THE MEASUREMENT OF WORLDS, THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF PRECIOUS & SCIENTIFIC OBJECTS
TOTALS 2.515 MILLION EUROS
In a packed room, the Aguttes auction house welcomed, on October 20, 2020, bidders who came in large numbers to follow and participate in this exceptional sale "The Measurement of Worlds," presenting items of high quality and from a variety of rich and diverse backgrounds. Both parts of the sale concluded with great success, with the first part totaling 1,266,000 euros and the second part reaching 1,255,000 euros, for a total of over 2.5 million euros and nearly 92% of lots sold.
TOP 5 of the sale
27 - Exceptional automaton box attributed to the Rochat Brothers and similarities with the work of John Rich - 392,780 euros158 - Exceptional Maghrebian Islamic astrolabe of large size in bronze and brass - 175,500 euros
5 - Louis Duchêne and Sons early 19th-century automaton pocket watch - 119,600 euros
160 - Round equatorial sundial in gilded brass signed: Christophorus Schissler - 118,300 euros
176 - Diptych sundial in ivory dated 1569 - 117,000 euros
First part: RARE & PRECIOUS OBJECTS
The automata captivate the bidders
« We are pleased that this sale has captivated the bidders to the extent we had hoped, rewarding the exceptional quality of the lots presented for this unique auction. With a responsive room and more than 400 people present on the live stream, both buyers and sellers were satisfied. » said Sophie Perrine, auctioneer in charge of the sale.
Top 10 - First part
27 - Exceptional automaton box attributed to the Rochat Brothers and similarities with the work of John Rich - 392,780 euros
5 - Exceptional automaton pocket watch Louis Duchêne and Sons in Geneva - 119,600 euros
83 - Sculpture "The Inseparables" in white glass. Signed René Lalique (1860-1945) - 71,500 euros
81 - Mosque lamp-shaped vase by Émile Gallé (1846-1904) - 62,400 euros
16 - Powder flask, German work early 17th century - 61,100 euros
84 - Pair of patinated bronze sculptures depicting a conger, also known as "Sea Dog." Signed Edouard Marcel Sandoz (1881-1971) - 54,600 euros
29 - Rectangular snuffbox in gold and silver, engraved and with blue enamel, by Alexandre-Raoul Morel - 48,100 euros
123 - Bronze vase with brown patina, in the shape of a zun. China, 18th-19th century - 45,500 euros
136 - Silk dress. China, 20th century - 33,800 euros
77 - Portrait of a Pharaoh with royal headdress. Black lava stone sculpture after the antique - 26,000 euros
27 - Exceptional automaton box attributed to the Rochat Brothers and similarities with the work of John Rich
The highly anticipated automaton box attributed to the Rochat Brothers, also showing similarities with the works of John Rich, a marvel of finesse and precision, was sold for 392,780 euros (lot 27). This Swiss timepiece, also featuring automata, with its complex system animating six characters to the rhythm of a melody, captivated the hearts of collectors. This Louis Duchêne and Sons pocket watch, which also features automata, fetched 119,600 euros (lot 5).
5 - Exceptional automaton pocket watch Louis Duchêne and Sons in Geneva
Among the display items, note an important powder flask that was sold for 61,100 euros, more than ten times its low estimate (lot 16), and a gold and silver snuffbox set with diamonds that went for 48,100 euros (lot 29).
16 - Powder flask, German work early 17th century
The third part of the sale was dedicated to silverware. A total of over 108,485 euros was achieved, with a great success for two pairs of candelabras by the silversmith Robert-Joseph Auguste, the first sold for 22,750 euros (lot 43) and the second for 24,050 euros (lot 44).
43 - Pair of silver candelabras - Silversmith: Robert-Joseph AUGUSTE (1723-1805) Paris, 1778
This was followed by the dispersion of art objects covering periods from antiquity to the modern era, which managed to captivate enthusiasts, far exceeding their estimated totals. Two stone sculptures from antiquity, one depicting a Pharaoh with a royal headdress and the other a head of Minerva, were each sold for 26,000 euros (respectively lot 77 and lot 78). From the modern era, a beautiful mosque lamp-shaped vase by Émile Gallé was sold for 62,400 euros (lot 81), while a large white glass sculpture by René Lalique, 'The Inseparables,' was contested for 71,500 euros (lot 83). A pair of bronze congers by Sandoz dazzled the room with a bid reaching 54,600 euros (lot 84).
83 - Sculpture 'The Inseparables' in white glass. Signed René Lalique (1860-1945)
Finally, the first part concluded with the sale of pieces dedicated to Asian art. The bidding quickly rose. An important collection of 20 Tantô and Wakizashi was sold for a total of 58,630 euros. An imperial silk robe, embroidered and partially printed with nine four-clawed dragons, bats, and other auspicious motifs, was sold for 33,800 euros (lot 136).
