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World’s largest spirits collection
Van der Bunt, 63, who inherited part of the collection from his father and grandfather and stored it in a cellar at his home, had no children to hand it to. The collection includes a hand-blown six-litre bottle of 1795 Brugerolle cognac believed to have been requisitioned by French revolutionary army officers.
As per Laming, it is believed this bottle also accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte on his campaigns and is the only one left in the world. The bottle has an asking price of 138,000 euros, although Van der Bunt is hoping to negotiate a sale for most of the collection as a single lot. Van der Bunt who has been adding to the collection for the last 35 years bought the Brugerolle at a Christie’s auction in Chicago in 1990. The collector, who ironically does not drink alcohol, also bought bottles from famous restaurants such as Maxim’s in Paris and Le Cirque in New York.
The Complete Collection of Elizabeth Taylor at Christies
Christie’s finally has got hold of the entire collection of Elizabeth Taylor. With no further question, the complete collection has already been sold out for a total of $183.5 million. The event was held in three parts and got an overwhelming response at 100 percent with seven lot fetching more than $5million and 30 lots bringing in more than $1 million. Many of the items auctioned sold for significantly more than the pre-auction estimates. The two-day Impressionist and Modern Art portion of the auction concluded Wednesday, February 8, in London. Thirty-eight works of art from Miss Taylor’s personal collection resulted in sales of more than $24.6 million. Vincent Van Gogh’s Vue de l’Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy was the top selling-item at $15,991,575.
According to Marc Porter, chairman, Christie’s America, the most prominent auctioneer’s first online-only portion of the auction, which ran concurrently, took in $9.5 million. More than 57,000 bids came in from the firm’s inaugural online-only activity. It has been an incredible honor for Christie’s to present this storied collection to the global collecting community.
From their initial announcement of the collection sales last summer in New York, to the worldwide tour of the collection highlights last fall, to the last rap of the auctioneer’s gavel today in London, the global outpouring of affection and admiration for Elizabeth Taylor from fans and collectors alike has been amazing for them to witness. They are grateful to the trustees of her estate for entrusting Christie’s with this one-of-a-kind collection, which will go down in history as one of the most successful private collection sales ever presented at auction.
The HY2M Hyper Hybrid 1/12 RX-78-2 Gundam figure
The mammoth Gundam structure resurrected in Tokyo or the more humble 1.5 meter Gundam figure, they’re just not satiated with their creations and keep yearning for more. This time around it is time to welcome the classic character in a huge 1/12 scale with the HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model 1/12 RX-78-2 Gundam model in a 1.5 meter size. 15 different kinds of retro sounds with its remote control and features eye cameras and illumination in different parts. The HY2M Gundam figure is a very easy gadget that ways as it is easy to assemble and comes with the necessary tools as well as definitive parts like Beam Sabre, Beam Rifle and Shield.
Heritage Auctions Names New Director of American and European Art
The famous Texas based auction house Heritage Auctions is on the heels of unveiling best-ever year. The appointment of Brian Roughton as its director of American and European Art has been recently announced.
Mr. Roughton’s work encompasses more than 45 years of experience as a national dealer and as a builder of both private and corporate collections. Roughton will work in Dallas where previews and auctions occur regularly, at Heritage’s Design District Annex.
As per Roughton, in life and especially in business, opportunity and a perfect fit are a rarity. Working with my friends and neighbors at Heritage as their new director of American and European paintings is the perfect challenge. It gives me the opportunity to share my knowledge and to use my reputation and 45 years of experience with Heritage’s art staff to help raise the department to the next level.
Heritage Auctions reported sales for 2011 of more than $806 million is the best ever for the world’s third largest auctioneer. The U.S. Coin department was the sales leader, generating more than $196 million. World Coins set a high mark for sales at $39.45 million. The $26 million in sales by the Vintage Comics and Comic Art department also was significant, showing a 13 percent year-over-year increase. Heritage Jewelry auctions, at $17.4 million, doubled its sales over the previous year. Vintage Sports Collectibles also increased 100 percent in 2011 with more than $16 million.
Hand-Carved Carousel to Delight Young and Old at Milhous Auction
One lucky and deep-pocketed bidder will take home a truly spectacular hand-built, 46-foot custom carousel at the auction of the Milhous Collection February 24-25 in Boca Raton, Florida.
The auction by RM Auctions is being held in association with Sotheby’s and presents an unprecedented selection of mechanical musical instruments, automobiles and collectibles. The collection is the result of over five decades of worldwide gathering by brothers Bob and Paul Milhous, owners of the Milhous Museum. The museum doors will open one final time as items goes up for sale.
