Jacques-André Portail

Attributed to Jacques-André Portail (but written "Portrail" at the auction, making it harder to find of course). Style seems quite correct, and price is very low. Estimated at $300 to $500, starting at only $150. For sale at William J. Jenack Auctions, auction ends on 4 January 2015. Considering that drawings by Portail make loads of money, and that even a rather poor example like this one at Christie's made $18,000, or that a drawing of comparable size, but in my view less pleasing, by a follower made $1,000, I can't see you going wrong by buying this for a lot more than the estimates and wouldn't be surprised to see it go for more than $1,000.

Note that this drawing was sold in 2007 for $240, then as 18th/19th century French School.

UPDATE: the drawing was sold for $350. Either my estimate was way too optimistic or the typo in the name meant that the Portail-lovers didn't find it.

Philips Wouwerman

A hunting scene, "Hawking party", attributed to Philips Wouwerman, is for sale at Kaminski, in a fine auction that also has a very good picture by Belgian 19th century painter Florent Willems and a demi-nude by Firmin Baes.

The Wouwerman is very dirty, so it's hard to see whether it is a real one or not. It certainly looks comparable in style to his work, though not as fine as his best works. Then again, his best works sell for over $1 million, while this one is only valued at $2,000 to $4,000 and bidding starts at $1,000. Even if it would turn out to be a follower of Wouwerman, it still seems fairly good value for money, and I can easily see ths make $5,000 instead. A much smaller but better preserved "atributed to Wouwerman" was sold for $25,000 at Christie's in 2009. The Kaminski sale is on 28 December.

UPDATE: sold for $2,100.

Charles Dankmeijer

A typical view of a Dutch city by Charles Dankmeijer. Estimated at £240 to £340 at Criterion Auctions. Probably worth double the estimate, some £500. Auction ends today!

Ferdinand van Kessel?

A painting attributed to an "unknown artist". Could it be a Ferdinand van Kessel? The subject, style, and hardly legible signature and date all point in that direction, and the material (oil on copper) also is correct. The quality of the painting probably isn't good enough though, so "Style of Ferdinand van Kessel" or "Circle of Ferdinand van Kessel" may be more accurate. Still beats "Unknown artist" as description though! My estimate? 500 Euro. Catawiki.

Update: it sold for 190 Euro. Either a very nice bargain or a lot of money for a fake. Might be interesting to see if this turns up elsewhere in the next few years. 

Francesco di Girolamo da Santacroce

Attributed to Francesco di Girolamo da Santacroce, sixteenth century Italian painter. Style seems right, though not his best work (and dirty!). Prize: bids start at nearly 6,000 Euro and estimated for at least 8,000 Euro, is probably a bit much, but this one painting is buried in an auction of mainly Eastern European and more recent paintings tomorrow in Hungary, and probably deserves a different audience as well. Kieselbach Auctions.

Prediction; if it sells, it will be for close to the minimum price, I can't see this making the minimal estimate of 8,000 Euro though.

Added 22 December 2014

 

At Freeman's Auctions I found the following lot from 2012. Clearly the same picture with an additional figure, but painted a lot worse (possibly due to poor restorations) and in poorer condition.  This one eventually sold for some 3,500 Euro, so way below the estimate for the Kisselbach version, but that one was a lot nicer and more value for money of course. I haven't found the result of the Kisselbach auction though.

Added 4 January 2014

Sold at Christie's in 2003 as by a Follower of Girolamo da Santacroce.  Again the same model and style, this time it made 10,000 Euro. Clearly a nicer example than the Freeman's copy, with the background details and the overall condition of the picture. The Kieselbach version still seems to be the best though, even though it lacks the figure on the right (which is very badly executed in both other versions anyway). Might be a nice subject for a small study, this painting in all its versions, and what the original would look like.

Introduction

So, what is the actual purpose of this blog? When browsing auctions, I often encounter hidden gems, undervalued items, or things that I believe merit a wider or different audience than the one most served by that auction. As an augur, I search through the murky depths of the auctions to find lost treasure, things I would buy if I had more space and money. I may also add my own valuation, to keep things interesting for me. As I'm not a professional, take everything I post with a large grain of salt though.

The augur

My interest will mainly go to paintings and drawings (13th to 16th century generally, and later Flemish art), old books (until the 16th century, or books on art). Anything else that seems of interest may also appear of course. I'll post about upcoming auction items, usually the underestimated ones, sometimes the overestimated ones, and the occasional dubious attribution may appear as well.

I have no connection to the auction houses. I also don't have the idea that I could do their job better than they do; they value hundreds or thousands of wildly varying items, I can pick and choose the few I know anything about. My comments should be taken as opinion, not fact, and I don't give any guarantee about anything I praise or condemn; all sales are between you, the auction house and the seller, I'm just a sideline critic. But perhaps it'll help you to find that elusive painting or book you always wanted, or you may simply enjoy the glimpse of some minor work of art usually hidden in private collections.

Oh, and why in English? Well, to reach a wider audience of course. Flemish people usually understand English anyway, but the reverse is less common.

Palladio

Palladio, "I quatro libri dell'architettura"

The second edition of 1581, all four books, in a later binding. Only estimated at 400 to 500 Euro, these books normally sell for ten times as much... Bargain! DrouotLive

Erasmus

Cheap 1527 Erasmus edition

No picture, “used” condition; a 1527 edition of Erasmus’ “Opus de conscribendis epistolis”, estimated at only 50-100 Euro? Worth a gamble. Now at DrouotLive