: The Badminton Cabinet sold at Christie's on December 9 for
$36,662,106, breaking its own record price of $15 million
established at Christie's on July 5, 1990, and becoming the most
expensive nonpictorial work of art ever sold at auction.
It was purchased in the room by Dr Johan Kraeftner, director of
the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna on behalf of Prinz Hans-Adam
II of Liechtenstein for the museum.
"We are delighted to have been the successful buyers," said Dr
Kraeftner. "The Badminton Cabinet will form the centerpiece of
our strong collection of over 15 important pietra dure works. We
plan to arrange a Kunstkammer around the cabinet in a new
gallery, which will also display our Seventeenth Century
collection of still life and flower paintings.
"I tried to bid as fast as I could to secure this magnificent
object for our collection," Kraeftner continued. "We look forward
to welcoming the international public to view the Badminton
Cabinet in Vienna, where it will be on permanent display from
spring 2005."
"Yet again the Badminton Cabinet has pushed the boundaries of the
art market," said Charles Cator, chairman of Christie's UK and
international head of the furniture department. "The cabinet
transcends the boundaries of furniture, combining architecture,
sculpture and painting in pietre dure, resulting in a unique
masterpiece. It was an honor to be entrusted again with its sale
and the price achieved today reflects the magnificence of this
famous, much loved and admired work of art."
There were three other bidders competing for the Badminton
Cabinet in the auction. Dermot Chichester, co-chairman of
Christie's UK, brought the hammer down and the price realized
marks the most expensive lot he has ever sold.
Executed in ebony, gilt-bronze and pietra dura, the Badminton
Cabinet was made for Henry Somerset, third duke of Beaufort, by
the Grand Ducal workshops (Opificio delle pietre dure) in
Florence, Italy, from 1720 to 1732 under the supervision of the
Foggini family. Unsurpassed in its richness and splendor, the
Badminton Cabinet is bold testimony to the young Duke of
Beaufort's genius. The duke was only 19 at the time of the
commission, so he made one of the grandest acts of patronage of
the Eighteenth Century before he had even come of age.
Standing 1511/2 inches high by 911/4 inches wide, this monumental
cabinet is undoubtedly the greatest Florentine work of art of its
time. It is also perhaps the most important work of the
decorative arts to have been commissioned by a British patron in
300 years. It is a triumph of the very best craftsmanship, a
unique object that utilizes a broad combination of materials and
forms. The cabinet also incorporates an amazing wealth of
materials, from lapis lazuli, agate and Sicilian red and green
jasper, to chalcedony (calcedonio di Volterra) and amethyst
quartz, as well as other superb hardstones.
The cabinet remained at Badminton until 1990 when it was sold at
Christie's on July 5 that year by the trustees of the Beaufort
family to the Barbara Piasecka Johnson collection for
$15,178,020.
Prices reported include buyer's premium.
