Lot 3006
  • 3006

A GOGOTTE OLIGOCENE (30 MILLION YEARS OLD), FONTAINEBLEAU, FRANCE |

Estimate
180,000 - 220,000 HKD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • sandstone
  • w. 115.5 cm, 45 1/2  in.
horizontally oriented with an irregular assemblage of swirling layers and rounded clusters, the structure burgeoning to an appendage on one side, the surface of a greyish-white colour, wood stand

Condition

Good overall condition with just areas of abrasion from where it has been cut and shaped, especially on the left.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

A gogotte is a millions-of-years old naturally shaped mineral rarity consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate. These bizarre sandstone formations from Fontainebleau in France, which inspired the Surrealists, can also be viewed today in the Versailles gardens. Louis XIV of France, known as the Sun King, commissioned similar gogottes to be excavated for his gardens. The ornately rounded, scrolling formations — somewhat Baroque in design — have been restored to their original state surrounding the mysterious Grove of the Three Fountains designed by Le Nôtre in 1677. A particularly well-preserved example of a sandstone concretion is on display at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. See also five other gogotte formations in this sale, lots 3024, 3041, 3055, 3088 and 3102.