During a thorough cleaning of the family home, three brothers found a folder of illustrations that their grandmother had left them. It contained about fifty “antique drawings from the 19th and 20th centuries.” “We saw that they had a certain quality and many had an inscription in German,” says one of the grandchildren, a Spaniard in his thirties who prefers to keep his name confidential, like most art sellers and buyers. «To get an idea of the value I contacted an antique dealer in Madrid, who advised me to speak to a dealer. I sent him three or four images for an evaluation. He told me that they had no interest, except one, which looked from the 16th century. We agreed that he would call me, but time passed and I threw in the towel.
DISCOVERED PARTS
AND FINISHED
Plate by David Joris, from the 16th century, titled 'David fighting against
vices'
Auctioned in Paris, in 2022.
Purchased by the Teylers Museum,
from Harleem, Netherlands
DISCOVERED PARTS
AND FINISHED
Plate by David Joris, from the 16th century, titled 'David fighting against
vices'
Auctioned in Paris, in 2022.
Purchased by the Teylers Museum,
from Harleem, Netherlands
DISCOVERED PARTS
AND FINISHED
Plate by David Joris, from the 16th century, titled 'David fighting against
vices'
Auctioned in Paris, in 2022.
Purchased by the Teylers Museum,
from Harleem, Netherlands
It occurred to the heir to consult with an auction house. He found an email on Christie's website. Adriana Marín, head of Ancient and 19th Century Painting at Christie's, responded to her, to whom she sent the photo of the drawing that “stood out from the rest.” “It was a work of clear quality,” confirms Marín. “It was investigated and a name of the author was found: David Joris.”
Born in Bruges (Belgium) in 1501 and died in Basel (Switzerland) at the age of 55, Joris was an Anabaptist preacher, at the time when his people were imprisoned and executed in his native country. His essays and letters were confiscated by his enemies, and almost nothing was preserved of his pictorial work. “They called me right away to tell me that they were very interested, because it was by a very rare painter,” the heir recalls about that 42 x 29 centimeter sheet.
Imperial topaz and diamond necklace and earrings, 19th century
Auctioned in Paris, in June 2023
Imperial topaz and diamond necklace and earrings, 19th century
Auctioned in Paris, in June 2023
Imperial topaz and diamond necklace and earrings, 19th century
Auctioned in Paris, in June 2023
After studying the piece, an enthusiastic Christie's official traveled to see the drawing “in nature.” “It just so happened that he was a specialist in this author,” says Marín. “Finding the name is important.” The bidding took place in Paris in May 2022. It came out with a valuation of 40,000 euros and sold for 126,000, of which 100,000 went to the owners, less a commission to the auctioneers who prefer not to disclose.
Hermès brand bag, Kelly 28 Seiller model, in leather with gold details
Auctioned in Paris, in April 2023
Hermès brand bag, Kelly 28 Seiller model, in leather with gold details
Auctioned in Paris, in April 2023
Hermès brand bag, Kelly 28 Seiller model, in leather with gold details
Auctioned in Paris, in April 2023
These treasures hidden in the houses, like the drawing of Joris that a grandmother kept among her papers, can now be discovered in a conference that Christie's will hold in the north of Spain, at the Deluz palace in Santander, on May 6 and 7 . They look for books, manuscripts, jewelry, watches, wines, ancient and modern paintings, furniture, sculptures and photographs. Almost any item that is suspected of having value and may have a good time in the family closets. They target the Basque Country and Asturias, above all, but they also facilitate arrivals in Navarra, La Rioja, Burgos, the north of Castilla y León and even Galicia.
Cities summoned
Bilbao, San Sebastián, Santander, Pamplona, León, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Logroño, Burgos, Oviedo, Gijón, Ponferrada, Lugo, Palencia or Valladolid are some of the cities in the radius of action of the art specialists on these days
“The estimates for each work are based on relatively recent auction prices, achieved in the international auction market for equivalent pieces, when they exist,” explains María García Yelo, CEO of Christie's in Spain. “The aspects to take into account are the authorship, the quality of the object itself, its origin, its state of conservation and whether or not it has been offered on the market.”
Sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, titled 'Down Town III', from 1990
Auctioned in London, in March 2024
Sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, titled 'Down Town III', from 1990
Auctioned in London, in March 2024
Sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, titled 'Down Town III', from 1990
Auctioned in London, in March 2024
Owners interested in knowing if their pieces have a significant value, and then putting them up for sale, have to follow a few steps to get to the auctioneer's room. First you have to make an appointment. They may ask for photographs “to start the investigation.” The organizers expect around 150 people to attend this activity that Christie's began in 1973, but which has not been held “for many years” and for which there are no previous records. For items that are too large or heavy, the 'on-site' service is offered.
Way to the finish
Upon knowing the value of the work, the owner must decide whether or not to consign it for auction. «In Spain there can be paintings by ancient artists, which have been in a family for 200 years and the heirs do not know what it is. That keeps happening. For example, recently with a painting by Caravaggio,” says Pablo Melendo, independent art consultant, who worked at both Christie's and Sotheby's. «These surprises can be found in assessments that are not common, because experts who live abroad have to be brought in. In any case, it is a good opportunity to find out the value of things. You may think you have something valuable because it is old, but it is worth little because it is not rare. As these types of items do not usually have ownership certificates, a letter of commitment is drawn up to guarantee legal origin, explains Melendo. «If someone has books from his great-great-grandfather bought in 1750, he has no invoices. But you sign saying that it is yours, in good faith.
