discovery: important £400,000 meissen monkey at sotheby's london
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/29/2019 Discovery: Important 400,000 Meissen Monkey at Sotheby's London
1/5
For Immediate ReleasePress Release London
London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Leyla Daybelge | [email protected] | Rosamund Chester |
New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Dan Abernethy |[email protected]
SOTHEBYS LONDON TO OFFER AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE
MEISSEN JAPANESE PALACE' MONKEY DISCOVERED IN
THE COLLECTION OF
SIR GAWAINE AND LADY BAILLIE
Monkey with Snuff Box, Meissen Porcelain, modelled by Johann Joachim Kndler, circa 1732, Est. 200,000-400,000
Sothebys London is pleased to announce that the highlight of the Meissen section from the
Collection of Sir Gawaine and Lady Baillie Sale on May 1st 2013,isan exceptionally rare and earlyporcelain monkey c.1732, modelled by the innovative sculptor Johann Joachim Kndler. Estimatedat 200,000-400,000, the finely modelled monkey is characteristic of Kndlers earliest large-scale
animal works, which appear only rarely at auction. Depicted taking snuff, the monkey was
commissioned by Augustus II, the Strong, Prince Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, and
displayed in his porcelain menagerie at the famous Japanese Palace in Dresden. Recorded in the
Palace inventories of 1770 and 1779, it was most likely sold during the second half of the 19th
century and at some point acquired by Sir Jacob Astley, 6th B.t, later 16th Lord Hastings (1797
1859), one of the foremost 19th century Meissen collectors. Olive, Lady Baillie, purchased the
figure at Sothebys in London in 1947 for her home in Nassau, Bahamas. The monkey, which was
passed to her son, Sir Gawaine, in the 1960s, its illustrious provenance becoming forgotten and the
fine details of its modelling obscured by later restoration, has been recently authenticated by the
leading Meissen authority, Professor Ulrich Pietsch, as an original 1732 work. Presently, only two
-
7/29/2019 Discovery: Important 400,000 Meissen Monkey at Sotheby's London
2/5
other examples are known one in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the other
in the Dresden State Art Collections.
Henry House, Sothebys Senior Director and
Head of Furniture and Decorative Arts
department said: This is a thrilling discovery.
Johann Joachim Kndler was court sculptor toAugustus the Strong and perhaps the most
important in the evolution of European porcelain.
Olive, Lady Baillie, grand-daughter of the great
William Whitney, displayed the monkey in her
dining room in the Bahamas. It was latterly
believed to date from the 19th century, but its
remarkable story and royal provenance lay hidden
beneath restoration work, which once removed
revealed it as a treasure from Augustus the
Strongs fantastic menagerie of porcelain beasts.
Professor Ulrich Pietsch explained: In the [porcelain] paste
one finds some dark ash dots from the kiln and a lot of fire cracks,
typical of the big animals of Augustus the Strong. To avoid those
cracks, the Meissen workers put a lot of holes into the body to let
the hot air emanate during firing. Each of the pieces has these holes
at the same place: two in the ears, two in the trunk on which
monkey is sitting and one in the belt. There is no doubt from theart historical standpoint, that the monkey of the Baillie Collection
is genuine Meissen from c.1732 and was then part of the Royal
Collection of Augustus II in the Japanese Palace of Dresden.
THE MEISSEN COLLECTION OF SIR GAWAINE AND LADY BAILLIE
TheMeissen Collection of Sir Gawaine and Lady Baillie represents one of the most extensive groups of
18th century Meissen animals and birds ever to appear at auction. Comprising over 140 different
figures, almost all of which were created at Meissen during the 1730s and 1740s by the legendary
Johann Joachim Kndler, the collection was started in the 1930s by the Anglo-American heiress
Olive, Lady Baillie (grand-daughter of William Whitney), who bought many of the pieces for her
home, Leeds Castle in Kent and Lowndes House, London. She passed her love for Meissen on to
her son, Sir Gawaine Baillie, Bt., who with his wife Margot, built it into one of the most extensive
Meissen menageries in private hands.
