LONDON.- The important collection of 46 ceramics by Jean Cocteau, the leading figure of the French avant-garde, was 100% sold at Bonhams Prints & Multiples sale (11-12 December 2019). Grand chvre-cou set a world record for the most valuable Cocteau ceramic ever sold at auction. It achieved 37,563 against an estimate of 15,000-20,000.
Other ceramics that sold above estimate included; Le Thtre Antique, 1958, which sold for 16,312 (estimate: 4,000-6,000) and Printemps, 1958, achieved 13,812 (estimate: 5,000-7,000).
The sale made a total of 1,757,223 with 86% sold by lot and 88% sold by value.
Other highlights in the sale included:
• Le Repas Frugal, from La Suite des Saltimbanques, 1904, by Pablo Picasso. Sold: 150,063.
• La Femme du Peintre by Marc Chagall (1887-1985) sold for 50,063. Estimate: 25,000-35,000.
• Bayer Suite, a complete set of six offset lithographs in colours, 1982, by Keith Haring sold for 43,812. Estimate 8,000-12,000.
• The Parable of the Blind leading the Blind, After Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525-1569) sold for 42,562. Estimate 5,000-7,000.
• The Festival of Fools, After Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525-1569) by Pieter van der Heyden (1530-1572) sold for 40,062. Estimate: 3,000-5,000.
Bonhams department director of Prints and Multiples, Lucia Tro Santafe, said “Jean Cocteau ceramics were only ever produced in very small editions, making his works incredibly rare. It is no surprise therefore that demand was so high for these beautiful pieces at auction today.”
