Auctions

Classic Talbot & Bugatti for Auction at Villa d'Este

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) — Apr 12th 2011 at 10:01AM

Lovers of Art Deco-era French sportscars will have their opportunity to bid on a couple of pristine examples at the upcoming Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, where RM Auctions is to set up shop for the first time.

In addition to the Bertone concept cars on the docket will be this beautiful 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Teardrop Coupe. Chassis #90112 is one of only 11 with Figoni et Falaschi's second-series "New York" bodywork, and is further distinguished by its sun roof.

There's also a 1937 Bugatti 57SC Atalante (not to be confused with the rarer Atlantic coupe). One of only 40 built, chassis #57551 is an absolute gem in its own right.

Tags: 1937 Bugatti 57SC Atalante, 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Teardrop Coupe, bugatti, concorso deleganza villa deste, rm auctions, talbot, talbot-lago, villa deste

The Sexiest Bachelor Pad in Los Angeles: Estate of the Day

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) — Apr 6th 2011 at 11:01AM

Josh Altman sexiest bachelor pad los angeles

It takes one to know one. Josh Altman, arguably one of Los Angeles' sexiest and most successful bachelors, has listed a home at $6,250,000 that he describes as "the sexiest bachelor pad I've ever sold."

Tags: estate, Estate of the Day, Josh Altman, Los Angeles, Million Dollar Listing, reality TV stars

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$2.7 Million Patek Philippe Watch Stars in Christie's Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 5th 2011 at 10:01AM

An extremely important white gold Patek Philippe single-button chronograph from 1928, undoubtedly the only one of its kind, is expected to fetch up to $2.7 million at Christie's Important Watches sale in Geneva on May 16.

Created in 1928 on the eve of the stock market crash, the unique and complicated 1928 chronograph was a bespoke commission from one of Patek Philippe's most important patrons, though his exact identity is unknown.

The cushion-shaped wristwatch, with vertically positioned registers and Breguet numerals, is the only known example extant of a single-button chronograph by Patek Philippe made in white gold.

As such, it's perfectly possible that it could end up selling for more than $2.7 million, especially with the buoyant market for such horological masterpieces at the moment.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: auctions, bespoke, Christies, chronograph, Geneva, gold, most expensive watches, Patek Philippe, watches, white gold

Fantasy Villa in Mougins: Estate of the Day

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) — Apr 4th 2011 at 11:01AM

It's no exaggeration to say that the grand Villa L'Imperiale fulfills every fantasy of a lavish French manor.

Built in 1980 and totally renovated, this magnificent villa has almost three and one-half acres of landscaped gardens with sweeping views of the countryside. Located in Mougins, a snap five miles north of Cannes, it is totally removed in spirit and sensibility from the chaos of the French Riviera port. Mougins, which has preserved some of its medieval walls, is serene and quiet yet boasts some great restaurants where chefs like Alain Ducaisse got his start. No wonder Picasso spent the last 12 years of his life here.

The villa is perched on a hilltop within a gated community in what is widely considered the most desirable and prestigious residential area of Mougins. Along with seven bedrooms, new kitchen, gym, and guest quarters, the property also has an attractive screening room. The large pool, pool-house, and outdoor dining area fit in seamlessly in the manicured gardens.

Admittedly, the French owner, who is selling because of relocation, is a Napoleon "fanatic." In a private Napoleon museum next to the wine cellar, he displays original and authenticated helmets, swords, rifles, and documents as well as many paintings from the Napoleonic era. Details at estatenetfrance.com.

Gallery: Villa L'Imperiale in Mougins

Tags: Cannes, estate, Estate of the Day, French Riviera, Mougins, Picasso, villa

Bertone Concept Cars up for Auction at Villa d'Este

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) — Apr 1st 2011 at 4:01PM

Concept cars are typically designed and crafted as one-of-a-kind creations by automakers or independent design studios, shown at a couple of expositions, and then disappear into museum collections. But every once in a while, these radical rarities come up for sale or auction. And that once in a while is about to arrive, and arrive in a big way, this coming May. That's when the venerable Bertone Museum collection will cross the auction block.

