As ATG reported in issue no 2336, the group of more than 70 lots sold on March 28 at Chiswick in its The Warrens Library and a Fine Collection of Maps & Atlases sale. The auction included a portolan chart which was hammered down to dealer Daniel Crouch for a house-record £75,000.
The collection was consigned to Chiswick by an art storage firm. Although the maps had once been in the collection of Edemar Cid Ferreira, the founder and former president of Banco Santos who was convicted of financial crimes in 2006 that included acquiring works using the bank’s money, the maps had subsequently been sold on to another collector.
This collector is now deceased and ATG has seen documentation that affirms the consignor’s proof of title and Chiswick confirms there can be no claim from creditors of Banco Santos.
The sale was held in a week of six auctions by Chiswick, including new Urban Art and Autographs sales, contributing just under £1m.
The auction included a range of noteworthy items which will feature in the Books & Works on Paper section of ATG in a future edition.
