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Maurice Leloir’s Four Historical Scenes Sell for €128,600 at BonhamsJacob Jordaens’s Portrait of His Wife Sells for €154,200 at BonhamsRenaissance Portrait Attributed to Conrad Faber Sells for €295,000 at BonhamsJodi the Nanotyrannus Sells for US$47.3 Million at Sotheby’sQianlong Emperor’s Jewel-Encrusted Gold Ewer Sells for US$7.11 Million at Christie’sHockney’s €282,200 Print Leads Warhol and Banksy in €1.06 Million Bonhams SaleMV Agusta Sells for $1.3 Million, Setting an Italian Motorcycle Auction RecordEnigma Machine Sells for £203,600 at Bonhams: Inside the 1941 Cipher DeviceUzo Egonu’s Will Knowledge Safeguard Freedom I Sets Auction Record at £198,900Yusuf Grillo’s One Man Band Sets Artist Auction Record at £461,300Ben Enwonwu’s Anyanwu Sells for £602,100, Setting a Sculpture Record at BonhamsRare Gandhi Portrait Achieves £152,800, Tripling Its EstimateBanksy’s British Cool Mickey Snake Triumphs at Bonhams, Selling for £330,600Whistler’s First Portrait Commission Sells for Five Times Estimate, Fetching $495,000Bridget Riley Stuns Art World as Myrrh Soars to $2.36M at Bonhams

Bonhams

Auction previews and sale reports from Bonhams, covering paintings, decorative arts, jewellery, books and collectors’ objects. Follow the works offered, published estimates, reported results and the histories attached to notable lots.

Rare Chinese ‘Dragon’ Vase Fetches Over €1.1 Million in Paris

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Chinese famille rose dragon vase on a white plinth in front of enlarged red and pink dragon motifs.

What appeared to be an ordinary hallway decoration in a central London home turned out to be an extraordinary treasure—an incredibly rare Chinese Famille rose ‘dragon’ vase. Recently rediscovered by Bonhams experts, the vase shocked the art world when it sold for €1,161,600 at auction in Paris, soaring past its estimate. With a fascinating history linked to an early 20th-century collector and a surprising connection to an identical twin vase sold in Hong Kong, this remarkable story is a testament to the enduring allure of hidden Asian masterpieces.

Egyptian Artist Hamed Nada’s Painting Shatters Expectations at Bonhams Auction

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A brown figure floats above a yellow, beaked animal in Hamed Nada’s Battle for Liberation.

One of the most significant works by renowned Egyptian modernist Hamed Nada, Battle for Liberation (Maerakat al-Tahrir), stunned the art world at Bonhams’ Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sale, fetching $274,000—more than triple its pre-sale estimate. Exhibited at a landmark Paris show in 1971, this extraordinary painting captivated collectors with its powerful historical significance and unique provenance. Continue reading to explore HD photos of this Middle Eastern masterpiece.

Early Van Gogh Sketch Sells for Over $1.48 Million at Bonhams London Auction

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Detail of Vincent van Gogh’s Sien’s Mother’s House Seen from the Backyard, with a woman beside a fence and gabled houses.

Discover the story behind Sien’s Mother’s House Seen from the Backyard, a rare 1882 sketch by Vincent van Gogh that sold for over $1.48 million at Bonhams London. Created during the artist’s formative years in The Hague, this intimate work offers a glimpse into Van Gogh’s early focus on everyday life and working-class struggles—long before the bold colors and swirling brushstrokes of his later masterpieces. Learn how this quiet sketch reflects the roots of a genius and the personal connections that shaped his art.

Surreal Nudes: Paul Delvaux’s Masterpiece L’Orage Sells for $1.6 Million

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Detail of Paul Delvaux’s L’Orage, showing a seated nude woman smelling a flower beside red drapery.

Paul Delvaux’s enigmatic nude masterpiece L’Orage (The Storm)—a haunting tableau of mysterious nudes set against a dramatic thunderstorm—painted in August 1962, recently captivated the art world at Bonhams New Bond Street in London, achieving $1.6 million. Explore the secrets behind Delvaux’s fascination with the human form, the mysterious influences of his childhood, and why this 1962 painting continues to mesmerize the global art market.

Two Portraits by Johann Zoffany Triple Their Estimate, Fetching Over $1.2 Million at Bonhams Auction

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Detail of the hands and flower basket in Johann Joseph Zoffany’s The Flower Girl.

