Sotheby’s Antiquities sale totals $30.9 million, marble group of Leda and the Swan sells for $19.1 million

NEW YORK, N.Y.- Sotheby’s winter sale of Antiquities took place this evening bringing a total of $30,918,375, soaring past the $5/7.6 million estimate, with 84% of the lots sold.* The sale was led by A Marble Group of Leda and the Swan, Roman Imperial, circa 2nd Century A.D which sold for $19,122,500 (est. $2/3 million). The sculpture was sought by four bidders before eventually selling to an anonymous purchaser bidding over the telephone. The competition included an online bidder who participated up to $16.5 million. Leda and the Swan was recently discovered in Aske Hall, North Yorkshire and had been in the collection of the Marques of Zetland since 1789.

An Egyptian Basalt Head of a King, Early Ptolemaic Period, Reign of Ptolemy I/III, circa 304-200 B.C. from the Collection of Dodie Rosekrans, the late San Francisco philanthropist and collector, sold to an online bidder for $3,722,500 (est. $100/150,000). This is the highest price paid by an online bidder in a live auction at Sotheby’s.

Other strong prices from the Rosekrans collection included A Marble Head Of Zeus Ammon, Roman Imperial, Circa A.D. 120-160, which sold for $3,554,500 and was purchased by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (est. $800,000/1.2 million), and An Egyptian Black Basalt Head Of Tuthmosis III, 18th Dynasty, Reign Of Tuthmosis III, 1479-1426 B.C, which sold to an online bidder for $602,500 (est. $150/250,000).

Sale Results
• A Marble Group of Leda and the Swan, Roman Imperial, circa 2nd century A.D. – $19,122,500 (£12,179,161) (€14,281,287).
• An Egyptian Basalt Head of a King, Early Ptolemaic Period, Reign of Ptolemy I/III, circa 304-200 B.C.$3,722,500 (£2,370,868) (€2,780,081).
• A Marble Head of Zeus Ammon, Roman Imperial, circa A.D. 120-160 – $3,554,500 (£2,263,869) (€2,654,613)
• An Egyptian Black Basalt Head of Tuthmosis III, 18th Dynasty, Reign of Tuthmosis III, 1479-1426 B.C. – $602,500 (£383,734) (€449,966)
• A Marble Head of a Hellenistic Prince, circa 1st century B.C./1st Century A.D. – $602,500 (£383,734) (€449,966)
• A Cycladic Marble Figure of a Goddess, Early Bronze Age II, circa 2600-2500 B.C. – $362,500 (£230,877) (€270,726)
• A Greek Gold Diadem, 1st Half of the 4th Century B.C. – $218,500 (£139,163) (€163,183)
• An Egyptian Greywacke Bust of a Man, 26th Dynasty, Reign of Psamtik I, circa 664-610 B.C. – $206,500 (£131,520) (€154,221)
• A Roman Marble Strigillated Dionysiac Sarcophagus, 3rd century A.D. – $206,500 (£131,520) (€154,221)
• A Marble Head of Zeus, Roman Imperial, Eastern Mediterranean, circa A.D. 150-180 – $206,500 (£131,520) (€154,221)

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