A Treasure Trove of Antiques

Located at the crossroads of Zurich, Basel and Lucerne, Zofingen Auktionhaus will offer some 2,400 lots during a three-day auction from 15 to 17 April. Over 28 different categories will be represented, with art, crafts, antiques, design and Asian art on the programme.

The first day of the sale will be devoted to wristwatches, pocket watches and jewellery. The jewellery selection is notable for its beautiful rings, such as this yellow gold Entourage model centred with a Colombian emerald of approximately 3.20 carats. The gem is surrounded by 16 old-cut diamonds with a total weight of 0.80 carats.

Crafts will take centre stage on 16 April, with wonderful items from Europe and Asia.

An exceptional piece in the textiles and rugs category is this Kirman tapestry, made in southern Iran around 1940. The representation of a woman pouring a glass of wine to a man in a vegetal setting echoes the popularity of wine in Iran which persisted until 1979.

Dating from the Qianlong period (1736-95), this transparent green enameled Chinese vase features Buddhist motifs, including the dragon, a symbol of good fortune. A beautiful ornamental sculpture in red-dyed coral made in the 20th century will also punctuate the selection of Chinese art.

Another Eastern treasure appears in these two large plates (61 cm in diameter) made in Japan around 1900 and decorated with different floral motifs in cloisonné enamel.

A highlight from the folk art selection is this Gothic ‘Minnekästchen’, a linden wood box decorated with carved rosettes and ornamental friezes which would have been made in France around 1500.

Art Nouveau and Art Deco pieces will also appear during the sale, including this superb Daffodil table lamp made by the famous Tiffany studios in New York.

Another lovely Art Nouveau piece which will be featured is a centerpiece from the Zsolnay porcelain factory in Pécs, Hungary. Based on a drawing by Sixtus Sigismund Dsbanski, the artwork Fisherwoman – Allegory of Water is a ceramic work covered with an eosin glaze.

Finally, the third day of the sale (17 April) is entirely dedicated to art and will feature sculptures, engravings, paintings and drawings signed by international and Swiss artists.

The Polish artist Tadeusz Styka worked primarily as a portrait painter, but he also practiced animal paintings. Lions were one of his favorite motifs, as evidenced by the Lion and Lioness canvas presented for sale.

The Swiss artist Hans Erni is represented with this Cubist still life, which he created during his stay in Paris in the early 1930s. The work is signed ‘François Greque’, a pseudonym that Erni used during his time in the French capital.

One of the few embroideries produced after a work by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner will also punctuate the session. After settling in Switzerland, Kirchner created embroidery designs which he had executed by local women, notably Lise and Gret Gujer. 

This pair of portraits from 1783 depicts Empress Maria Theresa and her son Emperor Joseph II on horseback. They are the result of the work of three different artists: Johann Georg Hamilton painted the horses, Hubert Maurer created the portraits and Johann Christian Brand completed the landscapes. Marie-Thérèse is represented as young, during her coronation as Queen of Hungary in 1740.

Finally, there is an exceptional work by the landscape and animal painter from Frankfurt, Christian Adolf Scheyer. Schreyer took a trip to Algeria in 1861 and discovered Orientalism, a romanticised style that was very popular at the time. This painting, La Halte des Cavaliers Orienteaux, dates from this period in Scheyer's career.

The auctions will take place from 15 to 17 April in the auction house at Klösterligasse 4 in Zofingen, and the exhibition is open for viewing until 11 April. For all information relating to the health security measures in force, we invite you to consult the auction house's website.

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