The first sale of the season was a multi-faceted one with art from the 19th century up till the present day.
A survey with hammerprices (excl. buyer's premium of 22 % or 28%).
Complete list here
First part: 19th century and Asia
From the very start, it was clear that the Romantic Masters were, at least for this sale, back on track, with some very strong results for Karel Ooms' 'fantaisie estivale', making a smashing € 24000, and his double portrait of Rembrandt and Jan Six, finally ending at a well earned € 10000.
Jean Carolus' 'La fête de la grand-mère', dating from appr. the same period made it to € 17000 with a presale estimate of € 4-6000.
Worth mentioning is the fact that most of these results were made through the fierce bidding by clients of the Chinese mainland.
The same clientele also went for the best lots on the side of the Chinese porcelain, where a pair of hexagonal vases (lot 136) ended at € 12000, whereas a 19th century Chinese Famille rose 'Hundred Deer' plate (lot 103) got hammered at € 3800.
(Claire Colinet, res.: € 3200)
The second and third part: Modern Art
From Xavier Mellery came a canvas 'Château de la Roche-en-Ardenne' from 1877 (lot 205), which finally made € 3200, a portrait by Charles Verlat (lot 243) left the block for € 6000. On the side of the Art Deco sculptures, a bronze by Fernand Gysen (lot 289) made a strong € 7000, whereas other sculptors such as Claire Colinet, Bruno Zach or Franz Hagenauer each held there end.
From the Ghent artist Jan-Frans De Boever some true symbolistic works came up for sale (lots 322-327), with prices ranging from € 800 to 1800.
Some other results for artists from that same era: Jules Van Biesbroeck (lot 353, € 4200), Modest Huys (lot 346, € 3400); Eugeen Van Mieghem (lot 362, € 15000), Edmond Van Dooren (lot 412, € 18000) a.o.
(Philippe Vandenberg, res.: € 30000)
Post-War: Antoine Mortier (lot 430) made € 8500, André Beullens (lot 431) sold for € 7000, Luc Peire's 'La fine ligne' from 1955 was hammered at € 13000. On the contemporary side it was Philippe Vandenberg who took most of the attention with his 'Untitled' work from 1989 (lot 516) which trippled its estimate and left the room for a well deserved € 30000.
(James Ensor, est.: € 30000/40000)
Sculptures from the same period were catalogued with bronzes by animal sculptors as Antoon Amorgasti, Albert Hager or André-Vincent Becquerel with in addition pure Art Deco sculptures by a.o. Bruno Zach, Felix Benneteau-Desgrois or Claire Colinet next to an unknown terra cotta baby head by Oscar Jespers.
(André Lhote, res.: € 7500)
Fourth part: Design
On Wednesday evening 20 March a small but choice selection of design items went on the block. A side table by Dresse (lot 882) sold for € 6800, whereas a round dining table in wenge wood by Jules Wabbes (lot 874) took a fair € 4200 and a pair of Hvidt-Molgaardt/ Nielsen relax chairs, model FH-6135 sold for € 4000.
(Gerhard Richter, res.: € 4000)
We also present three paintings by Philippe Vandenberg: an untitled work from 1989, a work from the ‘De Flagellanten’ series and ‘D’après l’ennemi intérieur’ from 1999 and contemporary work by Lisse Declercq, Renaat Ivens, Huho Heyrman, Ellen De Meuter and Arne Quinze.
(P. Hvidt & O. Molgaard/ Fritz Hansen, res.: € 4000)
(Zao Wou-Ki, res.: € 2800)