Hindman repeats success in second antiquities auction

Late Hellenistic or Roman bronze arm, circa first century B.C., 12½in long. Sold for $21,250. Hindman image

CHICAGO – Hindman reports the success of its second antiquities auction. Bidders participating by phone, absentee bid and online bidding platforms, sent the Nov. 23 Antiquities, Islamic and Indian Art auction well past its low estimate to a total of $482,456. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

The auction featured works of art including bronzes, marble sculpture, pottery and more from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Near East and India. The 147-lot auction featured items from the estate of Joan Conway Crancer, the collection of Michael Minick and other notable collectors.

“We are excited to see the continuous growth of the category and how Hindman is making its mark within the ancient art market,” said Hindman Senior Specialist Corbin Horn. “As only the second sale for the department, we are thrilled to see the steady engagement from buyers in this field and we are looking forward to seeing how the area continues to flourish.”

Egyptian objects, once again, performed strongly, with the auction’s top lot, an Egyptian basalt portrait bust of a woman (Lot 32) from the estate of Marilynn Alsdorf , a prominent Chicago arts patron and collector, selling for $45,000 against an estimate of $20,000-$25,000. The prestigious provenance of this sculpture went back to Robert Friedinger-Pranter (1894-1967), an Austrian ambassador to Egypt, who acquired it while on diplomatic post in Cairo.

An Egyptian basalt portrait bust of a woman, Middle Kingdom, 13th Dynasty, 1773-1650 B.C., 10¼in. Sold for $45,000. Hindman image

Multiple works from the estate of Joan Conway Crancer also outperformed expectations, including a set of four Egyptian painted limestone canopic jars of the sons of Horus (Lot 31), which sold for $38,400. These jars were originally used to hold the viscera of the deceased; their lids animatedly representing the four sons of Horus. They sold to a buyer from Continental Europe.

A set of four Egyptian painted limestone canopic jars of the Sons of Horus, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, 1550-1307 B.C. Height of tallest example 10¼in. Sold for $38,400. Hindman image

Another standout was the sale of an Inzik pottery dish from the 17th century (Lot 118), which sold far above its $2,000-$4,000 estimate at $25,600 to a buyer from the United Kingdom.

An Iznik pottery dish, 17th century, 10½in diameter. Sold for $25,600. Hindman image

Another highlight from the Crancer estate, within the Greek and Roman sections, was a late Hellenistic or Roman bronze arm (Lot 95), expected to sell for $10,000-$20,000, which ultimately realized $21,250, selling to a private Chicago collector.

Concluding the auction was a selection of Indian miniature paintings that far exceeded expectations, selling for more than 20 times their estimates. Also from the Crancer estate, this group included a Mughal miniature painting of a court official from the late 17th century (Lot 138) which sold for over 25 times its estimate at $16,250; Two Maidens Seated on a Terrace, a Bundi or Kotah painting from the 18th century (Lot 132) that sold for $15,000 (35 times its estimate of $400-$600); and Krishna and Radha in a Garden, a Bundi work from the 18th century (Lot 130) that also surpassed its estimate of $500-$700 and ultimately realized $15,000.