Series 4 gets under way in the busy auction houses of the world
In this fascinating series we cover the huge range of art treasures which go under the hammer in London and New York. From rare 18th century furniture made in Connecticut to ceramics by Picasso, through first editions of Beatrix Potter to the ornate desk made for Madame de Pompadour.
Episode 1
In this programme, love at first sight; Pablo Picasso’s affair with Marie-Therese Walter finds its way on to canvas…and into the auction room. The estimate is £35 million. At Goodwood, classic cars are for sale – including an early Jaguar. And, in New York, silver crafted by a hero of the American revolutionary war comes up for sale.
Episode 2
Impressionist and Modern paintings are up for sale in London. They include a striking portrait of his wife by the artist Amedeo Modigliani and a classic impressionistic scene in Paris by Renoir. Elsewhere in the programme, trinkets by the Russian craftsman Faberge are being auctioned from the collection of Harewood House, once the home of The Queen’s aunt.
Episode 3
A collection of drawings from the film-director Michael Winner has come to auction in London. It includes the first depiction by E H Shephard’s of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh. And, in a sale of automobilia intense bidding is expected for the blueprints of the VW Beetle – the ‘People’s Car’ – which were rescued from the ruins of Germany in 1945.
Episode 4
In New York, a rare desk made in Connecticut may fetch one million dollars. In London, Art Deco jewellery – including a diamond tiara - comes up for auction, along with paintings by the artists who became known as the Surrealists.
Episode 5
In this programme, a sale of modern British art in London includes works collected by the restaurateur Peter Langan, a classic Lowry painting of life at the factory gate, and a South of France scene by Sir Winston Churchill. Meanwhile, at Goodwood, petrol heads are bidding for cars from the 1960s – now known to collectors as ‘practical classics’.
