NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s sale Dalva Brothers: Parisian Taste In New York achieved a total of $5,855,500 and was 81% sold by lot and 85% sold by value. The top lot of the sale was the exquisite late Louis XVI pietra dura and ormolu-mounted ebony secrétaire en cabinet by Adam Weisweiler circa 1785-1790, which sold for $1,134,000, exceeding its estimate of $600,000-1,000,000. Additional top lots include a Charles X birds eye maple, amaranth, coloured strass and silver exhibition panel, made for the Exposition des Produits de L'Industrie of 1827, which totaled $187,500 and a matched pair of Louis XVI ormolu-mounted citronnier, fruitwood and marquetry secretaries by Roger Vandercruse, known as Lacroix, circa 1775, which realized $162,500.
Jody Wilkie, Co-Chairman of Decorative Arts, and International Specialist Head for European Ceramics & Glass comments: “For almost 100 years Dalva Brothers has been a de rigueur destination for museum curators, connoisseur collectors and interior designers who have come to marvel at the remarkable array of furniture, porcelain and sculpture in the gallery, every piece handpicked for its quality and rarity and with a special story to tell.”
Will Strafford, Senior International Specialist, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, remarks: “Today’s sale Dalva Brothers Parisian Taste in New York was met with tremendous enthusiasm from buyers all over the world who competed for the many treasures on offer. The sale demonstrated the continued strength of the masterpiece market for 18th century French furniture, with Wesiweiler’s superb pietra dura secretaire selling for over $1 million after a prolonged bidding duel between two buyers. Dalva has always been renowned for having outstanding clocks and we were particularly pleased that the rare Louis XVI clock with globe movement by Lepaute exceeded its estimate to sell for $137,500.”
NOTABLE RESULTS: DALVA BROTHERS: PARISIAN TASTE IN NEW YORK
LOT 65: A LATE LOUIS XVI PIETRA DURA AND ORMOLU-MOUNTED EBONY SECRÉTAIRE EN CABINET BY ADAM WEISWEILER AND ALMOST CERTAINLY SUPPLIED BY DOMINIQUE DAGUERRE, CIRCA 1785-1790. Price Realized: $1,134,000
LOT 136: A CHARLES X BIRDS EYE MAPLE, AMARANTH, COLOURED STRASS AND SILVER EXHIBITION PANEL, THE PANEL BY JEAN-BAPTISTE-PIERRE-LAURENT DOUAULT-WIELAND, MADE FOR THE EXPOSITION DES PRODUITS DE L'INDUSTRIE OF 1827. Price Realized: $187,500
LOT182: A MATCHED PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED CITRONNIER, FRUITWOOD AND MARQUETRY SECRETAIRES BY ROGER VANDERCRUSE, KNOWN AS LACROIX, CIRCA 1775. Price Realized: $162,500
LOT 232: A LARGE SEVRES BISCUIT PORCELAIN PORTRAIT BUST OF NAPOLEON. DATED 1810, IMPRESSED SMALL UPPERCASE MARK TO THE FRONT OF THE BASE, THE BACK INCISED A.L. PROBABLY FOR THE REPAREUR A.-M. LIANCE, AND A.B. 17 AT 10. FOR A. BROGNIART, 17 AUGUST 1810, AFTER THE MODEL BY A.-D. CHAUDET. Price realized: $87,500
LOT 171: A LOUIS XVI ORMOLU, BLUED AND SILVERED METAL AND BLEU TURQUIN MARBLE PENDULE A CERCLES TOURNANTS BY LEPAUTE, PARIS, DATED 1780. Price realized: $137,500
LOT 93: A PAIR OF VINCENNNES PORCELAIN BOTTLE COOLERS (SEAUX A BOUTEILLE 'ORDINAIRE') CIRCA 1752, ELABORATE BLUE INTERLACED L'S MARKS FOR THE PAINTER ARMAND L'AINE. Price realized: $125,000.
