On May 4, 2023, Artcurial auction aimed at the sale of furnishings and items from the Venetian Hotel Bauer Palazzo, a Hôtellerie institution whose fine furnishings represented a piece of Venice’s history as well as being a showcase for the lagoon’s great craftsmanship. From sinuous Murano glass to iconic Rubelli fabrics, the catalog brought together a large nucleus of objects of great refinement, registering good sales. The auction was divided between an online portion, which ended on May 4, and an in-person one in Paris from April 24-29, where sales exceeded 1 million euros settling at 1.452.580.
Among the lots that received the most attention, the pair of important three-armed Murano glass wall lanterns was very successful, reaching 158.064 euros in adjudication, including commissions. This was followed by the marvelous painting attributed to Claudius Francis Beaumont, depicting the epic scene of Chryseides and Agamemnon. On a pictorial level, the work is a sign of the influence that the stay in Venice had on the painter and his later art, which later resulted in the splendid frescoes in the Royal Armory in Turin. The work fetched close to 100.000 euros.
Two dated gilded lanterns from Murano sold, including commissions, for 36.882 euros, and, also from Murano, is the magnificent twelve-light chandelier that found a new owner for 10.538 euros. Finally, the ceramic work by Pietro Melandri of San Giorgio narrowly missed the 20.000 euros mark. As for the part of the sale entrusted to the web channels, notable results were recorded with regard to two Murano chandeliers in translucent blown glass, pinched and studded with gold: one with eight light arms changed hands for 2.371 euros; the other with five light arms sold for 2.503 euros.
Another highlight of the session was the Tulip hanging lamp attributed to Maison Seguso in white granite Murano glass, which sold for 1120 euros, despite starting from a low estimate of 50 euros. The stunning pair of Murano glass wall sconces with three light arms, decorated with rolled leaves and floral stems with red and pale pink petals, found a new owner for 988 euros, while the iconic set of eighteen bronze key rings from the Bauer Palazzo Hotel, fetched well over 1.000 euros.
The sale was held at a time when the hotel was undergoing renovations. The reopening is planned to occur in 2025.
