Gilt-bronze mounted porcelain vase sells Big in Bonhams New York auction
Published December 9th, 2008
A spectacular Russian vase thought to have been included in the wedding dowry belonging to a daughter of Czar Nicholas I, was undeniably the most coveted lot of Bonhams’ .6-million November 20th sale of European Furniture and Decorative Arts in New York City.
Taking place at Bonhams’ Madison Avenue showrooms, the nearly 250-lots sold featured an exceptional array of fine European furniture, decorative arts, silver, rugs, and carpets. With widespread word of the many important pieces to be offered, the sale attracted a crowd of private collectors and members of the trade to the auction house’s salesroom, competing with a bank of numerous international phone bidders.
More than surpassing pre-auction expectations, the massive Russian vase easily took top lot position. Created by the Imperial Porcelain Factory at St. Petersburg, the beautifully detailed urn resided in a Dutch family collection since the 1920s and was only recently rediscovered and identified by Bonhams specialists on the West Coast, where the family now resides. The body is finely painted with luxurious floral garlands and is applied with elaborate gilt-bronze foliate mounts attributed to the Felix Chopin workshop. A strikingly similar vase which was commissioned for the dowry of Grand Duchess Aleksandra (1825-1844) for her wedding to Prince Fredrich Wilhelm of Hessel-Kassel is now in the museum collection at Schloss Fasanerie, Eichenzell — leading to the speculation that this vase was also created for one of the Czar’s daughters. Carrying a pre-sale estimate of 0/250,000, the vase more than doubled its top estimate, fetching a final total of 8,000.
The illustrated auction catalog with prices realized will be online for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com/us. For a list of upcoming auctions and events at Bonhams New York please visit: http://www.bonhams.com/newyork .