The six concept cars were all created in the 1960s-1980s by the famed Italian design house, which is now facing a restructuring and is selling off much of its collection. The items up for auction are the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal, 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, 1963 Chevrolet Testudo, 1974 Lamborghini Bravo, 1980 Lamborghini Athon and 1978 Lancia Sibilo concept cars, ranging in pre-sale price estimates between six figures and as much as $2.5 million apiece.

The sale is being conducted by the venerable RM Auctions as part of its first event during the prestigious Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como on May 21.

Tags: bertone, concept car, Concorso dEleganza Villa dEste, lake como, rm auctions, villa deste

Prince Charles' Ferrari Daytona Up for Auction

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) — Mar 30th 2011 at 2:01PM

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona - chassis #16531

A very special Ferrari is set to cross the auction block in May. One of only 1,400 examples made, and only 158 in right-hand drive, this metallic blue 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona has some very prominent provenance indeed.

Chassis #16531 most recently appeared on an episode of the hit BBC television program Top Gear, where celebrity presenter Richard Hammond drove it along the riviera from Portofino to Saint-Tropez while his co-host James May raced him in a speedboat. But long before the filming of the episode, its first owner was none other than HRH Charles, Prince of Wales. The car is being auctioned by Historics at Brooklands and is expected to fetch around £180,000 - £210,000.

Gallery: 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona #16531

Tags: brooklands, daytona, ferrari, ferrari 365 gtb4 daytona, ferrari daytona, historics, historics at brooklands, luxury car, prince charles, top gear

Ralph Lauren's Cars, Private Parrot Cay Villa & More in Bid to Save the Earth Auction - Part 2

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 29th 2011 at 10:01AM

Parrot Cay Villa for auction in Bid to Save the Earth

Last week we reported on the host of international celebrities, creative icons, industry leaders and conservationists joining together with famed auction house Christie's to support the 2011 Green Auction, a momentous live event and companion online auction raising funds and awareness for the preservation and sustainability of the planet.

Christie's has partnered with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz.com to put more than 200 coveted auction packages online from now through April 7 to raise funds for Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Conservation International and the Central Park Conservancy. Supporters can make a Bid to Save the Earth at www.charitybuzz.com/BidtoSavetheEarth.

A companion invite-only event and live fantasy auction hosted by Seth Meyers will be held at Christie's New York on March 29 in partnership with Vogue's Runway to Green. The event will feature a fashion show sponsored by Tiffany & Co. on the night of the live auction, with designer collection selections available online through Net-A-Porter.com.

In part one of our report on the incredible experiences on offer, we focused on the big ticket items estimated at over $100,000 apiece, including a ride with Harrison Ford on his private plane. Now we're selecting some of our favorite lots across a range of expected prices (N.B.: Lagerfeld and Ducasse are being auctioned off live tonight):

Tags: Alain Ducasse, auctions, bid to save the earth, celebrity auctions, Chanel, charity, Charity Buzz, Christies, christies+bid+to+save+the+earth, christiesbidtosavetheearth, environment, Ferrari, Girard-Perregaux, green+auction, greenauction, Karl Lagerfeld, luxury travel, Paris, Parrot Cay, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren car collection, Robert F. Kennedy, Turks and Caicos

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Win a Ride With Harrison Ford in His Private Plane & More in Bid to Save the Earth Auction - Part I

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 23rd 2011 at 3:30PM

A host of international celebrities, creative icons, industry leaders and conservationists are joining together with famed auction house Christie's to support the 2011 Green Auction -- a momentous live event and companion online auction raising funds and awareness for the preservation and sustainability of the planet.

