In a global market undergoing profound transformation, Il Ponte Auction House closes the first half of 2025 confirming its growth trajectory: € 18.5 million (+8.6% compared to the same period in 2024), 85% sell-through rate, and 75% increase on starting prices.
This evolution has been accelerated by its entry, exactly one year ago, into the Millon Auction Group, which recorded an aggregate turnover of over € 71.5 million in the first six months of 2025.
€ 18,5 MLN In sales
29 Auctions
85% Sell-through rate
9,492 Lots offered at auction
75% Increase on starting prices
73% Online bidding share
5 MLN Online views
Strategy and positioning: an operating model rewarded by the market
The market fluctuations of the first two decades of the 2000s have highlighted the defining traits of the most resilient organisations: flexibility in adapting to sudden shifts and operational models focused on the sustainable valorisation of cultural heritage. This direction, embraced by Il Ponte Auction House over fifty years ago, has led to sustained growth supported by solid pillars: a precise understanding of the market, departments led by authoritative experts, and strategic investments in emerging, high-potential segments.
Today, Il Ponte boasts 26 specialised departments and continues to innovate by promoting new categories of collectibles — most recently, Russian Art and Pop Culture, the latter currently represented by the Sport and Discovery&Tech segments.
The auction house’s positioning thus aims to combine the excellence of its top lots from the semester — such as Piazza d’Italia (1953) by Giorgio de Chirico (€ 448,000), the glazed terracotta Crocifisso (1952) by Lucio Fontana (€ 384,000), and the 17th-century Castiglian School Vanitas with a Ventilabro (€ 256,000) — with an inclusive vision of the market, one that values the full spectrum of sectors and artworks offered.
Lot 41
Giorgio de Chirico "Piazza d'Italia" 1953, oil on canvas, cm 40,3x50,2. Signed lower left.
Sold € 448,000
Lot 56
Lucio Fontana "Crocifisso" 1952, glazed and hand-painted terracotta, cm 58x41,5x12,5. Signed and dated 52 on the reverse.
Sold € 384,000
Lot 133
Castilian School of the First Half of the 17th Century, Vanitas with a Ventilabro, oil on panel.
Sold € 256,000
Semester trends and results: the value of the offering and the strength of the response
The Modern and Contemporary Art department remains a central pillar, with turnover exceeding € 6.2 million and results speaking every language of the art world. In addition to the top lots already mentioned, standout results include Arnaldo Pomodoro’s 2002 bronze sculpture Rotante (€ 217,600) and Carla Accardi’s Azzurroverde from 1987 (€ 204,800).
Jewels and Watches, assessed together, registered a 21% increase compared to 2024, exceeding € 5.6 million. Highlights include a 12.55 ct old-cut diamond (€ 100,800), a brooch by Robert Schwan for Bolin with a 17.70 ct cabochon emerald formerly belonging to Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna (€ 85,680), and the De Bethune Monopusher Chronograph Ref. DB1 wristwatch (€ 64,000) — strong signals from two luxury sectors that remain strategic, even in more cautious contexts.
Lot 1089
Old mine ct. 12.55 diamond.
Sold € 100,800
Lot 1106
BOLIN - ROBERT SCHWAN
Cabochon ct. 17.70 circa emerald, old mine diamond and yellow 14K gold brooch, ct. 3.40 circa main diamond, diamonds in all ct. 10.10 circa.
Sold € 85,680
The Antiques department remains stable, exceeding € 2.3 million in turnover despite ongoing shifts in taste. Notable sales include a Madonna and Child attributed to the workshop of Francesco Francia (€ 28,160) and a mosaic tabletop featuring Dionysus at the centre (€ 51,200), confirming a market that continues to value uniqueness, impactful iconographies, and highly ornamental pieces.
After years of steady growth, the Decorative Arts of the 20th Century and Design department is entering a phase of stabilisation, closing with a turnover of over € 1 million. The market remains selective but robust, with strong global interest in major Italian designers, as demonstrated by the sale of the rare Le passioni prigioniere vase by Gio Ponti for Richard Ginori (€ 30,720) and the Villa K2 chair by Carlo Mollino (€ 19,200).
Lot 113
Antique mosaic floor on marble with geometric decorations centered by the face of the god Bacchus in hexagonal medallion.
Sold € 51,200
Lotto 426
Gio Ponti "Le passioni prigioniere". Rare urn-shaped vase of the series "La Passeggiata Archeologica". Manufacture of Richard-Ginori, Pittoria di Doccia, Florence, 1925.
Sold € 30,720
The 19th and 20th century Paintings and Sculptures department, with turnover exceeding € 1 million, continues to hold its ground within the collecting landscape. Although interest is shifting towards early 20th-century and post-war masters, significant results were achieved, such as Luigi Querena’s Regata sul Canal Grande (€ 128,000) — a historic rediscovery that offers a fresh take on Venetian vedutismo — and Giovanni Boldini’s Ragazza con cane (€ 57,600), further proof of the enduring appeal of Italians who flourished in the Ville Lumière.
A historically niche sector with record-breaking results, the Books and Manuscripts department stands as a beacon on both the national and international scene, surpassing € 800,000 in turnover in just six months. The department’s success was driven by exceptional figures for the field, such as € 47,880 for the first edition of La Fontaine’s Fables Choisies. Positive signs of revival are also emerging from departments that had shown a slight cooling in 2024 but returned to the calendar with highly appealing catalogues.
Oriental Art, now expanding into a broader Asian Art category, reached € 400,000 in sales, with outstanding pieces such as the extremely rare six-panel Korean Chaekgeori screen (€ 57,600). Stamps, after a natural pause typical of such a specialised area, made a strong comeback, closing with over € 400,000.
Lot 83
Luigi Querena (Venezia 1824 - 1887) "Regata sul Canal Grande", oil on canvas (cm 131x189).
Sold € 128,000
Lot 100
LA FONTAINE, Jean de (1621-1695) - Fables Choisies. Paris: Claude Barbin, 1668.
Sold € 47,880
Lot 1081
Attributed to Yi Taek-gyun (Korea, active after 1883), a rare six-panel chaekgeori screen with hidden seal. Korea, second half of the 19th century, Joseon dynasty.
Sold € 57,600