Fine Art

A white-glove sale tells its own story about the health of a market

I read with some interest your recent piece on Rosa Bonheur’s painting of a donkey and its sale in New York (ATG No 2680).

This early 18th century portrait by Thomas Gibson (1680-1751) shows Lady Bridget Poulett (1702-73) in her prime.

Two very different works offered in Oxford now have new owners from Australia and continental Europe

As readers may recall from previous articles on these pages, when it comes to the works of the great ornithological artist Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) depictions of game birds tend to be the most commercial subjects.

A work catalogued as “an 18th-century French School portrait of a gentleman” went for Can$32,000 (£17,180) at a Montreal sale, well above its broad guide of Can$1000-2000.

An en bloc private sale has been arranged for a group of Fabergé object d’art formerly in the Wernher collection at Luton Hoo.

Gustave Doré (1832-83) was celebrated in the 19th century for his wood-engraving illustrations of Biblical scenes.

Decisively claiming top-lot status in the January 12 sale at Clarke Auction Gallery (28% buyer’s premium) was a Florentine School gold ground and tempera panel that hammered for $230,000 (£177,380).

The February 14 sale at Freeman’s Hindman (27% buyer’s premium) was dubbed Interiors featuring a Collection of Canine Art.

A hit at TEFAF was a rediscovered portrait that Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) painted in 1897 of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, from the Ga people of west Africa.