LONDON.- On 27 May 2015, after a three-year absence, there will be another auction of The
Piet Jonker Collection Garden Ornaments, Architectural Fittings and Interior Decoration. Because of the international buyers market the actual auction will take place at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions in London, but can be followed via live-stream at the Lindenhoff country estate in Baambrugge, the Netherlands, where real-time bidding will also be possible. A revolutionary method of auction, rooted in the cooperation between Piet Jonker and this highly reputable English auction house, whose history goes back to 1759. The beautiful ambiance of the Lindenhoff estate will certainly contribute to making this auction of approximately three hundred lots of antique garden sculpture and exclusive, architectural ornaments a unique experience. The event will also be webcast live, enabling worldwide bidding.
Quality and exclusivity
The most recent auction of The Piet Jonker Collection, at the stylish premises of Piet Jonker Historic Building Materials, took place in 2012, in cooperation with Christies Amsterdam. This was preceded by various auctions organized with Sothebys. Piet Jonker used the past three years to extend his collection with exceptional pieces from various countries in Europe. Each item was selected based on quality and uniqueness. During the more than forty years Piet Jonker has been travelling around Europe looking for exquisite objects and historic building materials, he has gained a solid reputation as an expert in this field. A reputation, built on knowledge, quality and exclusivity, and demonstrated by the wide range of beautiful lots on offer during the auction on 27 May.
Top lots
A small selection of items going under the hammer: 18th, 19th and 20th century garden vases, pots, planters, marble and sandstone sculpture and (animal) statues, basins and fountains, well curbs, gazebos and garden benches. Among the absolute top lots are a pair of 19th century marble garden vases, no less than 175 cm tall. These extremely rare Italian vases are decorated with a depiction of Roman warriors on horseback, and vines and bunches of grapes along the rim. The design is based on the famous Medici and Borghese vases. Another top lot is a 19th century statue of Bacchus, whose imposing, 350 cm tall figure had for decades looked out over the Italian vineyards where Piet Jonker found him. Although the beautifully patinated statue is in the Manieristic style, its composition and expression bring to mind Michelangelos famous 15th century Bacchus.
A gorgeous pair of white marble, 19th century herms, entitled Bacchus and Bacchante is another exceptional part of the collection. Although the maker remains anonymous, these Neoclassical style statues resemble the work of James Pradier (1790-1852). A similar pair, although in not as good a condition, can be found at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
An auction of this size and quality is unique in Europe and will no doubt attract great interest from collectors and connoisseurs worldwide.