One private collector went for an Urbino 16th century Istoriato dish from Raccanello Leprince for a price of more than £50,000. Blain Southern also had attention from private clients, selling two editions of Lynn Chadwick’s Third Maquette for Teddy Boy and Girl II for £100,000 to two different European collectors, both of whom were new to the gallery.
Marlborough Fine Art got off the mark quickly, selling more than £1m worth of paintings by Paula Rego within the first two hours of the preview opening. A selection of the Portugese-born artist’s works from the 1980s are the feature of Marlborough’s stand this year and one sale was made to a UK national museum.
Ancient art specialists are in particular evidence at this year’s fair and among the sales in this category are that of a Bactrician striated marble disc from the 3rd century which Rupert Wace Ancient Art (London) sold for £15,000 and an early Corinthian helmet which Cahn International (Basel) sold for £175,000.
Other standout sales included A Still Life with Asparagus by the Monogrammist O.M., which sold for around £100,000 at the stand of Salomon Lilian (Amsterdam and Geneva), John Rocque’s 1746 map A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark…, which sold for £75,000 at the stand of Daniel Crouch Rare Books (London) and an Alexander Calder stabile which sold for $600,000 from Hauser & Wirth (London).
The fair continues until Sunday, October 9.
