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Auction

A brush with greatness: Investors snap up David Bowie’s art collection

November 14, 2016

Almost 2000 international investors and collectors bid at the record-breaking £32.9 million ($41.1 million) sale of David Bowie’s personal art collection.

Almost 2000 international investors and collectors bid at the record-breaking £32.9 million ($41.1 million) sale of David Bowie’s personal art collection.

More than 1750 bidders packed the three sessions for Bowie/Collector which lasted more than a dozen hours at Sotheby’s in London on 10-11 November. The auctions also attracted more than 1000 bidders and more than 26,500 viewers online.

Internet drives record sales at Christie’s

January 22, 2014

An original Apple Mac prototype was the most expensive purchase made through Christie’s online-only auctions in 2013, as the auction house invests in its Internet platform to drive sales.

An original Apple Mac prototype was the most expensive purchase made through Christie’s online-only auctions in 2013, as the auction house invests in its Internet platform to drive sales.

Christie’s, which is part of Francois-Henri Pinault’s holding company, Groupe Artemis, posted sales of £4.54 billion (€5.5 billion) for the year ended December 2013, up 16% on the previous year – the highest sales total for any auction house in the history of the art market.

Harry Winston buys flawless diamond for record price

May 16, 2013

Harry Winston, the luxury jewellery house recently acquired by family business Swatch Group, has paid a record price for a colourless diamond at auction in Geneva.

The pear-shaped 101.73-carat diamond sold for $26.7 million (€20.8 million) at Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale, where a total $102 million was raised and record prices were set for diamonds, pearls and sapphires.

The flawless diamond has now been named Winston Legacy after its new owner.

Pasta family to sell spaghetti porcelain

February 13, 2012

If you’re looking to add a few pieces to your fine porcelain and ceramic collection, you could be in luck, as Giovanni and Gabriella Barilla’s collection will be auctioned in London on 14 March.

The auction’s catalogue, which comprises more than 400 lots with an estimated value of £2.5 million (€2.99 million), includes figures by Kandler representing commedia dell’arte – a form of Italian theatre – and rare Capodimonte and Buen Retiro pieces.

Superman comic sells for millions

December 1, 2011

An intact copy of the original issue of Action Comics, where Superman makes his first appearance, has been auctioned online for $2.16 million (€1.6 million), becoming the first comic to break the $2 million barrier.

The issue, which was originally published in 1938, was stolen in 2000, but it turned up in a Californian storage shed in April this year.

ComicConnect.com, the site that hosted the auction, didn’t disclose the name of the seller but there have been claims it was Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage.

Watches, wines and jewels fetch record prices at Christie's Geneva

November 21, 2011

Fears of another global recession appear to be doing little to dampen sales at some auctions, with buyers recently flocking to Christie's Geneva to splash out on diamonds, watches and fine wines.

New world record prices were set at the auction house’s last sale of the year, which took place between 14 November and 16 November.

Robert Mondavi’s Napa Valley house up for auction

October 19, 2011

If you’re a wine connoisseur who's looking for a real estate investment, you could be in luck, as the house where Robert Mondavi, founder of California’s most famous winery, lived will be auctioned off on 16 November.

The house, immersed in Napa Valley, north of San Francisco, spans over 11,500 sq ft and is surrounded by 57 acres of vineyards and hills. It features a 50ft-long indoor swimming pool, a state-of-the-art kitchen and two lighted tennis courts.

Belgian billionaire to sell private wine for family foundation

August 27, 2009

Albert Frere, the billionaire founder of Compagnie Nationale a Portefeuille, is auctioning part of his private wine cellar next month to raise money for the Charles-Albert Frere foundation.