ZURICH.- Koller’s “antiques week” of auctions in Zurich produced impressive results, with several prices in the mid six figures, and active bidding for both fine and decorative arts from the Renaissance through the 19th century. Cyril Koller, president of Koller Auctions, commented, “What was evident during this auction series is that alongside the success of modern & contemporary art, there is still very much interest – I would say even a growing interest – in the arts of the past centuries. Bidding was particularly strong for good quality works from private collections”.

A rare 17th-century portrait of a violin player by a Dutch follower of Caravaggio sold for over half a million Swiss francs during Koller Zurich’s Old Master & 19th Century Paintings auction on 22 September. The artist, Dirck van Baburen, painted the work during a brief and fascinating period in Dutch painting. Van Baburen was a part of an artistic movement in Utrecht from 1621 – 1626 whose members emulated the dramatic painting style of Caravaggio (1571-1610). After travelling to Rome to study the recently departed master’s works, they returned to Holland and employed his stark chiascuro lighting and monochrome backgrounds, becoming known as the Utrecht caravaggisti. Since his career was cut short by his death in his early 30s, very few works by van Baburen are known, which explains the very active bidding at Koller’s auction for this lively portrait, recently rediscovered in a private collection.

An important work by Russian artist Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky also realized over a half-million Swiss francs. “View of a steep, rocky coast and a rough sea at sunset” (1883) demonstrates Aivazovsky’s pure mastery of brushstroke and effect, and rendered it irresistible to its new owner. Another highlight of the sale was a charming genre scene by 19th-century German artist Carl Spitzweg. The smallformat (30 x 14 cm) work, typical for the artist, sold for CHF 300 500 (lot 3218).

SUCCESS FOR RUSSIAN SILVER
The F.F. von Uthemann collection of important Russian silver at Koller Zurich on 21 September was a resounding success. The collection of eleven works, which had been in a private family collection for over a century, comprised silver creations from the 17th – 19th centuries, some with royal connections. Altogether, the sale of the collection totalled over CHF 375 000.

The top lots of the collection were two 17th-century silver-gilt kovsh drinking vessels, presented by Russian Czars to their subjects in reward for loyal service: one by Alexis of Russia, and the other by Ivan V and Peter the Great. Such royal gifts are extremely rare today and practically impossible to find outside of museums. The two kovsh sold for CHF 164 900 and CHF 152 900, more than four times their pre-sale estimates.

FURNITURE HIGHLIGHTS
The Furniture auction featured a North Italian Rococo polychrome decorated commode which sold for an impressive CHF 408 500. The commode, from an Italian private collection, was not only in excellent condition but was one of the highest-quality pieces of its type to come to the market in recent years. In the specially curated section of the auction entitled “Baroque to Belle Epoque”, two lots stood out: a pair of Italian neoclassical marble vases after a model by Piranese (CHF 132 500), and a Louis XV lady’s marquetry writing desk attributed to Pierre Roussel (CHF 101 300).