Christie's sale of Antiquities Including Property from the Collection of Max Palevsky and Ancient Jewelry was a resounding success last night (December 9) in New York with an extraordinary total of $34m for 263 lots sold.
There was no doubt as to the top lot as a Cycladic marble reclining female figure -the name-piece of the Schuster master, from the early Cycladic II, circa 2400 BC time sold for $16,882,500, far above its $3m-5m listing and a world auction record for a Cycladic marble figure.
 Cycladic Marble figure |
G. Max Bernheimer, International Department Head of Antiquities and Molly Morse Limmer, Head of Department, said:
"Christie's Antiquities Department made history once again, achieving $34 million, the highest total for an Antiquities sale at Christie's and selling the exceptional Cycladic marble reclining female figure for an amazing $16.8 million, a world auction record for a Cycladic marble figure and the highest price achieved for an ancient work of art ever sold at Christie's.
"There was tremendous activity in the packed saleroom and on the telephones for astounding works, which achieved stupendous prices especially for Roman marble sculptures from the Collection of Max Palevsky and Egyptian bronzes.
"The Ancient Jewelry sale held exclusively and annually at Christie's New York was highlighted by three Roman gold-mounted sardonyx cameos, which sold for $146,500."
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