Two captivating portraits by the renowned 18th-century artist Johann Zoffany shattered expectations at a recent London auction, selling for over $1.2 million—more than three times their estimated value. Depicting a flower girl and a watercress girl in stunning detail, these companion pieces had remained hidden in a private family collection for over a century. With a rich history tied to Zoffany’s rise as a court favorite and celebrated portraitist, these works dazzled bidders and art enthusiasts alike. Discover the story behind their remarkable journey and the artist who brought them to life.

Obscure Artist Stuns Auctioneers: Leonardo Guzzardi’s Portrait of Lord Nelson Sells 15 Times Estimate

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Detail of Admiral Lord Nelson in naval uniform with a red sash, from Leonardo Guzzardi’s portrait.

In a stunning turn of events, a rare portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson by the little-known Italian artist Leonardo Guzzardi sold for £94,380 ($120,000) at Bonhams’ Old Master Paintings auction in London, shattering its modest pre-sale estimate of £6,000–£8,000 ($7600–$10,200). The 1799 full-length depiction of Nelson in naval dress, set against a dramatic maritime backdrop, captivated bidders and underscored a growing appetite for rediscovered works by overlooked artists. Guzzardi, a relatively obscure figure believed to have worked for the Neapolitan Court, has gained renewed attention for his raw, realistic portrayals of the famed British naval hero, marking this sale as both a market surprise and a testament to the timeless allure of historical portraiture.

Jessica Dismorr’s Self-Portrait Sets New Auction World Record at Bonhams

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Detail of Jessica Dismorr’s Woman Seated (Self-Portrait), showing a woman holding a pencil beside a window.

Jessica Dismorr, a pioneering figure in British modern art, has achieved a new auction world record at Bonhams’ recent Blazing a Trail: Modern British Women auction. The sale, which ran online from September 9 to 18, showcased the largest known private collection of works by Dismorr, with the centerpiece, Woman Seated (Self-Portrait), selling for £57,600 (approximately $73,000). The final price far surpassed its pre-sale estimate of £4,000–6,000 (approximately $5,000–$7,600), cementing Dismorr’s position as a significant figure in 20th-century art.

Cricket Legend Sir Donald Bradman’s ‘Baggy Green’ Cap Sells for $310,000 USD at Auction

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Sir Donald Bradman’s baggy green cricket cap with an embroidered Australian crest and 1947–48 date.

A baggy green cricket cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1947-48 Test series against India, a season marking significant milestones in cricket history, has sold for AU$479,700 ($310,719 USD) at a Bonhams Sydney auction. This iconic piece of memorabilia, tied to Bradman’s record-breaking career and a pivotal moment in Australia’s cricketing heritage, was purchased by a private collector who plans to keep it within the country. The sale highlights the enduring global fascination with Bradman, whose unmatched batting average of 99.94 cements his legacy as the greatest cricketer of all time.

Surrealist Art Market Shows Strong Momentum with Record Sales and High Demand

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The surrealist art market is currently experiencing a notable period of growth, evidenced by strong auction results and heightened collector interest. Recent sales in New York, Paris, and London reflect a robust appetite for works from this historically significant movement. René Magritte’s L’empire des Lumières (1954) led the market in 2024, achieving $121.16 million at Christie’s New York—the highest price ever paid for a surrealist artwork. This sale underscores a broader trend of sustained demand for surrealist pieces, both from marquee names and historically underrepresented artists.

African Artists Show Strong Results at Auction: William Kentridge Smashes Estimate

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Detail of Ben Enwonwu’s FESTAC ’77, showing a figure in profile in blue, green and yellow.

A recent auction at Bonhams in London showcased the dynamic and rising value of Modern and Contemporary African Art, concluding with total sales of £2,439,400 (approximately $2,976,068). The event featured prominent works, including William Kentridge’s Monument I, which soared past expectations, selling for £483,000 (about $589,260) against its estimate of £200,000–£300,000. Kentridge’s evocative charcoal piece, rooted in his Drawings for Projection series, epitomizes his narrative-driven approach that intertwines historical introspection with striking visual artistry. Irma Stern’s Zululand and significant pieces by Ben Enwonwu and Marlene Dumas further emphasized the auction’s success, underscoring the burgeoning global recognition and deepening collector interest in African art’s profound heritage and contemporary vibrancy.