ELIZABETH I REIGNS OVER BONHAMS SALE
Oooh Peachy Deegan is excited Elizabeth I is her favorite monarch ever since she did a major term paper on her in 8th grade!
Bonhams is delighted to announce that a portrait miniature of Elizabeth I exceeded the pre-sale estimate of £15,000 - £20,000 in to sell for £40,800 in the Fine Portrait Miniatures sale held at Knightsbridge on 24th November, with the total sale realising £371,000.
The portrait was painted by one of Queen Elizabeth’s favourite miniaturists, Nicholas Hilliard, who chose to specifically concentrate on her costume and jewellery, whilst always painting the Queens face simply and youthfully. A smart officer wearing a red coatee, painted by the artist John Smart during his time in India in 1794, was also one of the top lots of the sale, realising £24,000.
Further highlights included a portrait miniature by Horace Hone of Sarah Siddons (1755 – 1825), a British actress who found fame on Drury Lane for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth and became the best known tragedienne of the 18th century. The portrait sold for £12,000 against a pre-sale estimate of £6,000 – 8,000.
Other portrait miniatures of historical celebrities included Charles Dickens, painted in 1868 by Walter Saunders Barnard (1851-1930) two years before Dickens died and sold for £1800. Considered to be the first English-language author to have a truly international career during his lifetime, a portrait of novelist Sir Walter Scott (1771 – 1832) by William Bishop Ford (1832 -1922) sold for £1200.
Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 27 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com