2017 Record. Cambi is first in Italy

(First Italian auction house by total sold volume in 2017. Source: Il Sole 24 Ore)


Departments 2016 2017
Variation
FINE ART (Furniture and Decors, Carpets, Fine Frames, Porcelain and Ceramics, Antique Books, Silver)
7.449.000 €
36.029.000 €
-19 %
PAINTING / SCULPTURE (old master and 19th and 20th century paintings, drawings and sculptures)
5.493.000 €
7.190.000 €
+31 %
JEWELRY/ WATCHES AND POCKET WATCHES
3.709.000 €
5.004.000 €
+35 %
ORIENTAL ART
3.412.000 €
7.643.000 €
+124 %
20TH CENTURY DECORATIVE ARTS / DESIGN
5.309.000 €
5.925.000 €
+12 %
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
1.668.000 €
3.309.000 €
+98 %
Total 27.040.000 €
35.100.000 €
+30 % 


Departments % lots % sold it % sold abroad
FINE ART (Furniture and Decors, Carpets, Fine Frames, Porcelain and Ceramics, Antique Books, Silver)
54 % 98 %
32 %
PAINTING / SCULPTURE (old master and 19th and 20th century paintings, drawings and sculptures)
46 % 86 % 30 %
JEWELRY/ WATCHES AND POCKET WATCHES
49 % 85 % 68 %
ORIENTAL ART
42 % 266 % 95 %
20TH CENTURY DECORATIVE ARTS / DESIGN
54 % 101 % 69 %
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
56 % 90 % 23 %
Total 2017 51 % 105 %
56 %



Auction Number: 44 (only 6 online) compared with 39 (only 4 online) in 2016.

Top Lot of 2017: 
Lot n. 94 (164749) – Auction 310 – Fine Chinese works of Art (Milano – Palazzo Serbelloni – May 23rd 2017 – Valuation 200.000-300.000 €. Sold for 4.735.000 €
A large and rare gilt bronze figure of a standing Amitayus with aura on a lotus flower. Zanabazar, Mongolia, third quarter of the 17th century, h 68,5 cm. Origin: Ambassador Vittorio Cerruti.

2017 was a record year for Cambi (35.100.000 € being the highest volume of sales ever reached by our auction house), with a 30% increase in sales compared to 2016, a significant increase in each department. 
Such a significant result was made possible by the extraordinary amount paid at auction for the Fine Chinese Works of Art on May 23rd (the golden bronze statue of Zanabazar, XVII century; sold for 4.7 million euros – a record price for a single opera on auction), and because of a general increase in each department. Particularly significant is the contribution of the Antiques department, whose high monetary rewards justify our betting on private collections and unique lot selections. 
There is a great sense of satisfaction in our auction house, which after 20 years of activity continues to increase. This increase is greatly due to our constant improvement and more accurate and selected catalogues. Cambi Auction House is at the top of the auction market in Italy, with a tripled business increase in the last 5 years alone.

Compared to 2016, nearly every department has increased, the highest increase being the Modern. The Modern and Contemporary Arts Department increased at a rate of 98%, the Design and XX Century Arts increased by (12%), Jewellery and Watches increased (35%), while the Antique furniture is passing through a negative moment (2%), but is balanced by a significant increase in paintings and sculptures. Beyond the exceptional exploit of Orientalist Art, (7.643.000 € and 124% increase compared to 2016), we noticed a significant increase in the Ancient Paintings department, XIX and XX century Paintings, Sculptures and Fine Arts.   

Foreign Participation continues to grow, with an increase of 37% since 2016. International buyers frequently take part in Orientalist Art auctions, Design auctions, and Jewellery and Wristwatch auctions, buying mostly rare and important lots, and the objects of interest to great worldwide collectors. In 2017, foreign buyer purchases amounted to 57% of Cambi Auction House’s general state volume. Amongst these foreign buyers, Chinese buyers are solidly in first position with 35% sales abroad, followed by Switzerland and the United Kingdom (both at 12%), and the USA (9%).  

The average price of lots sold at Cambi’s auction was 4.700 € (5.170 € excluding online auctions).

Online Auctions
 increased in number of lots compared to 2016, but kept the same value (37% of lots sold online, 12% of the total price). The online auction price ranges between 1.000 and 2.000 euros, considerably lower compared to the sale room and telephones. The average price online is 1.600 €. The top lot sold online was a vase serie Mosaico of Ercole Barovier, sold for 200.000 €.   