Tags: auctions, Beverly Hills Hotel, Cannes Film Festival, celebrities, celebrity auctions, charity, charitybuzz.com, green+auction+2011, greenauction2011, Harrison Ford, Oscars, Ritz-Carlton, superyacht, Tiffany Co., Vanity Fair

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Jenson Button's Ferrari to Sell At Bonhams

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 22nd 2011 at 4:00PM

A 1978 Ferrari 512BB Berlinetta Boxer owned by British Formula One driver Jenson Button is to be sold by Bonhams at its sale of Collectors' Motor Cars at the RAF Museum in Hendon, UK on the 11th of April. The car, which was bought last year by Button, the then-reigning Formula One World Champion, has attracted a pre-sale estimate of up to $180,000.

Tags: auctions, Bonhams, celebrity cars, Ferrari, Ferrari 512BB Berlinetta Boxer, Formula One, Jenson Button, racing, UK

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Summit Ranch, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 18th 2011 at 1:01PM

High on a hill in the Summit Ranch subdivision in Denver, Colorado is today's home which was originally listed for $3.25 million. Concierge Auctions will sell this home on June 14 in cooperation with listing agents Jim and Barbara Appleby of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, who are also the sellers.

The six-bedroom home on more than 10 acres offers 11,000-square feet of space. The home's open floor plan and large windows are meant to make the most of the Continental Divide's natural beauty with sunrise, snow-capped and sunset mountain views. The home is also designed with spacious decks and patios overlooking acreage. The sunken great room has a massive stone hearth which opens to the gourmet kitchen and dining room. Warm, red oak floors ground an impressively high, 16-foot ceiling with a unique wood-encased beam treatment. The kitchen has granite countertops and stainless steel appliances including a professional gas range with six burners and griddle, a stainless steel refrigerator and freezer and a built-in wine center. The formal dining space opens to the great room and features a unique, wood-beamed ceiling with custom faux painting. The sunken library, also just off the great room has built-in knotty alder bookcases and a built-in wet bar with slab granite countertops and a copper bar sink. Two additional spaces on this main floor are a formal office with built-in knotty alder cabinets and bookshelves and slab granite desktop with its own outside entry door and a multipurpose room that could be used as private office space, a nursery or guest bedroom quarters.

The multi-room master suite has an exercise room, two fireplaces, a private covered porch, wet bar, spa bathroom, large closets and a laundry room. The lower level has a game room, sports bar/entertaining area, wine closet three bedrooms and a heated garage. The more than 1,500-square-foot unfinished space in the walkout level could be transformed into an expansive theater room, additional living or merely storage space.

Summit Ranch is open daily by appointment. For more details call 877-463-5280 or visit SummitRanchAuction.com.

Gallery: Summit Ranch

Tags: colorado real estate, concierge auctions, estate of the day, real estate auction

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Steve McQueen's Famed 1970 Porsche 911S at Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 10th 2011 at 6:01PM

RM Auctions, the world's largest collector car auction house, will offer Steve McQueen's iconic 1970 Porsche 911S, featured in his epic Hollywood film Le Mans, at its highly-anticipated Monterey sale in California on August 18 – 20. Built to the highest 1970 specification, complete with air conditioning and a full complement of factory options, the slate grey 911S stars in the film's legendary opening sequence as McQueen's character, hotshot Porsche driver Michael Delaney, drives through the French countryside reflecting on life, death, and racing.

In addition to its starring role in the film, the Porsche 911S was used as Steve McQueen's personal transport during the movie's production, later joining his own stable of extraordinary motor cars in California – a collection that over the years included everything from a Jaguar XK-SS, multiple Ferraris, Porsches, airplanes, motorcycles and everything in between. Today, the 911S is presented in exceptionally original condition, and is offered from the collection of one of America's foremost Porsche aficionados.

