The Exceptional Sale

The Exceptional Sale evening auction realised £14,990,450/$22,845,446/€17,553,817 selling 69% by lot and 79% by value. The top price was paid for the Maharaja of Patiala’s banqueting service which realised £1,965,875/$2,995,994/€2,302,040 (estimate: £1 million – 1.5 million), setting a world record price for an English dinner service sold at auction.

Robert Copley, Deputy Chairman Christie’s UK, International Head of Furniture and Decorative Arts, Christie’s London: “The very strong results witnessed in this evening’s sale build on the success of this pioneering sales platform, first established at Christie’s in 2008, and demonstrate the enduring appeal of masterpieces of European furniture and decorative arts. These works were highly admired over the past few weeks while they have been exhibited alongside highlights of the Old Master, Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art in London and when they toured to Moscow, Hong Kong and Monaco. The collectors engaging in this market continue to be increasingly international. This evening we saw competitive bidding across all categories, from clocks to furniture with royal provenance in the room, on the telephones and via Christie’s LIVE. Several records were set including a world record auction price for the enamel plaque by Henry Bone which was purchased by the Cleveland Museum of Art. We are delighted that the Sèvres porcelain ormolu-mounted blue-ground vase-clock was purchased by Chateau de Versailles and will be returning to its original home.”