The sale of the third portion of the Hamilton collection began last Saturday, at Messrs. Christie, Manson, and Wood's, with the Italian pictures. The trustees of the National Gallery secured a portrait of Senator Cornaro, by Ll Greco, for 320 guineas; a small picture of "The Last Supper," by Masaccio, for 600 guineas; an Allegory, by Giacomo da Pontormo, for 300 guineas; and the Circumcision, by Luca Signorelli, for 3000 guineas. Mr. Doyle bought for the National Gallery of Ireland a portrait of a gentleman ascribed to Leonardo de Vinci, for 205 guineas, and a large work of Bonifazio, "The Resurrection," for 200 guineas. The Leonardo "Laughing Boy" was bought by Mr. Winckworth for 2100 guineas, and the portrait of Antonello da Messina is carried off to Paris by M. Sedelmeyer, at 490 guineas. Mr. Burton had again to meet his French opponent, M. Gauchez, in the contest for the great prize of the sale, the Luca Signorelli. The clay's sale produced a total of £19,857.
The eighth day's sale of the Hamilton collection on Monday included the old Dutch and French faïence, the Italian faïence, the Venetian glass, the Etruscan pottery, carvings in ivory, some decorative furniture, and the full-size bronze Laocoon. The event of the day was the contest for the Duc de Choiseul's writing-table and cartonnière, which is a fine specimen of parqueterie, with a clock in ormolu surmounting the large cartonnière at the end of the table. In the end it was purchased by Messrs. Colnaghi for the enormous price of £5565. It was reported in the room afterwards that the Duc d'Aumale was the purchaser. Another price of extraordinary amount, considering the fragile nature of the object, was that paid for a small Venetian or ancient Oriental glass Ewer, enamelled with figures and gilt, only 7 in. high, which brought £2730. Two groups in bronze, by G. de Bologna, fetched 1360 guineas; and the Laocoon, bronze group of the size of the antique original, executed in Paris by Crozatier under direction of M. Alexis Delahante, and sold at the Stowe sale for £567, was now sold for £504. The total amounted to £17,496.
Some very high prices were reached on Tuesday, and the day's receipts were nearly £30,000.
Source: The Illustrated London News, July 8, 1882, p.42