| | | | | | | | Document | Sale Catalog Br-319 | |
| Auction House | Christie's -- from catalog: Mr. Christie | | Sale Location | [No.125] Pall Mall, London, England, UK | | Seller(s) | Hague, Thomas
Stephens, Philip, Sir, 1st Bart.
from catalog: Recently consigned from Italy
from auctioneer's copy: Daubuz; Thos Hague; Sir Ph Stephens | | Lugt Number | 6918 | | No. of Painting Lots | 42 | | Notes | The contents of this peculiar sale are described on the title page as "Italian Pictures, of the very distinguished class, recently consigned from Italy." The individual paintings, which numbered just 42, were indeed mostly by Italian artists or by artists who were active in Italy, with two or three exceptions. The auctioneer's (CL) copy of the catalogue indicates that 33 of the paintings, lots 6-38, were consigned by a certain "Daubuz," and these are preceded in the catalogue by a note stating that all had been purchased from the "Barberini Palace," presumably in Rome. Daubuz' identity is unknown, but he is probably John Theophilus Daubuz, listed in directories as a merchant in New Broad St., and not someone who was otherwise active in the art market. Other lots belonged to Thomas Hague, Sir Philip Stephens, Bart., and even James Christie II himself. The language of the catalogue and the prices recorded for the sale, ranging as high as 960 guineas, imply that Christie believed -- or had expected -- the contents to be of unusual importance, but the results impressively bely this. Thirty-seven of the lots were bought in, including all but two of the so-called Barberini pictures, and just one lot, a Descent from the Cross supposed to be by Raphael and consigned by Thomas Hague, brought a reasonably good price, £110.5. However, since no buyer is recorded we cannot be certain that it too was not bought in. The reasons for this disastrous result are not clear, but it would seem that the pictures consigned from Italy were not what they were purported to be, and this is supported by the fact that they have not been found in inventories of the Barberini collection. Moreover, and in spite of the fact that a few lots, such no.29, a Portrait of Abramo Federici by Francesco Apollodoro, a rare artist, are distinctive enough to permit an identification, none can be found. It is possible, therefore, that they were sent back to Italy after this first failed attempt. Two of the unsold lots from other consigners reappear in Christie's sale of April 27, 1805 (no.328). (See also G. Redford, Art Sales, I, 1888, p.93.) (B. Fredericksen) | | Catalog Location(s) | CL [annotations used in Sales Contents] Auctioneer's copy, annot. with all sellers, a few buyers and all prices. The buyers and prices are in pencil.
FLNY Annot. in pencil with a few buyers and many prices.
JPGM [photocopy in Provenance Index Sales Files] Not annot. It belonged to Wm. Seguier and perhaps earlier to his father David.
SML Not annot.
YCNH [photocopy in Provenance Index Sales Files] Not annot.
FMC From the collection of the Rev. Thos. Kerrich. Not annot. | | Photocopies | BIB, NGL, CIL and RKDH (all of YCNH) | | See Also | Sale Contents | | | Art Sales Catalogues Online | | | Digitized Catalog - GRI | | | |
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