Art Nouveau - Art Deco

Quittenbaum Art Auctions auctioned off 900 items in two days with a gross proceeds of €900,000 affirming its leading position in the sale of French Art Nouveau glass.

On Tuesday, numerous bidders on the floor, online and on the telephones bid on works by European glass manufacturers, most of them French or Bohemian glassworks. The extraordinarily tall 'Pluviose' vase, a work by Henri Bergé for Daum with Grisaille paint décor, c1900, was allotted to an international collector on the phone for €30,600 (incl.). The 'Vigne à l'escargot' vase, 1904 by Daum too, with autumnal warm colours and adorned with an adorable applied snail, will be part of a European private collection for €12,113. The 'Fleurs de Pommier' vase, 1906, with an impressionist realisation of three apple trees, received €17,212 (incl).

A peculiarity of the Daum glassworks was the depiction of the months of the Republican Calendar. Quittenbaum Art Auctions was happy to offer not one but three examples, like the rare vases 'Messidor' and 'Vendémiaire'. Both doubled their estimates due to busy bidding and went to
continental Europe and the USA respectively (lot 52: €4,541 incl. / lot 54: €4,780 incl.).

The pièce de résistance from the exquisite Emile Gallé offer was a rare vase with East Asian figure, after a sketch by Louis Hestaux. With the very best provenance, the vase from the property of the Gallé family changed hands for €19,125 and will be part of a European private collection. Thematically completely different is the huge 'La ligne bleue des Vosges' vase, 1906-14. The subject is a patriotic affirmation towards the Alsatian fatherland and will cross the big pond for €9,560 (incl.).

Representative for Bohemian glass, the rare vase by Josef Hoffmann, 1911/12 must be mentioned. It was made by Loetz, Klostermühle in 1912. Estimated moderately at €2,500 – 3,000 the work went into the possession of a bidder on the floor for €24,225 (incl.) after having been fervently battled over first and foremost by Austrian dealers.

On Wednesday, among other works, the choice of around 65 bronze figures was called up. The Chryselephantine figures held their ground very well, for example the works by Ferdinand Preiss. His 'Flute Player', 1920s, went into an international private collection for €20,552 (incl.). His delicate 'Dancer' will now be part of the same collection for €8,349.

A vase with figurative relief by Michael Powolny, 1907 for Wiener Keramik, sprung a surprise. The 'Female Nude' surpassed its moderate estimate of € 700 – 800 almost tenfold and went for €6,120 into the Austrian commerce.

In the furniture section a chair by Italian artist Carlo Bugatti must be mentioned. It will be part of a Spanish collection for €3,570.

Notwithstanding the successful bidding on the two auction days we would like to invite you to view our post-auction sale until June 19. We will be happy to assist you if you have any questions.