The mid-fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript once owned by Ippolita Maria Sforza, daughter of the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti, was sold for almost twice its estimated value. It was auctioned on 25 February in the sale dedicated to Antique books and Livres d'artistes held by Il Ponte. The valuable manuscript, 'Ab Urbe condita' by Tito Livio, had been estimated at between €280,000 and €350,000 and was ultimately sold for €537,600 (€420,000 hammer price plus buyer’s premium).

With a strong capacity for adaptation, the auction house founded in Milan in 1974 by Stefano Redaelli has successfully leveraged its acquisition by the Millon Group and the synergy with Paris and France, consolidating its leading role in the Italian market. 2025 will certainly be remembered for the new Italian record for Amedeo Modigliani, with the sale on November 25 of the painting "Portrait de Beatrice Hastings" (circa 1915) for €2,816,000: a double record, for both the auction house and for a work by the master in the history of Italian auctions.

2025 consolidates Il Ponte’s growth and transformation: new sectors such as Sports, Russian Art, and Discovery & Tech broaden the landscape of Italian auctions, confirming the auction house as a benchmark capable of anticipating trends and opening up original collecting horizons. [...]

Milan, auction coup for Modigliani: masterpiece sold for €2.8 million (…). The sale — well above the initial estimate of €750,000–1 million — confirms the continued international interest in Modigliani’s works and marks an important milestone for Il Ponte, increasingly present on the European major auction scene. [...]

The season is drawing to a close at Il Ponte Casa d'Aste in Milan, with strong results from the three auctions held between 24 June and 1 July, dedicated respectively to 19th and 20th Century Paintings and Sculptures, Decorative Arts of the 20th Century and Design, and Oriental and Asian Art. The first auction achieved a turnover of €800,000, with the top lot being Luigi Querena’s “Regata sul Canal Grande” (€128,000). The design auction totalled a round €1 million, led by Gio Ponti’s “Le passioni prigioniere” for Richard Ginori (€30,720). The Oriental Art session brought in €340,000, with many rediscoveries enthusiastically received by collectors.

In a moment marked by uncertainty and heightened selectiveness among international collectors—who are now far more cautious than in the past, particularly with high price ranges—the modern and contemporary art sale at Il Ponte in Milan (27–29 May) not only confirmed the authority and effectiveness of the auction house’s catalogue, but also signalled a renewed momentum in the buying behaviour of those who see art as both a coveted object and a safe haven, combining cultural value with investment potential.

A rich haul for the Milan-based, French-owned auction house. The two-day high jewellery sale brought in € 4 million, with a 90% sell-through rate and a 132% increase on starting prices. 200 lots came from the historic Pasqui Jewellery House in Genoa. A rare necklace signed by René Lalique stole the show, selling for € 315,000 and reaffirming collectors' passion for the great names of jewellery art.

The auction dedicated to Furniture and Old Master Paintings concluded with a total turnover of over € 1,6 million, 77% of lots sold, and a 134% increase on pre-sale estimates. The undisputed top lot of the sale was Vanitas with Winnowing Fan, attributed to the Castilian School of the early 17th century, which achieved € 256,000. Its complex iconography and masterful execution captivated collectors and connoisseurs alike.

The bibliophilic market turns a new and significant page with the auction of Antique Books and Livres d'Artistes. Strong international participation confirmed the enthusiasm and keen interest surrounding a catalogue rich in rarities. Three dynamic sessions were marked by outstanding results, including the first edition of Jean de La Fontaine’s Fables Choisies (€ 47,880) and the monumental work Historia naturalis by Ulisse Aldrovandi (€ 47,880).