ZURICH.- Switzerland has recently provided some outstanding works of art for sales at Bonhams, the international fine art auction house. Sales at the firm’s salerooms in London, Hong Kong, Paris and New York have produced consistently strong results.

Bonhams new representative in Geneva, Victoria Rey-de Rudder, says: “We have found a cross section of art and antiques to interest a large number of our 60 specialist collecting departments. It is not surprising that this country proves to be a continuing source of outstanding works of art.”

Among the cars locally sourced were: A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupé which sold for Euros 490,000 in Monaco. Another stunning car sourced in Switzerland was a 1937 Alvis 4.3-Litre 'Long Bonnet' Sports Saloon Chassis no. 14305 Engine no. 14768 – sold for Euros 79,000 in Paris.

WORLD RECORDS:
One of the hottest parts of the art market at present is the Asian Arts sector. For this market Switzerland contributed a Japanese ivory netsuke of a shishi Kyoto, late 18th century which sold in London for the world record price of £265,250. Another Swiss find was a Japanese fine single-case lacquer inro by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), of the Meiji Period which sold for £265,250 in London during Asian Art week which was dominated by Bonhams last year.

For the turbo-charged Chinese Art Market Switzerland provided a rare enamelled yellow glass melon-form snuff bottle from the Imperial, Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1716-1750 which sold in Hong Kong for HK$1,500,000.

Victoria comments: “With this kind of track record it is not surprising that our Department Specialists, very often world authorities in their fields are regularly heading for Geneva and elsewhere in Switzerland to hold valuation days.”

Swiss Valuation Days:
3rd April: 19th century and Old Masters - Zurich
4th April: 19th century and Old Masters - Zurich
17th April: Jewellery - Geneva
18th April: Russian Art - Geneva

11th May: Jewellery - Zurich
31st May: Jewellery – Geneva
7th June: Japanese Art – Geneva
11th June: South African Art – Zurich, Zug, Geneva
12th June: South African Art – Zurich, Zug, Geneva
13th June: South African Art – Zurich, Zug, Geneva
18th June: Asian – Zurich, Geneva
19th June: Asian – Zurich, Geneva
22nd June: Jewellery - Zurich
26th June: Antiquities and Islamic – Zurich, Basel, Geneva
27th June: Antiquities and Islamic – Zurich, Basel, Geneva
28th June: Antiquities and Islamic – Zurich, Basel, Geneva
5th July: Jewellery - Lugano
12th July: Jewellery - Geneva
24th July: Contemporary Art – Geneva
2nd August: Jewellery - Zurich
30th August: Jewellery - Geneva
24 September: Musical instrument Lucerne
25 September: Musical instrument Basel
26 September: Musical instrument Bern