Old Masters

It is apparently not unusual for Christie’s to receive approaches from people claiming to have a work by a great Renaissance master.

A 15th century Flemish devotional triptych discovered in an almshouse in Dorset is to be offered at auction next month with an estimate of £2.5m-3.5m.

On the same day that Freeman’s Hindman announced it would rebrand simply as Freeman’s, the firm held a $2.5m two-part sale of Old Masters and 19th century European art.

A sketch by John Constable (1776-1837) held in a private collection for almost two centuries sold at almost double its top estimate at Roseberys’ latest sale of Old Master, British & European Pictures.

A group of around 30 Old Masters from the collection of the late dealer Robert Compton Jones is being offered at Leonard Joel in Sydney on December 8.

A painting by Dutch artist Gerrit Dou (1613-75) that has been in a British private collection since the 19th century will lead Christie’s Old Master evening sale in London next month.

If it sells, it will become one of the most expensive drawings ever sold.

A string of notable five and six-figure prices at the autumn art sales in the UK included a couple of ‘trademark’ Modern British pictures.

With estimates from £100, here are five previews of upcoming items.

A recently rediscovered early work by Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) has sold for €400,000 (£349,000) at Dorotheum.

As followers of Old Master prints are well aware, Rembrandt (1606-69) etchings appear at auction with great regularity with the most sought after subjects and earliest states commanding impressive prices.

Frieze London and Frieze Masters opened with a strong attendance and a string of sales reported on the first day of the fairs in Regent’s Park.

Lot 586 at Henry Aldridge’s (22% buyer’s premium) latest two-day sale was one of the more curious lots to appear at auction in recent times.

A round up of recently announced sales from the TEFAF Maastricht fair earlier this year