ZURICH.- Koller’s end-of-the year auctions saw strong prices realised for works by Keith Haring, Ai Weiwei & Banksy, a work by Albert Anker sold for over one million, and excellent results for the recently created Photographs and Watches departments, including a rare Patek Philippe wristwatch sold for nearly half a million.

Modern & Contemporary Art
Keith Haring and Ai Weiwei share the stage with Picasso and Renoir
Keith Haring’s “Red, Yellow & Blue #22”, given by the artist to Austrian songwriter, poet and actor André Heller on the occasion of his son’s birth , sold for above its presale estimate at CHF 408 500 (lot 3477). A beautifully crafted pierced sphere by Chinese conceptual artist and dissident Ai Weiwei (lot 3486) fetched CHF 228 500. The series of prints and ceramics by Picasso enjoyed unbridled success, for example the wonderful “Danaé” linoleum cut from 1962 which realized CHF 66 500 (lot 3659). Louise Bourgeois’ virtually unique print “Girl with Hair” changed hands for CHF 60 500 (lot 3744), and “Choose your Weapon”, a colour screenprint by street artist Banksy, sold for CHF 22 100 (lot 3761).

Auguste Renoir’s “Pré, arbres et femmes” from circa 1899 sold for a robust CHF 264 500 (lot 3204), and a new world record for Italian artist Vittorio Zecchin was set for his Klimt-like canvas from 1914, “Le Mille e una Notte”, when it changed hands for CHF 120 500 (lot 3215).

Swiss Art
Albert Anker painting sells for over one million
A touching genre scene by Albert Anker depicting an elderly woman with her grandchild asleep by the hearth realized CHF 1.17 million in the 2 December auction (lot 3032), and a lovely sunset view of the Lake of Geneva by Francois Bocion sold for CHF 102 500 (lot 3016). Highlights from 20th century Swiss artists included a still life by Felix Vallotton (CHF 144 500, lot 3094) and a large portrait of a stylish apprentice by Varlin which fetched CHF 120 500 (lot 3089).

Photographs
Success for a new department
Koller’s first stand-alone auction of Photographs in over a decade realised some strong prices, particularly for images of Muhammad Ali by German photojournalist Thomas Hoepker. The dramatic and rare “Right Fist” photo more than doubled its low estimate at CHF 20 900 (lot 1716), and an image of Ali praying before a bout realized CHF 16 100 (lot 1719). Richard Avedon’s unforgettable portrait of Archbishop Desmond Tutu sold for CHF 17 300 (lot 1727), and a series of portraits of Marilyn Monroe taken by Bert Stern realised strong prices, such as “Marilyn Monroe with Jewellery”, a later print which sold nonetheless for CHF 19 700 (lot 1699).

Watches & Jewellery
Rare Patek Philippe sells for nearly half a million
The Watches auction on 30 November featured an extremely rare Patek Philippe steel chronograph from 1961. A legendary watch for serious collectors, reference number 1463 was Patek Philippe’s first waterproof wristwatch, produced from 1940 through circa 1965 in a total of only about 750 watches. Most were in yellow gold, making the stainless steel examples highly collectible, and the impeccable condition of the watch offered at Koller rendered it practically irresistible to collectors. After an intense bidding battle, the watch sold for CHF 456 500 (lot 2574, est. CHF 180 000 – 300 000).

The rest of the Watches auction was also a resounding success, with 94% sold by lot, and nearly 200% by value. Uwe Vischer, Director of the Watches Department at Koller, commented: “We are very pleased to see the positive evolution of Koller’s Watch auctions – in just eighteen months of stand-alone auctions we have managed to attract a loyal, international clientele, ready to pay top prices such as that achieved for the Patek Philippe 1463.”

The highlight of Koller’s 30 November Jewellery auction was a beautiful Burmese ruby and diamond ring. The unheated 7.05 ct ruby attracted numerous bidders, and it sold for more than double its presale estimate at CHF 228 500 (lot 2122, est. CHF 90 000 – 140 000). Signed pieces continued to sell well, such as a pear-shaped diamond ring by Düsseldorf jeweler René Kern which garnered CHF 168 500 (lot 2024), and a platinum and diamond Art Deco bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels which sold for CHF 126 500 (lot 2206).

20th Century Decorative Arts
Modern tapestries and Gallé glassware in high demand
Modern tapestries were once again among the most highly sought-after items in the 2 December auction, with a “Dirty Blues” tapestry designed by Alexander Calder selling for CHF 29 300, well above its presale estimate (lot 1249). Classic Emile Gallé glassware also sold well, such as an aquatic-motif vase which garnered CHF 11 250 (lot 1076). The top lot among the Art Nouveau lots was a silver and enamel jewellery box by Josef Hoffmann - its clean design effectively bridges the gap between the art of the turn of the 20th century and Modernism (lot 1093, CHF 28 100).

The Fröhlich Collection
Success for decorative folk art collection from St. Gallen
The Alpine furniture and decorative arts from the estate the well-known St. Gallen antiques dealer Hansueli Fröhlich found numerous bidders and buyers in Koller West’s 1 December auction. Over 180 lots of the finest of Eastern Switzerland folk art were offered, often brightly painted and always of the highest quality, selected over the decades of the antique dealer’s career. The top lot was a rare painted armoire by Appenzell artist Conrad Starck (1769-1817), which realized CHF 60 000 (lot 4156). Altogether the auction realized almost 150% sold by value.

Asian Art
Tibetan Buddhas still in high demand, success as well for the jade carving
Buddhist sculpture from Tibet realized strong prices during the two-day auction of Asian Art at Koller Zurich on 7 & 8 December. The top lot was a 16th/17th century gilt copper alloy figure of the Vairocana, one of the primordial Buddhas, with a profoundly peaceful smiling expression (lot 115), which attained CHF 144 500 - almost triple its pre-sale estimate. Among other Buddhist figures with notable results were a 15th-century Tibetan figure of the eleven-headed god of mercy, Avalokiteshvara, which sold for CHF 138 500 (lot 111), and an elegant stone-inlaid figure of Maitreya (lot 108), which garnered CHF 62 900.

Huanghuali wood continues to be highly sought-after, as evidenced by the CHF 72 500 paid for a 19th-century two-door cabinet (lot 295). The collection of jade carvings in the sale did especially well, led by a charming Qing Dynasty white and russet jade carving of a recumbent camel which fetched CHF 30 500 (lot 185). Among the porcelain in this auction, two finely copper-red decorated “sanduo” bowls – so-called because of its depiction of the “three abundances” fruit, or “sanduo” (peach, pomegranate and lychee) – attained CHF 72 500 (lot 379).

The top lot among the Japanese and Southeast Asian art was a monumental dry-lacquer Buddha from Burma. This 18th/19th century sculpture, reputedly from a Bellikon Castle in Switzerland, measures almost three metres high and shows the Buddha seated in deep meditation (lot 459, CHF 46 100).