Christie's online sale of decorative arts from the collection of Jonathan Burden, titled 'Crafted and Collected: The Jonathan Burden Sale,' achieved over $1.07 million with fees, more than doubling the low estimate of $487,500. The sale featured 151 lots, with only five unsold, a 97% sell-through rate. The top lot was a 10-foot-long French Incarnat Turquin marble dining table that sold for $101,600, far exceeding its $30,000 high estimate. The auction employed an innovative 'in-situ' viewing at Burden's studio in Long Island City, where potential bidders could meet the dealer, hear stories, and see pieces demonstrated. Many items sold for multiples of their estimates, including a Victorian metamorphic chair that brought $27,940 against a $3,000 high estimate.
The sale matters because it signals a resurgence of interest in traditional decorative arts and furniture, a category that has often been overshadowed by contemporary art. The strong results and high sell-through rate suggest that interactive, personalized viewing experiences can attract new bidders and drive demand. The performance also highlights the potential for niche collecting areas to generate significant revenue, especially when dealers like Burden engage directly with buyers. This could encourage auction houses to adopt similar strategies for other specialized categories.