Koller Auctions will host several events in Geneva. Between 12 and 14 November at the Hotel de La Paix, this, the largest auction house in Switzerland, will present the top lots for its December auction to take place in Zurich. On 18 November the Koller Geneva auction will take place at the Palais de l‘Athénée.
Koller Auctions presents its auction series which will take place in Zurich from 5 to 9 December. Works on show will include Magritte’s gouache “La Mémoire” with an estimate from CHF 600 000 to 800 000 (lot 3252), Renoir’s portrait of Gabrielle entitled “Le Repos” with an estimate of CHF 700 000 to 1 million (lot 3209) and Marc Chagall’s watercolour still life from the early 1950s with an estimate of CHF 250 000 to 350 000 (lot 3265) – as well as selected objects from the Redding collection which Koller Auctions will offer in its entirety in December. Moreover, Koller presents some magnificent paintings of Swiss artists like Albert Anker and Ferdinand Hodler: The “Elder sister”, a work painted by Anker in 1889 (lot 3012), with an estimate of CHF 1 500 00 / 2 500 00, and the “Little girl with red bonnet” (lot 3015), painted by the same artist in 1866, with an estimate of CHF 800 000 / 1 200 000, as well as a stunning study made by Ferdinand Hodler in 1915 for the famous “Look into infinity” (lot 3035), estimated at CHF 300 000 / 400 000.
Pierre and Cyril Koller will welcome members of the auction-going public to their preview event on 13 November from 11.00 to 14.00 hrs.
Koller Geneva offers a scintillating range of works on 18 November
At the auction of 18 November at the Palais de L’Athénée, Koller Geneva will offer works of Design, Art Déco and Art Nouveau, as well as wine and, most especially, paintings from the West of Switzerland, at attractive prices. Two bottles of Dom Pérignon rosé, vintage 1959, which are something of a rarity, will be offered at CHF 30 000. Amongst the top lots in the Art Déco and Art Nouveau sale is a vase by Emil Gallé (Lot 7), with the “marqueterie sur verre” and iris decoration. The plinth is also engraved with an inscription: “Soyez toujours joyeux”. Vases of this type are referred to as “verrerie parlante”. This piece will be offered at an estimate of CHF 50 000 / 70 000. From Carlo Bugatti comes a small wooden table with leather and brass intarsia circa 1900 with an estimate of CHF 10 000 to 15 000 (Lot 130). The table clock made of aluminium from the French workshop of Jacques Le Chevallier & René Koechlin (Lot 81) dates from 1927/30 and will be offered with an estimate of CHF 20 000 / 25 000.
Selected Design for Connoisseurs
One of the finest design objects to be shown in November is a salon table by Salvador Dali made of gilt metal and Carrara marble. The table, designated the “Leda” model was executed in 1935 by Joachim Camps for Barcelona Design. On 18 November it will be offered at auction with an estimate of CHF 8 000 to 12 000 (Lot 202). At the same price Koller Geneva will be offering a bowl by the famous Danish designer Henning Koppel (Lot 222). The sterling silver bowl was made in 1948 for Georg Jensen with the inscription “980 design”. From Pierre Jeanneret, cousin and long-time work colleague of Le Corbusier, comes an “Office cane chair PJ-SI-28” offered at CHF 3 000 / 5 000 (Lot 212).
Books and Characterful Paintings
Amongst the highlights of the books is a volume of 126 lithographs by Henri Matisse published by Pierre Ronsard. The album bears the title “Florilège des Amours”. In this book Matisse has illustrated 126 love poems selected by him. This is estimated by Koller Geneva at a value of between CHF 18 000 and 25 000 (Lot 681).
West Swiss and French painters are traditionally offered at Koller Geneva. After the successful sale by auction of a fine view of Neuenburgersee by Charles L’Eplattenier a year ago, a charming and colourful view of the Bassin du Doubs by L’Eplattenier from 1946 will now be presented at CHF 20 000 / 30 000 (Lot 475). A summery still life of fruits with strawberries and cherries by the French artist Henri Charles Manguin (Lot 413) from 1944 will be offered for CHF 15 000 / 20 000. From the Waadtland painter Rudolphe-Théophile Bosshard comes a “Nue couchée” (Lot 424), which will be offered at an estimate of CHF 15 000 / 20 000.
Image: Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), “Le repos.“ Circa 1900. Oil on canvas. 40×30 cm. CHF 700 000 / 1 000 000.