Past Auction

Doyle New York's Auction of English and Continental Furniture and Decorations and Old Master Paintings Yields Strong Prices

Wed, May 20, 2015 at 10am EDT |
New York
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May 20, 2015 Sale Featured the Mr. & Mrs. James R. Foster Collection of 18th Century Sevres Porcelain

  • May 20, 2015 Sale Featured the Mr. & Mrs. James R. Foster Collection of 18th Century Sevres Porcelain
  • We Invite You to Auction Your English and Continental Furniture and Decorations and Old Master Paintings
  • Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for the October 2015 Auction

Doyle New York's auction of May 20, 2015 achieved strong prices for English and Continental furniture and decorations from the 17th through 19th centuries, as well as English, Continental and Chinese export porcelain, Georgian silver, sculpture, clocks, chandeliers, sconces, tapestries and rugs.

THE Mr. & MRS. JAMES R. FOSTER COLLECTION OF SEVRES PORCELAIN

A special section of the sale was devoted to the Mr. and Mrs. James R. Foster Collection of 18th Century Sèvres Porcelain. The Fosters began acquiring exquisite hand-painted Sèvres cups and saucers in the late 1950s, primarily from dealers in New York. By the early 1960s, they extended their search for new acquisitions with annual trips to London and Paris. During their travels, the Fosters established relationships with porcelain dealers and collectors as their collection expanded beyond Sèvres to Meissen and other English and European porcelain. The Fosters fascination with collecting porcelain continued until Mr. Fosters death in 1972.

Highlighting the Foster Collection was a circa 1758 Sèvres porcelain sauceboat on stand decorated with green geometric ribbons and the painters mark for Taillandier. Measuring 19 inches in length, strong interest in the sauceboat sent the price soaring to a stunning $34,375, ten times its estimate of $2,500-3,500. A turquoise and floral decorated covered milk jug offered together with a covered sugar bowl achieved $21,250.

Attracting a great deal of attention was a circa 1773 Sèvres porcelain footed plate from the Queen Marie Caroline (Charlotte-Louise) Service that fetched $13,750, surpassing its estimate of $8,000-12,000. The service was a gift from Louis XV of France to Queen Maria Karolina (also known as Marie Caroline, or Charlotte-Louise), a sister of Marie-Antoinette and the wife of Ferdinand IV, King of Naples and Sicily.

The selection of Sèvres cups and saucers in the Foster Collection featured a circa 1756 cup and saucer elaborately decorated with swags of flowers below a green ground border. Bearing the painters mark for Francois Binet, this exquisite example sold for $8,125, far exceeding its estimate of $1,200-1,800. Also fetching $8,125 was another cup and saucer, this example circa 1758-59 and painted with flowers below a pink border.

Old Master Paintings

The Old Master paintings and drawings section of the sale offered landscapes, still lifes, portraits and religious subjects by European artists from the Renaissance through the early 19th century. Highlighting this section of the auction was an oil study of a bearded man attributed to Theodore Gericault. The study, possibly for a painting of St. Jerome, achieved $18,750, surpassing its estimate of $10,000-15,000. Also noteworthy was a rare portrait by the female Renaissance artist, Lavinia Fontana (Italian, 1552-1614). Depicting a lady in a pink gown with her pet dog, the portrait achieved $17,500.

With competitive international bidding from the salesroom, the telephones and the Internet, the sale totaled a successful $1,165,406 against an estimate of $768,050-1,180,150 with an exceptional 88% sold by lot and 99% sold by value.

All prices include the buyers' premium.

NEXT SALE OF ENGLISH & CONTINENTAL FURNITURE & OLD MASTER PAINTINGS: October 2015

Consignments are currently being accepted for Doyle New York's next auction of Important English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Including Old Master Paintings and Drawings scheduled for October 2015. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation.

Our specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection. For information, please contact:

Peter Lang, Furniture & Decorations, 212-427-4141, ext 274, [email protected]

Elaine Stainton, Paintings, 212-427-4141, ext 249, [email protected]

Consignments are currently being accepted

To have your property evaluated for possible consignment in the next auction, please contact:

Media Contact

Louis LeB. Webre
SVP, Marketing & Media
212-427-4141, ext 232
[email protected]

  • Estate of Barbara Glickman
  • Estate of Floreine Winthrop
  • Estate of Marguerite Goldschmidt
  • Estate of Maria B. Saraczynski
  • Estate of Oliver D. Filley
  • Estate of Peter K. Warren
  • Estate of Susanne Schnitzer
  • Estate of Thea Petschek Iervolino
  • Estate of Vivienne F. Sulds
  • Estate of William W. Appleton
  • Property from a Garrison, New York Collector
  • Property of a Virginia Collector
  • The Collection of Doris and William M. Sullivan, Bethesda, MD
  • The Mr. and Mrs. James R. Foster Collection
  • The property of Doyle New York
  • The property of Joseph R. Messina
  • The Spanierman Gallery, LLC

A Selection of Auction Highlights