Auctions

The World of Rare Coins: The Dollar With the Hole In It

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 27th 2011 at 2:01PM

You've probably never seen a U.S. coin like this before. The U.S. Mint began experimenting with different gold dollar patterns in 1852. The problem was simple, gold dollars were small and easily lost. And so the Mint tried out creating pattern gold dollars in 1852, producing the patterns now known as Judd-136 to Judd-148 which have a larger, more convenient diameter.

Instead a more practical solution eventually was decided on. The amount of silver was reduced in most subsidiary coinage in 1853, which returned the silver denominations to the channels of commerce rather than going to the melting pot. And the gold dollar diameter was eventually increased in 1854 when the design was changed to the Type Two format.

Heritage Auction's 2011 March Sacramento Signature ANA US Coin Auction features an 1852 annular (ring-shaped) gold dollar, with a wide center hole and the date, denomination, and country name along the outside. The lower half of the reverse shows a wreath. This pattern, known as Judd-145, is struck in gold with a plain edge. Heritage sold a similar coin to this one in 2008 for over $27,000.

Tags: annular coins, coin collecting, gold coin, gold dollars

Price For Max Palevsky's House Drops, Items From His Estate Go On Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 26th 2011 at 6:01PM

Last July we chronicled the listing of late Intel founder Max Palevsky's home on Sea Lane in Malibu. Back then that house was listed at $55 million but it now carries a price of $45 million. Last July we mentioned that the home was designed by architect Joe Weiser in 1975 and renovated by Italian designer Ettore Sottsass in 1984. Most of the time when a luxury home goes up for auction we don't always know where the furnishings go but in this case we know where some of the ended up and I got to see some of them hands on recently at Los Angeles Modern Auctions where they will be part of a sale of Modern Art and Design on March 6.

Tags: los angeles modern auctions, max palevsky

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Sotheby's To Auction Off Russian Space Capsule

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 25th 2011 at 7:01PM

We're assuming it will end up in a museum but if not, someone's going to need a lot of space to show off this auction lot. Sotheby's New York is selling off the Vostok 3KA-2 Space Capsule on April 12 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of man's first flight into outer space. On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin rocketed out of the Earth's atmosphere aboard the small, spherical Vostok 3KA-3 Space Capsule (later renamed Vostok 1). Two weeks before that, this capsule, the Vostok 3KA-2 carrying a life-sized mannequin and a dog, Zvezdochka, was sent into low Earth orbit, and reentered on its first pass over the Russia 115 minutes later paving the way for Gagarin's historic mission. The capsule is estimated at $2-$10 million and is currently on public display in Sotheby's York Avenue galleries.

Five Vostok-type capsules were launched in 1960-61. Two were destroyed but one, carrying the dogs Belka and Strelka, demonstrated that living creatures could return safely from orbit. Vostok 3KA-2 went into space on March 25, 1961. After completing an orbit around the earth the mannequin was ejected from the landing as planned and the dog landed safely. The life-size cosmonaut mannequin, nicknamed Ivan Ivanovich, has been on exhibition at the Smithsonian National Art & Space Museum since 1997.

Tags: russian space capsule, sothebys, space capsule, vostok

The Ultimate Las Vegas Philanthropic Gala: Diamonds, Exotic Travel, Classic Cars, And Curated Experiences

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) — Feb 25th 2011 at 9:02AM

According to the Organization For Economic Co-operation and Development, The United States led the world last year in charitable donations, a whopping $28.67 billion dollars worth. So it is no wonder that one of the largest, wealthiest and most respected charity galas, the Power Of Love, in Las Vegas also netted quite an amount last year, for a one-night celebration: $28M, with $8M from a single donor. This year, actually, this Saturday, they are expecting to do even better, due to the dazzling, over-the-top auction prizes, even for Las Vegas.