In the year just passed, Cambi Auction House set a number of different records:
  1. Highest priced lot ever sold in Italy and highest lot ever sold world wide in 2017 with the exception of Christie’s and Sotheby’s*: lot n. 94 (164749) large and extremely rare figure of Amitayus erect on golden bronze lotus flower with aura. Zanabazar, Mongolia, third quarter of XVII century. Sold for 4.735.000 €.
  2. Record for Giovanni Anceschi (1939) in the global market: lot n.55 (164240), auction 304 - Tavola di possibilità liquide, 1959, various materials and liquids. The opera may take different shapes. Sold for 51.250 €.
  3. Record for Edoardo Landi (1937) in the global market: lot n. 300 (167740) auction 329 – Struttura visuale variabile, 1960 – 1962. Sold for 40.000 €. 
  4. Record for Gabriele de Vecchi (1938) in the global market: lot n.295 (167737) auction 329 – Deformazione assonometrica. parametri luminosi, rosso, 1965 – 1968. Sold for 28.160 €.
  5. Record for Claudio Costa (1942 –1995) in the global market: lot n.89 (171539) auction 329 – Conoscete la magia del verde? 1978. Various techniques on cardboard. Sold for 13.750 €.
  6. 2nd highest priced opera for Duilio Bernabé (known as Dubé) sold in the global market, (first in Italy): lot n. 38 (172154) auction 311. Dinner room Table variation of model 2090, top crystal thickness framed piano Dubé. Stands in lacquered metal. Prod. Fontana Arte 1950 ca. Sold for 31.250 €.
  7. Highest priced silver lot ever sold in Italy: lot n. 120 (160372) auction 287. A cup in molten, embossed, chiselled and gilded silver. Germany likely XVI century. Sold for 256.000 €. 
  8. Second highest priced Fulvio Bianconi’s ever sold in the global market (first in Italy): Lot. Number 25 (154174) auction 294 – Scozzese Vase, extremely rare rectangular vase with asymmetric hourglass cut, decorated with polychrome stripes. Sold for 275.000 €.
  9. Record for Viviano Codazzi in the global Market: lot n. 247 (164038) auction 300 – Arrivo a palazzo, Oil on canvas, golden frame. Sold for 150.000 €.
  10. Record for Ercole Barovier in the Italian Market: lot n. 10 (154177) auction 294 – Mosaico Vase, Murano 1924. A large oval vase decorated with a mosaic of diamond shaped murrines organized in multicolored concentric bands. Sold for 200.000 €.
  11. Record for Tommaso Buzzi in the Italian Market: lot n. 15 (154163) auction 294 - A turquoise incamiciato glass vase with an oval flattened body placed on a truncated cone foot and with a flared neck. Black glass applications and rings. In the center there are flying swallows made with glass filaments. Height 31 cm. Sold for 125.000 €.
  12. Record for Gino Sarafatti in the global Market: Lot n. 82 (165504) auction 301 – Chandelier 2070 “Jo – Jo”. Structure made of lacquered metal. Methacrylate diffusors. Prod. Arteluce, Italy, 1953. Sold for 68.750 €. 
  13. Record for Pietro Paolo Rubens (1577–1640) in the Italian Market: Lot n. 39 (172284), auction 336 – Dying Seneca – oil on Canvas. Sold for 585.000 €. 
  14. Record for Jan Sanders van Hemessen (1500–1566) in the Italian Market: lot n. 191 (167296) auction 319 – Ecce Homo. Oil on Canvas. Sold for 262.500 €. 
  15. Record for Carlo Mollino in the Italian Market: lot n.41(171944) auction 331 – chair with wooden structure, brass details and woven texture. Prod. Appelli & Varesio, Italy, 1952. Sold for 96.200 €.
  16. Record for a Ettore Sottsass vase in the Italian Market: lot n. 62 (171750) auction 331- rare ceramic vase of the series Ceramiche di fumo. Signed Sottsass, Il Sestante, Italy. Prod. Bitossi, Italy, 1969. Sold for 32.500 €.


*Source: Milano Finanza, December 30th 2017. (All other results written by artprice.com)


Top lots’ pictures and taglines and Records of 2017 are available free for download at the following link:

top lot and record 2017 Cambi


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Indicated prices are inclusive of auction’s fees.