136 - Silk dress. China, 20th century
Second part: EXTRAORDINARY SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
A handful of buyers competed for these scientific instruments, relics of past generations.
« It is always a pleasure and an honor to see the world’s greatest collectors of scientific instruments follow these sales with such interest. These scientific instruments are full of poetry and testify to human ingenuity, their technical functionality enhancing their beauty. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the buyers, these extraordinary instruments transcend time and are a remarkable testimony to past generations. » added Maître Aguttes after the sale.
Top 10 - Second part
158 - Exceptional Maghrebian Islamic astrolabe of large size in bronze and brass - 175,500 euros
160 - Round equatorial sundial in gilded brass signed: Christophorus Schissler - 118,300 euros
176 - Diptych sundial in ivory dated 1569 - 117,000 euros
185 - Pair of two globes, one terrestrial, the other celestial, for conducting astronomical experiments - 102,700 euros
191 - Superb and rare mid-18th century English frigate - 91,000 euros
186 - Pair of two globes, terrestrial and celestial, supported by dextrochères - 80,600 euros
168 - Carved boxwood skull without lower jaw. Germany, probably 17th century - 71,500 euros
175 - Large equatorial sundial "G.F. Brander." Mid-18th century - 67,600 euros
161 - Rectangular diptych sundial in gilded brass. Date of manufacture: Anno 1584. Alexius SCHNIEP - 65,000 euros
157 - Graphometer by "GIACOMO LUSUERGO MODONESE AL COLLEGIO ROMANO 1663" in its gilded case with small irons - 50,700 euros
Bidders on the phone were very active from the first lot of the second part of the auction. A remarkable set of three measuring instruments in gilded brass by Erasmus Habermel multiplied its low estimate by 5, selling for 27,300 euros (lot 141). Then, numerous compasses, all selling for well above their estimates, including one by Christoph Trechsler, another by Erasmus Habermel, and a final German one, with closed legs revealing a figure using a compass above a sphere, were sold for 16,900 euros (lot 142), 15,600 euros (lot 143), and 24,050 euros (lot 149), respectively.
141 - Remarkable set of three measuring instruments in gilded brass bearing the signature « Erasmus Habermelius fec »
Leonard Damery was in the spotlight, notably with this remarkable surveying circle in gilded brass, which sold for 28,600 euros (lot 151). Another 17th-century instrument, a remarkable graphometer by 'GIACOMO LUSUERGO MODONESE,' presented in its gilded case with small irons, changed hands for 50,700 euros (lot 157).
157 - Graphometer by « GIACOMO LUSUERGO MODONESE AL COLLEGIO ROMANO 1663 »
in its gilded case with small irons.
The star lots of the sale, two astrolabes, were fiercely contested and ultimately went to the same collector. One, a Maghrebian Islamic astrolabe, was sold for 175,500 euros (lot 158), while the other, an extremely rare Persian Islamic astrolabe in bronze and brass, was won for 49,400 euros (lot 159).
158 - Exceptional Maghrebian Islamic astrolabe of large size in bronze and brass.
159 - Extremely rare Persian Islamic astrolabe in bronze and brass. The names of the makers and engravers of the instrument : « It was created by the two poor Muḥammad Bāqir and Muḥammad Ḥusayn al-Yazdī in the year 1057/1647.»
Exceptional timekeepers, two pairs of sundials captivated buyers. Two equatorial sundials, one dated 1558, changed hands for 118,300 euros (lot 160), and the other, signed on the hour band 'G.F. Brander,' was sold for 67,600 euros (lot 175). Two diptych sundials were sold for 117,000 euros (lot 176) for the ivory one dated 1569 and 67,600 euros (lot 161) for the gilded brass one dated 1584.
160 - Round equatorial sundial in gilded brass signed: Christophorus Schissler.
175 - Large equatorial sundial 'G.F. Brander.' Mid-18th century.
Spherical bodies used for orientation in space, two pairs of terrestrial and celestial globes delighted collectors. A set of two globes, used for conducting astronomical experiments, was sold for 102,700 euros (lot 185), while a pair of two globes, supported by gilded bronze dextrochères from the former Roussel collection, was sold for 80,600 euros (lot 186).
185 - Set of two globes, one terrestrial, the other celestial, for conducting astronomical experiments.
This intense sale concluded in the most beautiful way with the adjudication of a superb and rare mid-18th century English frigate, bordered in mahogany, which sparked a real bidding battle lasting more than 10 minutes, with the final result reaching 91,000 euros (lot 191).
191 - Superb and rare mid-18th century English frigate.
Contact us for the valuation of your private collections.
Sophie Perrine - + 33 (0)1 41 92 06 44 - perrine@aguttes.com
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