The auction features an original Wurlitzer Family Residential/Theater Pipe Organ, a 30-rank theater organ formerly in the Wurlitzer home in Cincinnati, Ohio (Est. $450,000 – $650,000). Other highlights include: an Art Deco styled Mortier Dance Organ (Est. $175,000 – $275,000); an ornate Ruth Style 38-B Fair Organ, one of the largest examples manufactured by the respected firm A. Ruth & Söhne (Est. $1,000,000 – $1,200,000,); and, a beautifully presented Gaudin 125-Key Dance Organ, finished with gold leaf and delicate oil paintings (Est. $1,000,000 – $1,200,000). All have been restored to the highest level. A Welte Wotan Brass Band Orchestrion, the largest model of the Welte line, originally from the Bob-Lo Island Dance Hall in Detroit, Michigan is estimated at $1,500,000 – $2,500,000).
The carousel was built to be the centerpiece of the Milhous museum and features 42 animals, all hand-carved in basswood which moves to the music of a Wurlitzer 153 Band Organ. Estimated at $1,000,000 – $1,500,000, it is a fully functioning work of art. Full event details, select video highlights and a complete list of auction offerings are available online at RMAuctions.com.
Copley Motorcars Offers Rare 1958 Ferrari for $3.6 Million
As per a statement by Bill Warner, chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, If Sophia Loren were a car, she would be a Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet, which placed the vehicle in among the top ten Ferraris of all time. It represents the most elegant open-air Ferrari ever manufactured. You’d be hard-pressed to find two alike, but each [is] an exquisite design.
Copley Motorcars, the celebrated luxury and sports car boutique outside Boston in Needhasm, Mass., is now offering a rare example of the coveted car built in 1958 via online global marketplace for $3.6 million. Rarely seen outside an A-list auction, the stunning sports car was one of Ferrari’s earliest successes and its first true production Cabriolet.
The 36th of only 40 examples ever built, offered for sale for the first time in nearly 30 years, Copley’s model was displayed by Ferrari at the 1959 Geneva Motor Show. With coachwork by Pinin Farina, the Series I’s were originally aimed at the top end of the grand touring market and were the precursor to the famed California Spyder.
Titanic Artifacts Up for Sale
If you are one of those who are fond of art collectibles, then here is a think which you must grab. The sunken ship is finally going to bring joy for some with the auction of more than 5,500 artifacts recovered from the wreckage. All the collectibles will be sold as a single lot to commemorate the 100th anniversary of sinking of the Titanic as it took off for its maiden excursion.
The art piece is available at Guernsey- an auction house in New York in the auction that will be held on April 1. The trove consists of fine china, ship fittings, and parts of the hull and the belongings of the passengers including their perfumes. As per Premier Exhibitions Inc., the entire value is round about $189 million, which is not surprising to anybody. The results of the auction though will be awaited till April 15, the very day when the Titanic collapsed after hitting an iceberg.
Most expensive book in the world
You must have heard of versions of John James Audubon’s “The Birds of America” being sold for millions before; $10 million to be precise. Now, the edition of these iconic staggeringly expensive books will be auctioned for anywhere between $7 million to $10 million. Complete with beautiful illustrations of 400 life-size North American birds put together in four fabulous volumes, these 3 1/2 -feet-tall books are a work of art and history combined. Containing hand-colored prints of just about every Northern American bird Audubon was aware of at the time, the books are being sold by the heirs of the 4th Duke of Portland.
Munna Heritage Revisited Armchair
One does not need any sort of occasions or a festive season for that matter of fact to gift your own self any sort of classic luxuries of life. Here is presenting a very basic and Heritage Revisited Armchair from MUNNA. It is considered to be a fine piece of furniture best suited for bold atmospheres. The silver back here on the chair is completely handcrafted and draws its inspiration from the traditional Portuguese filigree. Besides its classy attire, the armchair affords you endless comfort and wellbeing. The Heritage Revisited Armchair here will be running a limited number of just 12 pieces with a price tag of US$49,000.
The Oscar for ‘Citizen Kane’
If you would have heard a while before that the Oscar statues are up for sale, you wouldn’t have believed it. It is the same thing when it comes to the Academy Award being fixed; it just means that some winners just give it up as keepsakes. This time around the Oscar statuette that Orson Welles bagged for the original screenplay of “Citizen Kane” went under the hammer. The shimmering statue fetched over $861,000 in an auction conducted by Nate D. Sanders Auctions at Los Angeles.
According to the Spokesman Sam Heller, the auction attracted bids from all over the world including bids from David Copperfield. The statue that was handed in 1942 was said to be lost and resurfaced in 1994 when cinematographer Gary Graver tried to sell it, only to be stopped by Beatrice Welles, who is Orson’s youngest daughter and sole heir. This is not the first statue to be sold under the hammer. In 1999, Michael Jackson forked out $1.54 million for David O. Selznick for “Gone With The Wind” best picture Oscar.
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