3 & 5 december
Live auction
Winter Tales
From Metsys to Pistoletto
Auction
Tuesday 3 December | 2PM | Arts & Antiques
Thursday 5 December | 10AM | Comics
Thursday 5 December | 2PM | Works on Paper
Timed Online auctions:
28 November until 9 December
Catalogue
through the online bidding platform Bernaerts Live
Focus Highlights
PDF text catalogue (session 1, session 2, session 3)
Viewing days
28 November until 2 December, 10AM – 6PM
Concert
Sunday 1 December
Duo Allred (viola da gamba)
Info & tickets
This ‘Winter Tales’ features over 1300 lots, some 750 of which will be auctioned under the physical hammer and 600 against the clock in the so-called ‘timed online’ sale.
Antique art
A market scene signed in full by Frans Ykens and dated 1649 – most likely a collaboration with Jan Cossiers for the characters – is one of the highlights of the auction. The imposing canvas (167 x 235 cm) was exhibited in Ghent (MSK, 1987) and received an estimate of €50-60,000 (lot 6), slightly more than what would be expected for a family portrait attributable to Arnoldus Boonen (1669 – 1729) (lot 11).
An anonymous panel, from the circle of Barend Van Orley, depicting the Madonna and Child (lot 2) fits perfectly with a spectacular ‘Standing Mary with Child’ of c. 1510-1540 (lot 26). This sculpture is entirely made in Mechelen: both the carving and polychroming were done – given the marks – in the city of the ‘Maneblussers’, as the inhabitants are often called. Moreover, and this makes it extremely rare – the Madonna stands on a plinth surrounded by four alabaster slices carved in … Mechelen. Originating from the collection of the respected antique dealer Van Herck – it was prominently on display at Van Herck’s house – the present statuette closely resembles the specimen in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum (inv. 637-1897, KIK 40003853).
Also from the same collection is an unseen Christ with the Crown of Thorns in walnut, carved c. 1520-1530 in the Meuse region (or Germany). The walnut statue (h.: 50 cm) was estimated between €8-10,000 (lot 27).
19th & 20th Century
A canvas of interest to Antwerp iconography from 1864 by Ferdinand de Braekeleer the Elder appears as lot 30. In the 19th century (1864-1865), the Kipdorp gate and the city ramparts were demolished to make way for the Antwerp boulevard. Only the cobblestones and the top one-and-a-half metres of the stone parement were dismantled. The Kipdorp gate disappeared completely. With the demolition material, the city moat was filled in and the lower walls disappeared under the slates. The snapshot of De Braekeleer shows busy activity on the bridge and in the surrounding area (lumberjacks, porters, curious onlookers). The Antwerp quays are equally busy with an 1888 dated ‘Sunday on the South Terrace’ by Louis Van Engelen (lot 186).
Modernity makes its appearance at the end of the 19th century with, in this auction, a navy by the acclaimed James Ensor (lot 188), from the Antwerp doctor Van der Stricht, estimated between €25 and 35,000 and, from the same collection, a ‘River landscape at dusk’, a canvas by Emile Claus (lot 193) estimated between €10 and 15000. From the same master also in the spotlight this year, we also present a compact yet evocative painting of woman and child in the wheat field, titled ‘In Vlaenderen’, from c. 1890 (lot 192, est.: €30 to 35000). We close this period with a curiosum, namely a Prague ‘mundomotorium’ from c. 1860 (lot 92, est.: €2/3,000). We furthermore draw your attention in particular to a magnificent and extensive screen print on mirror plate by Michelangelo Pistoletto (lot 221).
Works on Paper & Comics
December’s ‘Works on Paper, Valuable Books & Editions’ auction promises to be an exceptionally varied installment. There is a small but high-quality range of old and valuable books/editions, with one of the absolute eye-catchers being a Dutch/Spanish antiphonary from the first half of the 16th century, intended for use from Advent to Pentecost. In addition, there is the beautiful Fuchs edition of his 1545 herbarium and Caspar Stoll’s breathtaking ‘Natuurlyke en naar “t leven naauwkeurig coloured afbeeldingen en beschryvingen der cicaden’ from 1780-88 with ten hand-coloured plates.
No auction without Eugeen van Mieghem. From him we are offering a magnificent sheet, ‘De oude snoeper’, from 1912. Léon Spilliaert signs present with a classic but beautifully elaborated still life, while we are offering a sparse but exquisite double-sided sheet by Rik Wouters. Edmond van Dooren will rightly run with the spotlight with a typically futuristic cityscape in Indian ink.
However, the focus will be on post-war works on paper and ditto editions and special editions. The exceptional drawings and valuable editions that will be brought to auction are too numerous to mention, so here is a brief pleiade to artists who will brave fire from the auction: Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, Pieter Vermeersch, Robert Mangold, Willem de Kooning, Richard Serra, Pierre Alechinsky, Max Pinckers, Vaast Colson, Anish Kapoor, Luc Tuymans, Dirk Braeckman, Harry Gruyaert, Lara Gasparotto, Herbert Zangs, Jessica Diamond, Johan Tahon, Peter Morrens and others.
Most attention, however, will go to Rinus Van de Velde’s fascinating self-portrait and Michaël Borremans’ early drawing, “Étude pour une fanfare”, from 1989.
Fans of comics can attend the 10am session on Thursday. In addition to rare first editions of Suske & Wiske/Bob & Bobette, Tintin, Kwik & Flupke and Bessy, there will also be original drawing plates of Suske & Wiske, Nero and Kitty on offer. Original work by Jan Bosschaert will also be available. Furthermore, the session will be completed with a series of Parastone and KERAM figurines of the Suske & Wiske characters.
Parking
Nearby underground parking: Kooldok or Steendok (5 min walking distance)
Collecting the goods
!!! ONLY BY APPOINTMENT !!!
Monday 9 December until Friday 20 december
9AM-12PM and 1PM-5.30PM
Saturday 14 December
10AM-1PM
Bidding
You can place bids in four different ways:
- In onze zaal: Platform, Verlatstraat 18, Antwerpen.
You receive a bid number after registration at the front desk, from 30 minutes before the start of the auction.
Commission = 25% - Online: you can submit a ‘prebid’ or you can bid along ‘live’ during the auction.
There are 3 platforms you can use: Bernaerts Live or the app ‘Auctioneers Bernaerts’, Invaluable of Drouotonline
During the auction, you log in to follow the auction live and to place your bids.
Commission = 28% - Place an absentee bid via the online catalogue or mail a completed form to info(at)bernaerts.be at the latest 12h prior to the live auction. The auctioneer will try to acquire your lot at the most advantageous price possible.
Commission = 25% - Request a telephone line via the online catalogue or mail a completed telephone bid form to info(at)bernaerts.be, at the latest 12h prior to the live auction. One of our team members will call you during the auction to bid live.
Commission = 25%