Sothebys Paris Sept 2002

Sothebys Paris Sept 2002 at African Antiques

African Art David Norden |Mail|map Sint Katelijnevest 27. B2000 ANTWERPEN-Belgium. Tel +32 3 227 35 40
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AFRICAN AND OCEANIC ART TRIUMPH AT
SOTHEBY’S PARIS - September 2002

A beautiful Rapa Nui (Easter Island) figure that was sold at Sotheby's Paris on 30 September 2002 for euros 533,750 (...) was part of a 'job lot' of 'surplus spears and weapons' that the dealer James Hooper bought for £10 (UK sterling) from Harrow School (yes, the famous one) in the summer of 1940.

£10 would have been a lot to pay for lunch in 1930, but it represents a good deal nevertheless. Harrow School were pleased with the deal too, as they used the monies raised to buy a much needed vacuum cleaner for their Butler Museum!

From: Jeremy Coote in the discussion list Hafrarts

TOTAL : 4.131.060 euros

DURING THE INAUGURAL SALE OF TRIBAL ART AT SOTHEBY’S PARIS

Fri, 21 Feb 2003

A RARE FEMALE EASTER ISLAND FEMAL FIGURE WAS SOLD FOR 533.750 euros

found at: http://www.shareholder.com/bid/news/20021007-91740.cfm

97,2 % SOLD IN VALUE AND 91,7 % BY LOT The inaugural Sotheby’s Paris sale of a private European collection of Tribal Art comprising 109 lots from Africa, the South Pacific, and Central and South America was a great success. Nearly 2,500 visitors attended the pre-sale exhibition. The main auction room in the Galerie Charpentier housed a huge animated crowd assembled to witness the dispersion of this important collection. There was a volley of bidding between buyers in the room and telephone bidders from the first lot to the end of the sale.

Jean Fritts, the worlwide Head of Sotheby’s Tribal Art commented:‘Sotheby’s has for many years occupied a dominant position in African and Oceanic art sales. The majority of the lots doubled, tripled and even obtained ten times their estimates. The result of over 4 million Euros (euros 4.131.060 - $ 4.060.000) greatly surpassed the initial estimate of euros 1.800.000- 2.700.000.

The private European consignor assembled this collection successively from three former well-known collections : those of Jacob Epstein, James Hooper and Carlo Monzino. He wanted to sell his collection in Paris and the market responded positively to his choice. The appearance in a public auction of sculptures of such quality and prestigious provenance, veritable icons of African and Oceanic art, attracted to Paris not only a very discerning French public but also all the major international buyers, in particular the Belgians, the English and the Americans. Paris is without doubt the major European centre for Tribal Art and Sotheby’s intends to actively develop sales in this domain’.

The first lot was a historic piece. It was the first work bought by Jacob Epstein, a rare Marquesas Islands architectural element showing two figures of a man and a woman, back-to-back. It was sold for euros 291.750 against an estimate of euros 55.000 - 85.500.

The two exceptional sculptures from the Easter Islands represented two people, covered in a red patina, with figurative faces and the skulls incised with zoomorphique motifs, were prime pieces of Polynesian art. Created to honour the gods, spirits and ancestors, they were used as pendants by the chiefs and by other dignitaries during important ceremonies or events. The female statute, Moai pa’a-pa’a (lot 38, estimated euros 250.000 - 350.000) was sold for euros 533.750 and the male statue Moai tangata, for euros 313.750 (lot 31, euros 80.000 - 120.000).

A splendid Vanuatu mask, South of the Pentecost Islands, with oversized features and its nose in the form of a ring, was sold for euros 110.000 (lot 89 - estimate : euros 75.000 - 90.000).

The ceremonial shafts greatly excited the collectors, in particular the magnificent shaft Gugu, from the Fiji Islands (lot 43) which was sold for euros 111.150 against an estimate of euros 25.000 - 35.000. Only two other comparable pieces are known and both are in museum collections.

The prices obtained for African pieces were also remarkable. The magnificent 17th century Benin brass plaque, from Nigeria, decorated with the image of a warrior covered in royal insignia achieved euros 247.750 (lot 5) ; a rare Makonde mask, from the Congo Democratic Republic, featuring a highly stylised round face, was hotly disputed to a final sale price of euros 247.750 against an estimate of euros 35.000 - 45.000.

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