Director Rupert Toovey spotted Blüten und Insekten Nr. 3 among
a stack of dusty pictures on the floor on a routine visit to a house
near Petworth. Most of the items were described as "traditional English
country house taste".
The
19 x 15in (49 x 38cm) oil on wood panel was understood to have been in
the family for several generations and the vendor was unaware that it
might be valuable. The condition was good, apart from some minor
cracking and dirt on the surface.
Signed
with initials and dated 1935, it was accompanied by a label on the
verso indicating that it was shown at the Vienna Secession's autumn
exhibition of the same year.
It
was one of a series of works in which Sedlacek explored the theme of
fantastical flowers and insects - the title translates asTrumpet Blooms
and Insects.
Estimated
at £50,000-80,000 for the auction on June 17, the contest was taken up
by three phone bidders. It eventually came down to a competition between
a leading Viennese gallery and a private German collector, selling to
the latter at £85,000.
Source: Antiquestradegazette.com
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