Rare books and manuscripts
First edition of the second part of 'Ingenioso cavallero don
Quixote of La Mancha', by Miguel de Cervantes. Edited by Juan de la Cuesta in 1615
Auctioned in Paris, in November
from 2023
Rare books and manuscripts
First edition of the second part of 'Ingenioso cavallero don
Quixote of La Mancha', by Miguel de Cervantes. Edited by Juan de la Cuesta in 1615
Auctioned in Paris, in November
from 2023
Rare books and manuscripts
First edition of the second part of 'Ingenioso cavallero don
Quixote of La Mancha', by Miguel de Cervantes. Edited by Juan de la Cuesta in 1615
Auctioned in Paris, in November
from 2023
If the owners decide to go to the auction, they sign a contract specifying which room it will be offered in: Dubai, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Geneva and five other cities, but none in Spain. “The period between the consignment and the sale date can range between three and six months on average,” calculates García Yelo. “In Santander, each person will have their individual moment with a specialist, who will take the time to examine the work, take some notes and discuss with clients the result of their first assessment.”
Painting by José de Ribera, titled 'Saint Jerome' (17th century)
Auctioned in Paris in 2023
Painting by José de Ribera, titled 'Saint Jerome' (17th century)
Auctioned in Paris in 2023
Painting by José de Ribera, titled 'Saint Jerome' (17th century)
Auctioned in Paris in 2023
Choosing the north of Spain to search for treasures responds to a strategy, according to Melendo: «The French and English went to the south since the 18th century to buy collections. Murillo was discovered in Seville and the heritage protection laws come from that time. It is a more deprived region because many people have passed through it for many years and it is difficult to find works of art. On the other hand, in the north there is no such recurring tradition and it has not been discovered to the general public. Ordinary people sometimes keep things for inheritance reasons. They may have art from the 20th century or unpublished books and documents. Or maybe they come from families that were important in the 17th century and now only have the house. For them, the best thing is to go to the expert because if they put it on Wallapop they can ask for a lot and not sell it, or ask for little and act stupid.
Happy ending
When the time comes, the piece goes to an auction that can last from one minute to half an hour “in very spectacular cases, in which the struggle between bidders extends,” says García Yelo, who estimates that 85% of the lots has a buyer. «Otherwise, the seller has the option of offering the piece for sale again in an upcoming auction or having the work returned. Each consignment is governed by a sales agreement that, due to confidentiality, we do not reveal.
150
Quotes
with experts are those that are expected to be completed in two days, plus another hundred visits.
5,700
Millions of euros
it reached Christie's auction house in sales last year.
When David Joris's drawing came up for bid, the family selling it traveled to Paris. «We had a blast. There were quite a few people in the room because a drawing by Michelangelo was being auctioned, which had a million-dollar auction,” recalls the heir. «Ours was a slow bid. There were two interested parties on the phone and one in the room. “It was a very unique piece, which had been exhibited in Brussels before.”
Buddha figure in gilded copper, made in Nepal between the 13th and 14th centuries
Auctioned in Paris in December 2023
Buddha figure in gilded copper, made in Nepal between the 13th and 14th centuries
Auctioned in Paris in December 2023
Buddha figure in gilded copper, made in Nepal between the 13th and 14th centuries
Auctioned in Paris in December 2023
The hammer fell on the side of a duo formed by the Rembrandt Association and the patron Matthijs de Clercq, who donated it to the Teylers Museum, in Harleem (Netherlands), specialized in Flemish art. “Everything was a joy, we watched it with passion and then we went to celebrate it in style,” he says. The exceptional information about who the buyer was is known because they issued a press release when they presented their new acquisition. It was in the public eye for a couple of months with the title 'David fighting against vices'. In the promotion of its author they called him “the most wanted heretic of the Habsburg empire.”
Gilded copper pyx of the virgin with child, made in France in
the 18th century
Gilded copper pyx of the virgin with child, made in France in
the 18th century
Gilded copper pyx of the virgin with child, made in France in
the 18th century
The former owner, who has one of Grandma's illustrations framed in his home, visited the art center last summer. “I wanted to see it and they wouldn't let me,” he says. “They store old drawings in folders and take them out occasionally.” He acknowledges that the other illustrations they inherited have no “commercial value” but does not rule out their sale in the future.
Château Latour from 1961, in three magnum bottles
Auctions in London, 2023
Château Latour from 1961, in three magnum bottles
Auctions in London, 2023
Château Latour from 1961, in three magnum bottles
Auctions in London, 2023
In these “valuation days”, art and luxury explorers have “a fairly clear idea of what we will see, since we talk to people before arranging visits and evaluations,” says García Yelo. Surprise is always possible. “We often discover objects that may have gone unnoticed and yet have a value much greater than expected,” he says. «For example, once a team of specialists went to a house, on a very rainy day, and the owner pointed out a Chinese vase that he used as an umbrella stand. “Six months later, the object was offered at one of our Asian porcelain auctions in Hong Kong and sold for several million.” Like in a modern fairy tale
#Christie39s #searches #treasures #closets #Spanish #homes #truth
