Nearly €20M for Artcurial's Monaco Auction Week!
 

For its legendary Monaco Auction Week in Monte Carlo, which took place from 15^th to 21^st July, Artcurial brought the week's sales at the Hôtel Hermitage to a magnificent close: numerous records were set and attracting international collectors.

Jewellery dazzles Monaco
Following on from the success of the January 2022 session, which totalled more than €7M including premiums, the department offered a very fine collection of contemporary and vintage jewellery pieces with iconic signatures that appealed to enthusiast and collectors. The sale of the extraordinary 17.50 carats emerald-cut diamond (GIA - D, VVS1, no fluo, type IIa) was a real bidding battle and fetched €1,274,400.

Interest in emeralds has never been so strong: this exceptional stone makes a real comeback, as evidenced by the exceptional set from Guillemin & Soulaine, consisting of a platinum, gold and emerald bracelet, a pair of pendants and a ring, which fetched almost €1M.

The 1970s continued to be a favourite, and the aura of vintage jewellery from major names such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and Cartier still occupies an exceptional place among collectors.

3 sales et numerous records for the Watches department
The sales of Fine Watches, Le Temps est Féminin and The Sparking Collection took place in front of a full house and with many bidders in the room, via the Internet and also on the telephone.

The Sparkling Collection, a sale bringing together 80 jewellery watches from a private collection, opened the auction session and was a great success, with 100% of the lots sold. Piaget was highlighted with 15 lots on offer, including a rare malachite set that fetched €111,888 or this extraordinary Piaget cuff watch in yellow gold, lapis lazuli, sapphires and diamonds that sold for €98,280.

Audemars Piguet created a sensation with two record prices for the Fine Watches sale. The first was for a special edition of a "Code 11.59" model, produced in a limited edition of 5 pieces only and equipped with a special dial designed by the enamelling artist Anita Porchet. It was sold after a fierce bidding battle for €708,480, which is the record auction price for this model. The second was for a unique piece from 1927, a complete platinum calendar with moon phases. This piece - of museum quality - was sold for €170,560.

A rainbow of colours for the Hermès & Luxury Bags sale
The Fashion & Luxury Accessories department offered collectors and leather goods lovers several bags from the most emblematic luxury houses. Hermès, the historic manufacturer, was once again at the heart of this summer session with its iconic models. The astonishing rainbow of colours offered by the House highlighted the different leathers and exotic skins of the bags presented during the sale. Some great bids were once again placed in the room, such as this black silk mini Kelly estimated at €5,000 and sold for €25,900. Epsom calfskin and summer colour combinations also attracted a lot of interest, such as this magnificent rose confetti Epsom calfskin leather Birkin 35 estimated at €8,000 and sold for €26,200.

Successful launch for comics
The Comic Strips department, present for the first time in Monte-Carlo, offered at auction a set of 25 original drawings by Enki Bilal, a major artist of contemporary comics. The selected works were taken from the albums Julia & Roem, the Colour of Air and The Beast Tetralogy. Lot 1001, Coup de sang, went for €95,573 as well as the lot 1004, charcoal and pastel - Julia & Roem. This was an exceptional sale in a magical setting, proving once again that Enki Bilal goes beyond the confines of comics and occupies a prominent place in contemporary art.

A successful third edition of Monaco Sculptures
Monaco Sculptures was a great success for this third edition, with 80% of the lots sold for a total amount of nearly €6M.  Enthusiasts were present in large numbers to unleash bidding battles. Monaco Sculptures, in partnership with Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, renewed its successful formula, a tight selection of sculptures by iconic 20^th and 21^st centuries artists such as Wang Keping, Bernar Venet, Baltasar Lobo, Yves Dana, Philippe Hiquily, Christian Lapie, César, Arman or Mel Ramos, whose works achieved magnificent results. Bernar Venet achieved the highest bid of the evening with the sculpture 223.5° Arc x 14 at €524,800. César attracted a lot of interest with a rare car compression from 1979, the R16 compressed by the artist for Edmonde Charles-Roux, which was sold for €334,560.

The Artcurial teams thank you for your support and your confidence and will be happy to see you again in September for a new half-year of sales which already looks promising.

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