Il Ponte Casa d'Aste Reports €19.7M in First Half of 2023

Il Ponte Casa d'Aste closed the first half of 2023 with a turnover of over €19.7 million, up from €16.7 million in the same period of 2022. The auction house held 24 sales with an 87% sell-through rate by lot, achieving new records and solid revaluations of starting estimates. Modern and contemporary art led the segment with a turnover of over €6.5 million, in line with 2022, featuring significant results for masters such as Lucio Fontana, Mario Schifano, Igor Mitoraj, Victor Vasarely, Renato Guttuso, and Piero Dorazio. Top lots included Fontana's Concetto spaziale at €453,600, Schifano's Cielo per A. at €327,600, and Mitoraj's Stella at €302,400. The jewelry department set an absolute turnover record of over €6.2 million, boosted by a session dedicated to the Agrati Collection. Decorative arts of the 20th century and design also performed well, with strong interest in Italian design icons and rare pieces such as the Monofilo series seating by Luciano Grassi, Sergio Conti, and Marisa Forlani (€107,100), and monumental 1930s chandeliers by Pietro Chiesa (€41,580) and Carlo Scarpa (€35,280). The antique sector closed with over €3.6 million, while niche segments like books and manuscripts attracted international participation. The auction house will resume in September with a focus on books and antiques.