25-27 April: Results ‘Modern Times’ Auction
‘Modern Times’, a spring auction containing five sessions took place from Tuesday 25th until Thursday 27th, with special attention being paid to the Modern Masters, Design and Works on Paper. In this report, you can find a selection of hammer prices (excl. buyer’s premium 25/28%).
An auction spread over three days with 870 lots included pieces from the Lies & Cees Soons collection which were well-received by the buyers. Among these lots were some exceptional pieces from Raoul de Keyser (lots 238, 239 and 241) fetching respectively €40,000, €34,000 en €26,000, as well as Roger Raveel’s ‘Afwezig zelfportret voor een betonnen muur met struikgewas’ (lot 244) which collected an amazing €30,000. Two big surprises were Ad Dekkers whose ‘Zeshoek en ruit in overgang’ from 1967-68, a relief in polyester, (lot 230, est.: €4/5000) made eight times the estimated price and two sought after pieces by Key Hiraga (lots 273 and 274, res.: €19,000 and €14,000). An untitled canvas by Rob Van Koningsbruggen (lot 218) doubled the original estimation (res.: €16,000). All the Lies & Cees Soons pieces found new owners, which concluded the Wednesday 26th April session as a ‘white gloves auction’. A fantastic end result for this single owner collection which was partially on view in the loft neighbouring the auction house.
More classical pieces could be found in the session on Tuesday 25th April which has left us reminiscing on beautiful hammer prices: Valerius De Sadeleer (lot 67, res.: €19,000 and lot 68, res.: €50,000), Egide Rombeaux (lot 11, res.: €15,000) and stunning Meissen porcelain (with exceptional lots 3 and 7, each €15,000).
It was mostly the 20th century art which drew the most bidders and provided the best results, such as a small Bram Bogart (lot 145, 40 x 41 x 11 cm, est.: €3500/4500) which sold for seven times the estimated price (res.: €22,000), an early edition of Panamarenko changed owner for €18,000, as well as a piece by Niki de Saint-Phalle (lot 165) which was sold for €26,000. An assemblage by Jan De Cock surprised bidders and auctioneer alike (lot 152, res.: €20,000), whilst drawings by Jean-Michel Folon (lot 1705, res.: €11,000), Ilse d’Hollander (lot 1813, res.: €8,000) and Roland Topor (lot 1667, res.: €4,000) were quick to sell. An 88% sales percentage proves that the Modern Art market is alive and kicking.
