Auctions at the Casa Alis

The customary Sunday auction at the Casa Alis, in the Operetta National Theatre closed with the sale of a hundred items priced at 416 million lei. The total amount of the money made was almost 588 million lei.

The "star" of the auction was without doubt a bronze statuette signed Louis Chalon (1866 -?) called "The secret" (45 cm height). It was sold for 95 million lei, almost 30 million over the initial bidding price.

Other works of art that collectors fought over were: "Young Gypsy woman" (oil on canvas, 49x36 cm), a painting signed by Nicolae Vermont (1866 - 1932), sold for 19 million lei (seven million more than the starting bid); "Arlechin and Colombina," engraving from the Edgar Pappu collection (17x13cm) signed Iosif Iser (1881 - 1958), sold for 3,3 million lei, although the starting bid was at 1.05 million; "Woman Portrait," sold for six million, a million over the starting bid, signed by Corneliu Baba (1906 - 1997), dated 1981 (pastel, 27x21 cm).

Two of the paintings were sold at the starting price: Iosif Iser, "Maria Filotti," watercolour, 23x19.5 cm, sold for 3.7 million lei and Nicolae Cristea (1908 - 1936), "Flower Girls" (33x49 cm), dated 1935, sold for 855,000 lei.

Other paintings remained unsold: atefan Luchian - "Landscape," pastel (35x46.5 cm), painting certified original in 1946 by H. Blazian, evaluated at $2750, Gheorghe Petrascu (1878 - 1949) - "Lucretia," engraving dated 1932, $60 (17x9.5 cm); Lucian Grigorescu (1894 - 1965) - "Town outskirts," watercolour, $280 (29,5x47 cm); Mircea Ciobanu (1950 -1991)- "Don Quixote," unsigned but authenticated by Ana-Maria Ciobanu, the sister of the artist, $235; Alexandr Moser-Padina (1904 - 1994) - "Bucharest landscape," dated 1940, oil on canvas, $2100 (73,5x92 cm).

The jewels section was the most sought: a white-gold ring was sold here for 80 million lei (the starting bid was 41.1 million), a Rolex watch that sold for 10,3 million lei, and a white gold bracelet with a central diamond that sold for 8 million lei, 2 million more than the starting bid.

A sculpted wooden crucifix was sold for 3.15 million lei and a lantern clock with a metal statuette for 2,7 million lei. The next auction will take place on September 10.