Leonard Joel was honoured to have been appointed to curate and celebrate the collection of this connoisseur-collector with an international eye that Sydney will forever remember. On Tuesday night, a new generation of collectors, from both Australia and abroad, claimed their part of this important decorative arts collection.
The auction, held over a day and evening to cater to extraordinary international interest, realised $1,973,156 (IBP) positioning the collection as Leonard Joel Sydney’s most successful auction to date. The Dallin bronze of a sleeping woman, Lot 395, typified the intensity of bidding realising a staggering $212,500 (IBP) against an estimate of $30,000 – 50,000. Dallin, famous for his depictions of Native Americans in bronze, is perhaps best known for his imposing statue of Paul Revere in Boston.
Other highlights included Lot 372, an Italian white marble copy of the “Rondanini Medusa” that sold for $45,000 (IBP) and Lot 441, The Lover – Study for ‘The Blessed Damozel’ 1878, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, that sold for $50,000 (IBP).
Leonard Joel’s Managing Director, John Albrecht, says “The Schaeffer collection represents a watershed moment for Leonard Joel as we position ourselves as the destination for the management of Important Collections and all credit to Hamish Clark of our Sydney office for securing the management of it.”
Hamish Clark: “I knew John Schaeffer for decades and it was an absolute privilege to have worked with him so intensely on this collection during the research and cataloguing phase. I only wish he was with me to be part of such a splendid result but I know he would take great comfort in knowing that his great eye was met and embraced by a new generation of collectors from around the world.”
Hamish Clark | Head of Leonard Joel Sydney | 02 9362 9045