Sotheby’s sale of Treasures to be led by group of 17 masterworks

KOLKATA: On 9th July 2014, Sotheby’s fifth successive sale of Treasures will be led by a group of 17 masterworks from the celebrated collections of the Dukes of Northumberland.

From their historic homes at Alnwick Castle and Syon House, these treasures span over two millennia of Art History and 500 years of collecting: from a sublime marble statue of Aphrodite carved in the early decades of the Roman Empire (estimate £4-6 million) to remarkable pietre dure inlaid Italian cabinets.

The 60-lot sale, estimated to realise in excess of £13 million, will also include an outstanding selection of rare furniture and work of arts, many of which emanate from prestigious aristocratic collections in Europe and come to the market for the first time. Combining exceptional provenance with extraordinary craftsmanship, these masterpieces constitute the very pinnacle of their collecting category, as demonstrated by a mesmerising Swan clock made in London, circa 1790 for a Chinese Emperor (estimate £1-1.5 million).

Discussing the forthcoming sale, Mario Tavella, deputy chairman, Sotheby’s Europe, Private European Collections said: "The collection of the Dukes of Northumberland, formed over 500 years, ranks amongst the finest private art collections in the world and this sale offers an exceptional opportunity to acquire works of the same calibre as pieces preserved in the most important museums. Many other highlights in the sale have remained in the same collections for centuries. Commissioned by the greatest art patrons of the day, including The Duchesse du Berry, The Duke of Argyll, The Grand Dukes of Tuscany and Napoléon, these masterworks meet connoisseurs’ continued demand for the very finest pieces at the top-end of the market."