Old Master & British Pictures Evening Sale

With strong bidding from European, American, Russian and Chinese collectors, the 2 December evening sale of Old Masters & British Paintings at London, King Street achieved a total of £13,931,500 and set records for a number of artists.

The top lot of the evening was a remarkable portrait by Anthony van Dyck of the celebrated musician Hendrick Liberti, once in the collection of King Charles I, which sold for £2,882,500. This was followed by a serene depiction of sail boats on the Dutch coast by Willem van de Velde II, which exceeded its high estimate to realise £2,210,500, and a sun-dappled view of a palazzo on the Grand Canal by Canaletto at £1,314,500.

These strong results highlight the demand for high quality works that are fresh to the market, with distinguished provenance and in good condition.