A Great variety, is what Durán brings us in their January catalogue, with room for everything, from antiquiety to coins and wrist watches, from old masters to modern prints, from sculpture to silver, and from jewellery to fountain pens, without forgetting furniture and decoratives arts. 

Although many of the works offered are medium quality at best, some lots make up for this loss, such as Adoration of the Magi by Antonio Risueño. The canvas of 135 x 230, is, given its size, one of the greatest works seen in the Spanish market by this author. In spite of some loss in the centre right of the canvas, the work could sell for its tight but resolved compositon. A sure value is the portrait by José Gutierrez de la Vega of his nephew, congressman, D. José Gutierrez de la Vega. The symbolism and technique of the oil are enough to assure a slight rise in its price, in spite of its reduced dimensions of 47 by 39 centimetres.  

In general, the rest of old master paintings start at much more modest prices underneath the 1.000 euros mark. Bishop accompanied by cupids which starts in 130 euros, is one example, but also the oil on canvas of Penitent St. Jerome attributed to the Spanish school which starts in 550 euros. They are followed by a Penitent Magdalen, A sleeping Child Jesus and several portraits from the seventeenth century.

The apperant scarceness of secure values and quality works in the fields of painting and sculpture, requires that we review other less atractive categories such as books. The 26th of January sale brings us for example two lots of comics, one of Superman and the other Batman, which start at only 50 euros each. It is worthy to remind our readers that the hammerprices fetched at Heritage Auctions for similar lots range from one american dollar to the 25.000 dollars paid last month for only one issue.  

The selection of jewels and fountain pens is much more demanding as demonstrated by the lots of the Mont Blanc pen in honor of Salvador Dalí, which starts off at 5.000 euros, or the extraordianry necklace in white gold with a starting price of 7.000 euros.Alfonso Carbajo Agrasar