With people spending more time in their homes over the past year, how a home looks as well how it functions has become increasingly more important.
This has had a profound impact on online auctions and online dealers in the art and collectables market, very strong price growth and demand for wide and diverse range of inventory.
With this in mind, we have presented below three different examples of original artworks about three different subjects that sold for well above pre-sale estimates.
The first example is this Floral artwork still life 40 x 49cm “chrysanthemum blooms in a glass vase on a white cloth” by Portrait artist Ernest Townsend (1880-1944).
This lovely still life by Ernest Townsend who painted Winston Churchill and who is known for his Floral artwork in the style of French artist Henri Fantin-Latour, sold for £4000 well above pre-sale estimate of £200-300.
The second is this framed hand coloured print by the caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson, published by Thomas Tegg in October 1811.
The print depicts the famous bare knuckle bout between the English champion boxer Thomas Cribb and the African American boxer Tom Molineaux. The bout took place before a crowd of 15,000 at Thisselton Gap, Rutland in 1811. It sold for £3200 well above pre-sale estimate of £200-300 [1]
Image Source: Copyright © www.the-saleroom.com
The last example is an African wall art of an African tribal mask Ibibio mask (idiok ekpo) carved from wood, and 25cm in height.
The mask has a stylised face painted in black with white painted teeth within its articulated jaw.
The mask is thought to be late 19th or early 20th century. It sold for £30,000 well above its pre-sale estimate of £600-800 [2]
Image Source: Ibibio mask (idiok ekpo) – £30,000 at Woolley & Wallis.
[2] https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2021/top-selling-nigerian-mask-stars-in-our-pick-of-five-auction-highlights-sold-this-week/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=atgnl&utm_campaign=atgnl-11062021