Tags: 1970+911s, 1970+porsche+911s, 1970911s, 1970porsche911s, amelia+island, ameliaisland, auctions, California, car collection, celebrity car, classic cars, king of cool, king of cools cars, Le Mans, McQueens Machines, Porsche, Porsche 911, Porsche 911S, porsche+911+auction, porsche911auction, RM Auctions, Steve McQueen, Steve McQueen cars, Steve McQueen Porsche, steve+mcqueen+911, steve+mcqueen+911s, steve+mcqueen+car+auction, steve+mcqueen+porsche+911, stevemcqueen911, stevemcqueen911s, stevemcqueencarauction, stevemcqueenporsche911

Rare Houdini Poster Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 10th 2011 at 4:00AM

Vintage magic posters can be highly collectible and of course, the most famous musician, Houdini, often brings in the biggest returns. A rare Houdini poster, which is one of only five such posters known to exist, is going up for sale at a Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago on March 26. The poster is one of more than 100 rare and valuable vintage magic posters which were discovered in a suburban Chicago home last year. Many of the poster swere purchased in the 1970s when they could still be bought fairly inexpensively.

The Houdini poster shows the legendary magician in handcuffs in front of a judge and jury in Germany. It represents a famous case in 1902 when Houdini was called a fraud by a German police officer. He sued for slander and won. Being a savvy self-promoter, he created the poster to dramatize the event and add to his fame. It is estimated at $15,000-$20,000. Also featured is a rare rare eight-sheet (7 feet x 9 feet) billboard advertising The Great Nicola. The huge poster is estimated at $2,500-$3,500. Many other posters in the sale can be had for just several hundred dollars. For more details visit www.potterauctions.com.

[via Auction Central News]

Tags: houdini, posters, vintage posters

Luxist Phototour: Rock Legends at Julien's Auctions

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 10th 2011 at 2:01AM

Also taking place on March 26 along with the auction of Slash's collection at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills is a Rock Legends auction. This sale is a catch-all collection of a variety of memorabilia spanning decades of music history. Shown above are some of the highlights including a handwritten set of the lyrics to Michael Jackson's "Beat-It" estimated to sell at $4,000 to $6,000.

Tags: alice cooper, bruce springsteen, john lennon, juliens auctions, JuliensAuctions, michael jackson, rock legends

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Spider-Man Comic Book Sells For $1.1 Million

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 9th 2011 at 6:01AM

The comic book market continues to boom as the first comic book to feature Spider-Man sold for $1.1 million through comic book auction house ComicConnect.com, the same house that sold a 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, featuring Superman's debut last year for a record $1.5 million. Action Comics No. 1 originally sold for 10 cents and the Marvel Spider-Man sold for 12 cents in 1962. The copy that sold is in excellent condition and the cover shows Spider Man swinging by a web. Early comic books from the 1930s to 1950s are often called Golden Age comic books. The Spider-Man comes from what is known as the Silver Age this sale may end up raising the prices of other Silver Age books. Spider-Man remains popular with the public. A much-maligned and very expensive Spider-Man show is on Broadway and the movie franchise is being rebooted.

Tags: comic book collecting, comic books, ComicConnect.com, spider-man

Luxist Phototour: The Collection of Slash at Julien's Auctions

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 9th 2011 at 5:02AM

Last month I mentioned that entertainment memorabilia auction house, Julien's Auctions, would be hosting an auction dedicated to the property of legendary guitarist and musician Slash, I knew I had to go see it in person. The sale includes a variety of famous guitars, memorabilia, vehicles and personal furniture and décor from his Hollywood Hills home and the sheer breadth of material is quite stunning. Slash, it could be said, might be a bit of a rock-and-roll packet. Guitars include a custom Stravinski Fender Stratocaster estimated at $3,000-5,000; a B.C. Rich Red Mockingbird guitar estimated at $2,000-4,000; and two versions of Slash's very own Gibson and Epiphone Slash Les Paul signature model guitars in Tobacco Sunburst estimated at $4,000-6,000.

Tags: juliens auctions, slash

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