BIG PICTURE PRICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20602, 28 June 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

BIG PICTURE PRICES.

SENSATIONS AT SALE.

£18,500 FOR A REMBRANDT.

PORTRAIT REALISED £15,500.

An auction . surprise did much .to, r.ob tlio sale' of a Rembrandt' portrait of a man for £18,500 of its due importance at Sotheby's rooms, /London, on May 4, says a ,writer in tho Daily Chronicle. The Rembrandt attracted additional at tention through being at first catalogued as an unrecorded picture, though later it was found to be duly mentioned in Hofstode do Groot's catalogue. Aa a consequence there was a crowded room • when it was placed, on the easel. .It had hung for years at Vicar's Cross* tho Chester residence of tho late Mr. George Fblliott, and was generally considered _ to be a work of Rembrandt's lato' period now so highly valufed by collectors. The opening bid was £IOOO, not guineas as at Christie's, and soon by £2OO rises the prico reached £12,000. There was then a pause, followed by a quick succession of bids, running the price up to £18,500, at which figure it was knocked down to Mr, Aschpn Though not a record for a Rembrandt, this price is tho highest ever paid for a picture at Sotheby's rooms.

Five minutes later camo the real _ sensation of the' afternoon.' A portrait of a woman, Dame Elizabeth Bullen, 33in. by 28in., which according to tho catalogue, was a work of the Flemish School, but given no special prominence, provoked a modest opening bid of £2O. It was soon apparent, however, that there were those present who recognised the work of a master hand. Chief among tho contestants were Dr. Block, of Berlin, and Mr. A. L. Nicholson, the Haymarket doaler, the latter after some protracted bidding, being declared victor at £15,500. It is believed that tho _ picture is tho work of Hans Holbein, painter of tho well-known portrait of tho Duchess of Milan in the National Gallery. ' There was keen bidding, too, for a Lawrence portrait of Sarah Hussey Delaval, which made £3400. To this picture were attached romantic associations. Miss Delaval was engaged to marry the great-grandfather of the present owner, Major C. F. C. Jarvis, of Doddington Hall Lincoln, but she died of consumption at tho early ago of 30, leaving him all her possessions, including this portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Other notablo lots were a view of Rome, by Canaletto, which made £2470,

and a portrait by Reynolds of Sir Thomas Rum bold, Governor of Madras, which fell to a bid of £1550. Last season Romnoy's portrait of Sir Thomas' son. William, mado 8200 guineas at Christie's rooms.