ZURICH.- Active bidding on the telephones, online and – as a sign that clients are happy to resume in-person bidding – in the saleroom produced excellent results for Modern, Contemporary and Swiss Art in Koller’s December auctions.

Swiss Art, 2 December

Paintings from an important Swiss private collection sparked enthusiastic bidding. ‘Girl peeling potatoes’ by Albert Anker was the subject of a bidding war by several private collectors, selling for CHF 1.75 million (lot 3013, est. CHF 900 000 / 1 400 000). Among the works by Giovanni Giacometti from this collection, a summer Engadine landscape more than doubled its estimate at CHF 439 000 (lot 3048, est. CHF 180 000 / 250 000), as did the sunny portrait of Giacometti’s daughter, ‘Ottilia on the balcony’, at CHF 256 000 (lot 3037, est. CHF 100 000 / 150 000).

Further important works from other private collections realised outstanding results, such as Cuno Amiet’s ‘The Truth’, for CHF 890 000 (lot 3031, est. CHF 800 000 / 1 200 000), and an intriguing composition by Félix Vallotton, ‘Femme nue agenouillée devant un canapé rouge’, for CHF 545 000 (lot 3053, CHF 500 000 / 700 000). An auction record was set for a work by Louis Soutter, ‘PARAMount’, at CHF 390 000 (lot 3052, est. CHF 150 000 / 220 000). A further auction record was set for a painting by Alois Carigiet, ‘The sleigh ride’, which sold for CHF 122 000 (lot 3077, est. CHF 50 000 / 80 000).

Impressionist & Modern Art, 2 December

A very early and important abstract work by one of the founders of abstract painting, Frantisek Kupka, ‘Dominante Rouge (Le Rouge Emporte)’ from 1913/14 sold for an impressive CHF 2.04 million (lot 3235, est. 350 000 / 500 000). Works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir were highly sought-after, such as ‘Bouquet de fleurs au pichet de terre’, which sold for CHF 626 000 (lot 3206, est. CHF 200 000 / 300 000), and ‘Bords de rivière’, which fetched CHF 305 000 (lot 3216, est. CHF 120 000 / 180 000). A group of paintings by the Hungarian Modernist artist Janos Vaszary sold for multiples of their pre-sale estimates, including ‘Rapallo Bay’ for CHF 354 000 (lot 3230, est. CHF 80 000 / 120 000), and ‘Woman in a deck chair’ for CHF 342 000 (lot 3229, est. CHF 80 000 / 120 000).

Further highlights included paintings by Lovis Corinth, ‘Night at Walchensee’, selling for CHF 293 000 (lot 3251, est. CHF 200 000 / 300 000), Giorgio de Chirico’s ‘L'enigma dell'ora’, circa 1970, for CHF 177 000, (lot 3264, est. CHF 140 000 / 180 000), and a bronze sculpture by Aristide Maillol, ‘La femme à l’écharpe’, for CHF 122 000 (lot 3220, est. CHF 100 000 / 150 000).

PostWar & Contemporary Art
Prints & Multiples, 1 December

Works by Arnaldo Pomodoro were particularly successful in the PostWar & Contemporary auction, such as ‘Porte Dall'Edipo’, 1988, which fetched CHF 232 000 (lot 3434, est. CHF 60 000 / 90 000), and SFERA, a gold-patinated bronze sphere from the mid-60s, which sold for CHF 159 000 (lot 3432, CHF 150 000 / 200 000). A line painting by Zdenek Sykora, ‘No. 8 – Trio Op 2’, 1978, sold for CHF 568 000 (lot 3462, est. CHF 150 000 / 250 000). A monumental sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle, ‘L'Oiseau amoureux’, 1990/92, set an auction record for this work at CHF 342 000 (lot 3453, est. CHF 140 000 / 180 000).