The fascinating Mackenzie Castle hosted the Design and Fine Design auctions, respectively on 13 and 16 December, which achieved a total turnover of €1.446.000.
These auctions have been two appointments full of confirmations regarding the trends of Italian Design of the 900s, with excellent results for Gio Ponti, with the furnishings of the ETR 300 settebello train and, in particular, with a pair of first class armchairs whose final result was €30.000.
Also another classic name of Italian Design such as Gino Sarfatti, with his Arteluce floor lamps, has recorded constant public appreciation over time, finding admirers and collectors from all over the world to compete for a rare brass floor lamp, awarded at the figure of €37.500 and a floor lamp in brass, lacquered metal and marble base sold for €25.000. Lighting in general confirmed itself as one of the most active segments in this sector, with excellent results, amounting to €22.500, for a rare BBPR floor lamp with double diffuser and wooden structure.
The interest in the rarest and most unusual pieces from Fontana Arte was also confirmed, such as the extremely rare mobile bar by Pietro Chiesa, sold for €75.000.
A special note for the furnishings by Carlo de Carli, whose quotations as a designer and artist have grown in recent years: his armchairs, in particular, have reached the figures of €32.500 for a couple, and €18.750 for a single.
Lucio Fontana's table, sold for €102.500, proved to be an object of inimitable artistic value and strongly international taste.
The trend of the national market follows the international trend with a polarization of interest above all towards objects that have an intrinsic value due to the use of precious materials and skilful workmanship, but also a first-rate value from a collector's point of view : the presence of rare and exclusive items at auction is becoming increasingly important.
On 20 December, however, it was the elegant Palazzo Serbelloni that opened its doors for the awaited auction of Fine Chinese Works of Art, which invoiced a good €2.380.000, a result that confirms Cambi's competitiveness also at an international level.
The flagship of the auction was a huanghuali wooden altar (China, Qing Dynasty, 602.850th century), sold for €5.000, a record amount for a piece of furniture sold at auction in Italy. This lot started with an estimate of €8.000-XNUMX, but a hard-fought series of bids between two Chinese bidders multiplied the purchase price. As explained by Dario Mottola, an expert in the Oriental Art department, the result is justified by the fact that the altar is indeed a model remade in the XNUMXth century, but it was made with huanghuali, a very ancient wood and a plant that it is extinct and no longer exists.
As expected, the Large and important multi-headed Mahakala figure with ritual objects in his hands on a lotus flower (China, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong brand and period, 1736-1795), sold for €262.500.
Corals are always highly coveted and appreciated, but great satisfaction also came from a private collection of jadeites, which raised €420.000.
Among the other lots up for auction we mention an Extraordinary rhinoceros horn libation cup finely carved with figures of wise men within a landscape (China, Qing Dynasty, second half of the 217.600th century), which sold online for €4.000, and a Grande figura of divinity crowned with aura carved in jadeite (China, early 6.000th century), which from the initial estimate of €83.200-XNUMX has risen to €XNUMX.
Four porcelain plaques with polychrome enamels with birds and inscriptions (China, Qing Dynasty, 1935th century) by the artist Xu Zhongnan, dated 150.000, stood out for €XNUMX, an exceptional result if we think that very similar objects were sold in London at lower prices.
