Annaghmore Sculpture Goes To London Collector For Over £200,000
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Hebe and Venus Italica a pair of sculptures from Annaghmore House were withdrawn from auction at Sotheby’s as they did not make the reserve price.
A MARBLE sculpture from Annaghmore House outside of Tullamore has fetched £241,250 at auction in Sotheby's of London.
Die Spinnerin, by German artist Rudolf Schadow shows a young girl spinning and is in pristine condition.
The piece which had a reserve price of £120,000-£180,000 was bought by a private collector in London.
A spokesperson for Sotheby's Dublin office, said there was enormous interest in the sculpture and bidding was brisk on the day of the auction, Thursday, July 8, indicating the importance of the sculpture to the art world.
There is a dedication on the base of the piece to Irish landowner Henry Patten of Westport, County Mayo. Patten was on a tour of Italy in 1819. Another sculpture by Schadow, also commissioned by Patten, had an identical dedication. That particular piece depicting a girl lacing her show was auctioned at Sotheby's in the mid 1980s for £17,600.
The spokesperson for Sotheby's Ireland, said it would have been very rare for Schadow to have been commissioned to do such work for an Irish patron as he usually worked for some of the great houses in Europe.
He produced sculptures for such eminent patrons as the Prussian King, Prince NIkolaus 11 Esterhazy of Hungary, Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, Baron von Ledzelter, and the Duke of Devonshire.
Two other sculptures, Venus Italica and Hebe also from Annaghmore House were withdrawn from auction at £48,000. The sculptures which were being auctioned as a pair had been expected to attract bids of £60,000-£80,00.
The early 19th Century Italian Sculptures were included by Sotheby's in a sale of European Sculpture and Works of Art.
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