale expectations, with every one of the top ten lots far exceeding their estimates. Reflecting the cosmopolitan taste of the Ravenal's, these highlights embraced everything from Russian vases and Louis XVI torcheres to Italian specimen marbles and John Opie's The Red Boy – a charming and unique depiction of a young cricketer. Their taste is truly eclectic and international – and this was truly an international sale which demonstrated yet again the extraordinary demand in London for both important works of art and amusing objects from Private Collections. The magic of the hotel particulier in the Faubourg Saint-Germain, captured in Christiane de Mazery's evocative photographs, were brilliantly recreated again by Angus Scott and the saleroom team. We look forward to the final Collection sale of 2007 – the Giorgio Ajmone Marsan and Umberta Nasi Collection – on 12 and 13 December, with its extraordinary international breadth from Edward Lear's topographical views to John Frederick Lewis' Orientalism.

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