Applause in the hall to score the world record for Scheggi (lot 30): White curved intersurface,(fig. 1, p. 1), was sold over the telephone to a private collector, after an exciting bidding, for 1.623.000 EUR (1.798.284 USD); the work, performed in 1969 – among the highlights of Paolo Scheggi's short and intense production – was star of the important exhibition in Rome in 1970, Vitality of the Negative in Italian art 1960-1970, Exhibition Palace.
Great auction round for i Butters in the catalogue, in the year of its centenary. THE Cellotex of the 80s recorded figures records: Nero Mi (lot. 28) from an estimate of 150.000-200.000 EUR was awarded in the sales room for 495.000 EUR and lot 42, Cellotex P4, more than doubled to EUR 435.000.
The collection of the three magnificent little ones Cretti, from an overall estimate of 450.000-600.000 EUR, it was sold for 1.401.000 EUR to sensitive, observant and forward-thinking collectors.
Raphaelle Blanga, Head of the Modern and Contemporary Art Department of Sotheby's Italia comments: “A very successful auction appointment whose positive energy I would like to remember above all. Satisfied both the buyers and sellers who, together with us from the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art in Milan, have built this success, made up of rare and high quality works.”
The numerous works of Lucio Fontana they were brilliantly contested at auction; between Cuts it is reported the Spatial Concept, Waiting, the only one made in fuchsia (inscribed on the back by the artist What a nice color / I like it…), created expressly as a gift from Fontana to the Stockholm gallery owner Pierre Lundholm. The work, executed in 1964, from an estimate of 500.000-700.000 EUR, was awarded to a private collector for 819.000 EUR.
A lot of competition also for the pottery by the Milanese artist: in the nucleus of Baroque sculptures, the result for Sea bottom of 1947 which went from EUR 50.000 to EUR 105.000, and above all the lively contest between the telephones and the people in the room to win the magnificent Crucifix from 1948 which was sold for the considerable sum of 219.000 EUR (val 60.000-80.000 EUR). In the group of Spatial Ceramics, all sold above their estimates, note the performance of black and white terracotta, Spatial concept, 1951, went to 195.000 EUR. Finally, the two Spatial concepts brass of 1967, ed. 26/500, from 60.000-80.000 EUR were sold for the record amount of 183.000 EUR, a further clear example of the positive atmosphere of the auction session.
A special mention goes to Red Ladder #2, 1960, by Salvatore Scarpitta formerly from Leo Castelli's gallery in New York, which doubled its estimate to 675.000 EUR.
Excellent results also for Arte Povera, which we mention for the sake of brevity Planes by Alighiero Boetti from 1983 which almost doubled the maximum estimate, reaching 483.000 EUR, while a private foundation acquired Man nailing barbed wire by Michelangelo Pistoletto at 243.000 EUR.
The small Milanese Collection of the Seventies with works by Alviani, Colombo and Agnetti (val.105-135.000 EUR) doubled expectations, totaling 208.350 EUR and Agnetti recorded the figure on the afternoon of 21 May world record (lot. 148) of 125.647 EUR (est. 25.000-35.000 EUR)
We conclude, highlighting the second position in the top ten (attached) which is occupied - with good reason - by Still life from 1953 by Giorgio Morandi. The work (accompanied by correspondence between the two artists) was executed as a gift, halfway between didactic and affectionate, for an artist friend from Constantinople and from an evaluation of 450.000-600.000 it was sold for 843.000 EUR.
