PARIS.- Christie’s Japonism sale realised a total of €1,698,938 against a presale estimate of €1,2M. Two lots realised the same top price including a pair of monumental Chinese cloisonné enamel vases on French gilt bronze-mounted stands by Ferdinand Barbedienne which sold for €355,500 against a pre-sale estimate of €150,000-200,000 and a magnificent brooch by Boucheron which was acquired for €355,500, more than four times its presale estimate.

Other highlights of the sale include two prints by Utagawa Hiroshige sold respectively for €35,000 (lot 61) and €100,000 (lot 62) and which established a new world auction record for a print by the artist.

The Japanese works of art sold today achieved very good results which demonstrate that international collectors have a strong interest for this field.

Christie’s is also honoured about the preemption made by the Orsay Museum for a beautiful marquetry cigar casket by Paul-Elie Ranson which sold for €25,000 (lot 38).

Biddings were especially active on the Internet with 12 of the lots sold online and 56 internet bids were accepted during the sale.

Géraldine Lenain and Camille de Foresta, in charge of the sale: “We are proud of the results achieved for this standing alone cross-category sale. This sale, celebrating the 160th anniversary of the diplomatic relationships between France and Japan, encouraged all departments to work closely together to achieve these strong results. International collectors responded positively to this sale which was generously rewarded especially when the Orsay Museum preempted the beautiful cigar casket by Paul-Elie Ranson”.