There were three porcelain items which broke the 20 million forint ceiling at the fifth Zsolnay auction held at the Virág Judit Gallery. A total of 71 items were up for auction, including some of which only a single piece had ever been made.
The item that changed hands at the highest price was a 120-year-old giant vase. For a long time, no one knew of its existence, only its pair was known, which is in a Viennese collection today. EThe vase started at 12 million forints and climbed to 26 million forints, nearing the record of 28 million set at a previous Zsolnay auction at the Virág Judit Gallery.
Another vase, designed by the legendary Lajos Mack around 1907–1908, features some thirty shades of blue. The piece, depicting a semi-naked female mythological figure and a panther, started at 12 million forints and finally found a new owner for 22 million forints. The starting price of a giant vase from 1900, decorated with fire lilies and Tiffany designs was ten million forints, but then reached the selling price of 20 million forints at the auction.
"It has been proven once again that Zsolnay is experiencing the most glorious period in its 170-year history. Auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's are competing for exciting Zsolnay items, but the center of Zsolnay trade today is Budapest," said István Törő, co-owner of the Virág Judit Gallery.
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