DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, Calif. – An exceedingly rare and complete second edition of Description de l’ Egypte, C.L.F. Panckoucke (1820-1830), including fold-out maps, elephant folios and atlas folio, sold for a world record price of $220,000 at Andrew Jones Auctions’ Design for the Home and Garden Auction held May 18-19, online and in Los Angeles.

The antique Egyptology book was the top lot of the sale, conducted in Andrew Jones Auctions’ gallery at 2221 Main Street in downtown Los Angeles, as well as online via BidSquare.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. The auction featured over 550 lots of market-fresh fine art, design, antiques and Asian works of art from several important collections and estates.

The sale included property from the collection of Kate Edelman Johnson, with proceeds going to benefit The Johnson Charitable Remainder Unitrust and the Deane F. Johnson Alzheimer’s Research Foundation; and items from the estates of the late actor Peter Falk (star of Columbo), and items from the estate of Jack Levin, a prominent Los Angeles decorator for over 50 years.

“This sale was really special,” said company president and CEO Andrew Jones, “It was held on the year anniversary of our founding. The breadth of the spectacular property offered drew vast international interest and far exceeded our expectations.” The two-day sale featured 550 lots and achieved a total of $1.5 million. Nearly 100 people attended in person; 1,935 participated online.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium.

One of the many highlights of the sale was the special guest star auctioneer, the indominable Andrea Fiuczynski, who took a spin on the rostrum for the property from the collection of Kate Edelman Johnson.  A notable lot from that section was an oil on canvas painting by Maurice Brianchon (French, 1899-1979), titled Nature morte au tapis rouge. It gaveled for $11,875.

From the same collection, a Pablo Picasso linocut from 1958 titled Expositions Ceramiques Vallauris, Paques reached $5,750. Multiples by Picasso also performed well across the board, with a ceramic vase titled Chouette Femme (1951) surpassing its pre-sale estimate to sell for $11,875; and a linocut titled Pique III from 1959, knocking down for $45,000.

The same collection that contained the complete second edition of Description de l’ Egypte, C.L.F. Panckoucke also included masterworks of Art Deco design, including a wrought iron and marble table by Edgar Brandt that sold for $38,750; and a version of the avant-garde sculptor Joseph Csaky’s gilt and silvered bronze Tête de femme that made $45,000. 

Also in the sale were the collections of Frances and Sidney Brody, Anthony Francis, MD, New York City collector Lauren King, a residence decorated by Patahaus Italian Design, and private sources in Altadena, Hollywood, Long Beach and Philadelphia. All made for a successful sale.

Andrew Jones Auctions’ next event will be a specialty auction dedicated entirely to coins and numismatics on Monday, June 10th, also online and in the Los Angeles gallery, followed by the ever popular DTLA Collections and Estates auction, featuring 20th century design, antiques, fine art and accessories, to be held Sunday, June 16th. Start times for both will be 10:30 am Central.

Opened spring of 2018 in downtown Los Angeles, Andrew Jones Auctions is a full-service fine art and antiques auction house with an understanding of the market trends and foresight for the 21st century.  The staff have a wealth of knowledge with international experience having worked for many years at major international auction houses in America and Europe, sourcing property from across North America.  The sales are diverse and eclectic featuring items from the ancient works to contemporary art. For more information, please visit www.andrewjonesauctions.com.

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