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Newsletter September 2024

On November 19th and 20th, we organize the following auctions:

  • Exclusive Items (a selection of high quality lots)
  • Indonesian Art
  • Asian Art

Consignment for these auctions is possible until mid October.
However, for research and promotion purposes we prefer to receive the items as early as possible.

WOJ Nieuwenkamp collection

The author Idanna Pucci requested us to auction her WOJ Nieuwenkamp collection. Pucci lived in Bali for many years and wrote a book about Balinese culture. She now lives alternately in Florence and New York.

Nieuwenkamp was the first Western artist in Bali and besides, also an explorer, art collector and ethnographer. The fact that he impressed the Balinese as well is evident because they immortalized him on his bicycle on a Balinese temple carving in 1904 (see photo).

What makes this auction extra special, is that it is the first time his paintings are being offered at auction (see photos). The art works depict Indonesian, Italian, Egyptian and Congolese scenes. In addition, more than 30 drawings with Indonesian subjects are also being auctioned. Pucci rightly states that Nieuwenkamp is the ‘missing link’ in many Indonesian Art collections.

Romualdo Locatelli

Indonesian art works by Locatelli (1905-1943) are extremely rare as well. Locatelli is one of the greatest Western artists who worked in Indonesia.

His work is rare because he died relatively young in 1943. Disappeared is perhaps a better term, as he was never found. In addition, much of his South-East Asian work was lost when his studio in Manila burned down after a bombing.

This painting was gifted by the artist to L.C. Bouman, a mathematics and drawing teacher and artist who worked in Bandung. He was friends with Locatelli and stayed with him for two weeks in Bali for a study trip. The painting has remained in the family since then.

Bert Nienhuis

The auction includes two pieces by the famous designer Bert Nienhuis. A brooch as well as the necklace shown here. We have auctioned brooches before, but a necklace is quite unique. The design drawing of this necklace is in the possession of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.

Etruscan ceramics

We also auction Etruscan antiquities from an old collection. Several pieces from this collection were exhibited in the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden in 1976.

M.C. Escher

As usual, we are auctioning various works by M.C. Escher, one of our specialties. The lithograph shown here depicts Escher’s father.

Asian Art

From a noble family we received these rare bowls with decoration of cranes, deer and calligraphy with wise life lessons. In total we auction five of these bowls. All ‘mark and period’ Jiaqing (1796–1820).

Historic Dutch maritime collection

The auction in November, as well as the auction at our annex Veilinghuis Korendijk in December, contains various pieces related to the Dutch maritime history, including pieces from the VOC period.

The painting shown here (attributed to A.C. Hauck and dated 1781 on the stretcher) depicts Baron Pieter Melvill van Carnbee (1743-1826).

Van Carnbee was a captain at sea, first vice-admiral in Dutch service, member of the Provincial States of Holland, Council of State, member of the Central Committee of the Navy and Colonies. As a naval officer he travelled to the waters near Algiers, to the Mediterranean Sea and to the West Indies. He also fought at Gibraltar in the English War of 1780 and in the French invasion in 1794. Source: Dutch Institute for Military History (Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie), which has a comparable painting with identical dimensions, depicting van Carnbee.

The uniqueness of Zeeuws Veilinghuis

What actually sets us apart from all other auction houses in the Netherlands? There are several possible answer to this, but we ourselves think of it as remarkable that year after year, we are able to offer spectacular art works of museum quality. Some unique ‘feats of arms’:

  • In 2022 we achieved the highest result ever for a single art or antique object at a Dutch art auction, with a painting by W.G. Hofker: € 1,600,000 (hammer price, record confirmed by Artprice.com. No. 2 is Sotheby’s with a painting by Jan Lievensz.)
  • In 2018 we traveled to Iceland for a painting by Lee Man Fong, which was eventually hammered down for no less than € 720,000
  • In several auctions, we sold the Asian Art collection of a collector, which raised a total of more than € 2,000,000
  • In recent years we have sold almost 200 works by M.C. Escher, including a recent work for € 200,000

The reasons clients often choose us for, are our proven results and flexibility. As we are a relatively small auction house/team, we can quickly act and offer custom work. We clearly choose quality over quantity. In addition, our building is one of the most modern auction buildings in Europe, which offers optimal presentation options.

Would you also like to have your items auctioned with us? Then please don’t hesitate to contact us!