Strauss & co - Review 2018

Cabinet of Curiosities and Treasures Twice a year Strauss & Co hosts a sale of jewellery, watches, furniture, ceramics and silver. Euphemistically referred to as the decorative arts, this extensive category of discerning collectables is an important contributor to the company’s bottom line. This segment of the two Cape Town live auctions is much anticipated by local as well as international buyers. Unlike Strauss & Co’s fine art offering, which mostly focuses on South African artists, the decorative arts catalogue covers a wide range of categories: from Cape silver and furniture to Chinese and Japanese works of art, with many singular rarities between – such as the Louis Vuitton wood and leather cabin trunk sold in October for R284 500, or the Georgian rock crystal, black enamel and gold Memento Mori ring from 1739 sold in March for R62 524. A Louis Vuitton wood and leather cabin trunk Sold R284 500, 15 October 2018 The top-selling lot by value in the decorative arts was a Japanese blue and white Arita VOC dish, which sold for R511 560. The second was a Chinese vase from the Chongzhen period (1628- 44), which sold for R364 160. Fierce rivalry between telephone bidders helped push up the price to well within international prices. In March, twenty-eight Chinese jade carvings and thirty lots of 19th- and 20th-century Chinese snuff bottles consigned by two specialist collectors all found buyers. Standout pieces included a jade vase depicting a scaly fish-dragon leaping from stylised waves, which sold for R44 335. A smoky quartz crystal snuff bottle from the Qing Dynasty sold for R22 736. An 18th century Cape stinkwood and yellowwood koskas Sold R352 780, 15 October 2018 25