"CHRISTIE'S"

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2271, 21 February 1929, Page 2

"CHRISTIE'S"

ROMANCE OF THE SALEROOM. . For over 160 years the auction sales at Christie's in London, have been full of romantic interest. Here, from time to time many of the great art treasures of the world have found a transitory resting place, and the scenes when they changed hands at the fall of the auctioneer's hammer have at times been very exciting. For the first time in its history the firm has issued an annual report, a volume which makes interesting reading it utility 'enhanced by numerous illustrations (writes Mrs Robert Noble in the London Sunday Times). The memorable prices realised during the last year mentioned in the report lend added interest to the quaint entries in catalogues among the early archives of the firm. In those days "Mr Christie's" was not a picture sale room only, and the first sale, recorded on "Fryday, December 5, 1766" included in its first lot "six breakfast pint basins and plates sold for 195." : At his first sale were also insluded the mysterious items, "two hartychoaks," " a fine large India Bandazeer," and "a large quantity 'of Madeira."

Christie's first sale of pictures took place in March, 1767, when a collection of works of European artists were sold. The list of names—Michael Angelo, Andrea del Sarto, Titian, etc.—is as striking as the figures realised were small. A Holbein is recorded as fetching but £4 18s lOd, a Titian went for two guineas, and a Teniers was sold for 14s! In the season under review the prices recorded as realised at the Holford sale last May afforded a striking contrast; in a single day £364,094 was realised by the Dorchester House masterpieces. One of the records of outstanding interest of this sale is the description of the Vandyck portrait of the Abbee Scaglia, bought by Sir William Berry. Apart from, these sensational figures attained when masterpieces change hands, in the report reference is made to instances of owners sending pictures which they thought of little value to Christie's —to be rewarded by the despised work of art fetching a striking sum at auction. Mention is made of a portrait, dirty, torn and neglected, that was sent to Christie's by the daughter of a retired London tradesman living at Worthing. This proved to be the portrait of Miss Linley, by Gainsborough, and at the auction Charles Wertheimer paid 9000 guineas for it! Another example of sale room luck concerned a Romney picked up at a local sale at Whitehaven for £l, which 40 years later fetched 6500 guineas at Christie's.