19th century bronze Laocoön leads London Old Master auctions, selling for £13.6m at Sotheby's

Christie’s and Sotheby’s held their London summer “part one” Old Master painting auctions on Tuesday and Wednesday, underscoring the market dominance of the two major international houses. Christie’s achieved £38.9 million (with fees) from 39 lots against an estimate of £25.4 million to £37.3 million, down from £55.3 million in the equivalent sale last summer that included Canaletto’s record £31.9 million “Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day.” The top lot at Christie’s was Sir Thomas Lawrence’s 1821 portrait of the 1st Duke of Wellington in civilian dress, which sold to a single telephone bidder for £9.7 million, a new auction record for Lawrence; the picture had last sold in 2006 for £2.1 million and carried a low estimate of £8 million. Other strong results included two Jan van Huysum still lifes selling for £6.5 million and £5.5 million (each double their low estimates) and mid-range works such as Sebastian Vrancx’s “Fete Champetre” (about 1602) at £596,900 and Jan Davidsz. de Heem’s 1653 banquet still life at £508,000, as Christie’s specialist Andrew Fletcher cited growing private-buyer depth and increased interest from Asia and modern/contemporary collectors.

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