Christie's Old Master sales: predictions

Just like with the Sotheby's sales, I have tried to list some pictures from the Christie's sales of end January which I feel are over- or underestimated. This time, 5 overestimated and only 3 underestimated ones. To make up for it, I'll probably add a post on monday about the lots 146 and 226, which would make a nice comparison which seems to have been overlooked by Christie's. And perhaps on Tuesday a few things about the items for sale at Bonham's, to end with these Janaury sales.

Overestimated

Lot 12, Georg Flegel and Martin van Valckenborgh, "Tulips etc.", estimated at $500,000 to $700,000. An awkward, relatively clumsy still life with background figures which aren't much better. An A for effort, but you get the feeling that these were painters who moved out of the art centers because they couldn't compete with the masters of the time. So why should we now pay the same money for them as for these masters? It's charming, but not overwhelming, which it should be at that price. NOT SOLD

Lot 28; Roelandt Savery, "Irises, Lilies, ...", estimated at $300,000 to $500,000. I just don't get the fascination with Savery, and the prices he fetches. His still lifes are flat, lifeless, bland; when he paints fruit it looks fake, when he paints flowers like here they lack all beauty. They may have "miniaturist precision", as the lot description says, but they aren't miniatures, they are paintings, meant to hang on a wall. Not on mine though. NOT SOLD

Lot 121, Lo Spagna, "Three pilasters", estimate $300,000 to $500,000. All right, you get three paintings, but at what price? Not especially well painted (the head of the right one is especially poor), not a really popular or seducing subject, just all rather boring stuff. NOT SOLD

Lot 145, Circle of Gerard David, "Lamentatio", estimated at $100,000 to $150,000. I normally quite like David, but this is not that good, and should only be worth half as much in my opinion. Still, the Christie's sale have a lot better selection of Early Netherlandish paintings than the Sotheby's ones. Sold for $125,000.

Lot 240, Ambrosius Benson, "Virgin and Child", estimated $60,000 to $80,000. I have to admit that I don't like Benson at the best of times, but even for him this is a very "dead" picture, and worked out rather schematically. A relatively poor picture by an already overrated artist, so I hope that this will fail to sell. In vain, probably... Sold for $75,000

Underestimated

Lot 27, Melchior d'Hondecoeter, "Ducks and Ducklings", estimated at $300,000 to $500,000. A beautiful, beautiful painting, charming subject, perfectly executed. I can't see this going for less money than the Flegel Lot 12 (discussed above), but the auctioneers (and thus probably the market) disagrees. NOT SOLD

Lot 206, Dordrecht School, 1634, "Portrait of a girl", estimated $10,000 to $15,000. What a charming portrait. Beautifully painted, it obviously isn't up to par with the masters like Frans Hals, but the quality and talent, and the alluring subject, way surpass the very low estimate. I wouldn't be surprised if this fetched $30,000 or more. Sold for $41,250!

Lot 237, Workshop of Dirk Bouts, "Mater Dolorosa". Estimated at $40,000 to $60,000. Probably the most interesting of the Early Netherlandish paintings on offer on a price vs. quality basis. Not a pure Bouts, the details aren't good enough (the eyes especially), but still a relatively affordable way (for some!) to have a painting close to Bouts without paying the price for a real Bouts, should one be available. Sold for $75,000.