From 15-17 November, the auctions at the Cologne house Lempertz are dedicated to art and crafts from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
A special highlight of the auction is a private collection from Lower Saxony which comprises museum-quality objects of silver, porcelain and ivory. The exquisite pieces were collected individually across auctions in London Geneva in the 1970s and ‘80s, however in their entirety they testify to a quality that is rarely found.
An important piece of craftsmanship comes into play with an ivory carving depicting the Greek hero Hercules fighting Hydra, which was executed in Southern Germany or Austria in the 17th century. Other interesting ivory pieces include a selection of tankards that display ancient hunting motifs.
The silver pieces also include a number of highly interesting works, including a gold-plated silver drinking vessel in the shape of a rising horse, which was made in Southern Germany in the 17th century. Another is a French import stamp from 1893.
Of course, when significant silver is called for, we can’t go past English-made pieces. Significant objects include a tazza and a sconce from the time of Charles II, of which the latter was once in the possession of the royal house. Another piece of royal provenance is the Ascot Cup for the winner of the Queen's Vase Race of May 1883 donated by Queen Victoria.
Also up on 16 November is the 78 lots forming a comprehensive catalogue of arts and crafts objects. In addition to a rare large table lamp from the Meissen Schwanenservice and a dressing table of the master Ebenisten Jean-François Oeben, two important Renaissance stained glass windows from Belgium come to the call.
The Catalogue of Paintings and Drawings Alter Meister, which opens on 17 November, also contains a large number of important works of art from the sacral field. This offer comes to light through a depiction of six apostles on a gold background which was created around 1400 in the circle of the master of the Siefersheim.
Another sacral masterpiece is the iconic representation of the Madonna with Child and Angels by the 15th-century Florentine master Neri de Bicci. Bicci created it in his typical style of the early Renaissance, in which he still incorporated many features taken from the Gothic.
Also on call is an altarpiece by Jan van Dornicke, master of 1518 who was an exponent of Antwerp Mannerism. The triptych depicts the worship of the kings, flanked by the shepherds' worship and rest on their journey to Egypt.
The auction concludes with a collection of 88 lots of 19th-century paintings. At the top of the catalogue is a Roman view by Leo von Klenze. Klenze, who was a painter as well as an architect, adapted himself to the local style on repeated visits to Italy, which he incorporated not only in his paintings but also in his buildings, which today still characterise the cityscape of Munich, including the Hall of Fame, the Glyptothek and the Propyläen on Königsplatz.
Lempertz’s auction dates are as follows: ‘Jewellery’ on 15 November; ‘Arts and Crafts’, ‘Treasures from a Collection in Lower Saxony’, and ‘Selected Objects’ on 16 November; and ‘Paintings and Drawings Alter Meister’ and ‘19th-century Art’ on 17 November.
Discover all Lempertz lots available at auction on Barnebys
