SOTHEBY'S SELL ANCIENT ROMAN MARBLE RELIEF FOR $1.5 MILLION

AN ANCIENT ROMAN MARBLE RELIEF PANEL WITH DIONYSIAN DECORATIONS THAT WAS RECENTLY DISCOVERED TO ONCE HAVE BEEN IN THE COLLECTION OF FAMED FRENCH WRITER EMILE ZOLA SOLD FOR $1,538,500 AT SOTHEBY'S, NEW YORK. SIX BIDDERS COMPETED FOR THE HISTORIC PIECE WHICH EVENTUALLY SOLD TO AN ANONYMOUS TELEPHONE BIDDER. IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF TEH SALE WHICH TOTALED $5.8 MILLION, WELL IN EXCESS OF THE $2.3/3.5 MILLION ESTIMATE. DISCUSSING THE SALE A SPOKESPERSON FOR SOTHEBY'S SAID: 'WE ARE THRILLED WITH THE $1.5 MILLION ACHIEVED FOR THE ROMAN SARCOPHAGUS RELIEF. THE PIECE BOASTS REMARKABLE OWNERSHIP HISTORY, HAVING BELONGED NOT ONLY TO EMILE ZOLA, BUT AT TIMES OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS TO THE ACTRESS CECILE SOREL AND PAUL REYNAUD THE FORMER FRENCH HEAD OF STATE. WE ARE ABLE TO TRACE UNBROKEN PROVENANCE TRACE BACK OVER 500 YEARS.'