The monkey displayed on a sideboard in Olive, Lady Baillies
Nassau dining room
-
7/29/2019 Discovery: Important 400,000 Meissen Monkey at Sotheby's London
3/5
With estimates ranging from 400 - 400,000 the works will be offered together with a selection of
furniture and decorations from the West Sussex House designed by Sir Gawaine and Lady Baillie,
their home for over 40 years. In total, the sale is expected to achieve in excess of 1.8 million.
FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COLLECTION
Two Meissen figures of Guinea Fowl
circa 1735
Modelled by J. J. Kndler
43.5cm high
Est. 150,000 - 200,000
A pair of Meissen figures of Cats
circa 1740-45
Modelled by J. J. Kndler
21.5cm high overall
Est. 20,000 - 30,000
A pair of Meissen figures of Indian Parrots
circa 1740
33cm and 35cm highEst. 20,000 - 30,000
-
7/29/2019 Discovery: Important 400,000 Meissen Monkey at Sotheby's London
4/5
FOR MORE NEWS FROM SOTHEBYS
Visit:www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/press/news/news.html
Follow:www.twitter.com/sothebys
Join:www.facebook.com/sothebys&www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkong
Watch:www.youtube.com/sothebys
Sothebys has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since1744. Sothebys became the first international
auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973) and
France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sothebys presents auctions in 10
different salesrooms, includingNew York,London,Hong KongandParis, and SothebysBidNowprogram allows visitors to
view all auctions live online and place bids in real-time from anywhere in the world. Sothebys offers collectors the
A pair of Meissen figures of a Lion
and Lioness
circa 1740-45
Modelled by J. J. Kndler
29cm and 32.5cm Length
Est. 40,000 - 60,000
A pair of Meissen figures of
Bitterns
circa 1735
Modelled by J.J. Kndler
36cm and 37cm high
Est. 40,000 - 60,000
A pair of Meissen Duck tureens and covers
circa 1781
each approx. 29cm length
Est. 30,000 - 50,000
http://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/press/news/news.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/press/news/news.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/press/news/news.htmlhttp://www.twitter.com/sothebyshttp://www.twitter.com/sothebyshttp://www.twitter.com/sothebyshttp://www.facebook.com/sothebyshttp://www.facebook.com/sothebyshttp://www.facebook.com/sothebyshttp://www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkonghttp://www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkonghttp://www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkonghttp://www.youtube.com/sothebyshttp://www.youtube.com/sothebyshttp://www.youtube.com/sothebyshttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/about-us.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/about-us.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/about-us.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/new-york/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/new-york/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/new-york/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/london/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/london/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/london/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/hong-kong/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/hong-kong/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/hong-kong/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/paris/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/paris/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/paris/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/watch-live.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/watch-live.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/watch-live.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/watch-live.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/paris/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/hong-kong/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/london/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide/new-york/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/about-us.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/sothebyshttp://www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkonghttp://www.facebook.com/sothebyshttp://www.twitter.com/sothebyshttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/press/news/news.html -
7/29/2019 Discovery: Important 400,000 Meissen Monkey at Sotheby's London
5/5
resources of Sothebys Financial Services, the worlds only full-service art financing company, as well as private sale
opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Contemporary Art department, as
well asSothebys DiamondsandSothebys Wine.Sothebys has aglobal networkof 90 offices in 40 countries and is the
oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).
Estimates do not include buyers premium and prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyers premium.
Images are available upon request
All catalogues are available online atwww.sothebys.comor throughSothebys Catalogue iPad App.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/financial-services/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/financial-services/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/private-sales/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/private-sales/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/private-sales/s2.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/private-sales/s2.htmlhttp://www.sothebysdiamonds.com/http://www.sothebysdiamonds.com/http://www.sothebysdiamonds.com/http://www.sothebyswine.com/http://www.sothebyswine.com/http://www.sothebyswine.com/http://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/buybrowse.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/buybrowse.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/buybrowse.htmlhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sothebys-catalogue/id471593295?ls=1&mt=8https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sothebys-catalogue/id471593295?ls=1&mt=8https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sothebys-catalogue/id471593295?ls=1&mt=8https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sothebys-catalogue/id471593295?ls=1&mt=8http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/buybrowse.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/locations-worldwide.htmlhttp://www.sothebyswine.com/http://www.sothebysdiamonds.com/http://www.sothebys.com/en/private-sales/s2.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/private-sales/overview.htmlhttp://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/financial-services/overview.html