On Saturday, February 26, Keep Memory Alive (KMA) will host its 15th annual Power of Love Gala at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Along with an evening of live entertainment, Power of Love guests will enjoy a significant auction bidding experience with impressive, one-of-a-kind items to benefit Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Cleveland Clinic's Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health provides state-of-the-art care for cognitive disorders and for the family members of those who suffer from them. It is a substantial treatment center in Las Vegas, opened in July of 2009, where many substantial donations have helped the center thrive. A recent Luxist piece was written on Steve Wynn's commission of a James Rosenquist painting for the Clinic.

The live auction on Saturday evening will have items (see images next page) and experiences that are both pricey and priceless -- a private lunch with Lee Iacocca, and the opportunity to win the I-Legacy, one of 45 limited edition Mustangs. Luxist wrote about this unusual opportunity recently. Then, there's an eight night wine tour of Italy for four people, curated by Michael Mondavi, another wine trip to Australia, ownership of a new Fisker Karma, time in the Los Angeles recording studio with Kenny 'Babyface" Edmonds, and more. The silent auction will have ownership experiences like winning the Mercedes 2012 SLS AMG Roadster, and original Blue Dog art by George Rodrigues and others. There are many more entertainment, travel, and cultural adventures, jewelry giveways from Tiffany's and Harry Winston, to high end shopping sprees.

Some auction items are listed on the next page. A complete listing is on the Keep Memory Alive website.

Tags: Bellagio Las Vegas, Clevelanc Clinic Lou Ruvo Center For Brain Health, Keep Memry Alive Power of Love Gala, Las Vegas Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas Philanthropic Gala, Philanthropic auctions, philanthropic giving in the US, philanthropy, Power Of Love gala

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Rare Book Set On Egypt Crowns Christie's Sale In Paris

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 22nd 2011 at 12:01AM

It was one of the most ambitious projects the world had ever seen. After taking command of the Egyptian campaign around the turn of the 19th century, Napoleon gathered a staff of France's top scientists, artists, explorers and others to undertake a concept like no other, a complete and comprehensive survey of the country's monuments, plants, animals and more. The result was the Description de l'Egypte, a multi-volume set which began in 1803 but wasn't completed until 1830.

Christie's has announced the sale of the Michel Wittock Collection, Part IV, which will be held in Paris on May 11 which will include an exceptional copy of the Description de l'Egypte, bound by Jean-Joseph Tessier in polished and richly decorated calfskin. The 23 volumes in their original mahogany display case are expected to sell for €500,000 to €700,000. This is the first edition of the publication and is printed on woven paper with handcolored ornithological plates. The final work included more than 900 engraved plates. This copy was bound by the Parisian binder Jean-Joseph Tessier using tools specifically cut for the project. This particular copy belonged to Jean-Joseph Courvoisier (1775-1835) who was appointed the minister of justice in 1829 and received this set as a gift commemorating that occasion.

Tags: antiquities, christies, description de egypte, napoleon, rare books

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Anti-Communist Comic Books Are A Collector's Find

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 19th 2011 at 2:01PM

When discussing comic books on this website I've mainly mentioned superheroes but that's not the only type of rare comic book that does well at auction. Heritage Auctions' upcoming Vintage Comics and Comic Art auctions feature another shadowy section of the comic book world. The sales include a large selection of esoteric comic books from the collection of Pennsylvania collector Todd Warren. Mr. Warren's collection delves into an intriguing subset of the comic book world, anti-communist comic books.

Blood Is The Harvest, shown at right, is from 1950, and shows a Red Army firing squad on the cover aiming their guns at blindfolded peasants. This comic is a rare book. According to Steve Borock, Consignment Director at Heritage supposedly only 13 copies exist. The auction also includes If The Devil Would Talk, another rare one with only 80 existing copies and The Red Iceberg, with a cover that shows a giant red iceberg (representing communism's spread) with an Uncle Sam figure in a rowboat. Other comics from Mr. Warren's collection include similar themes with titles such as How Stalin Hopes We Will Destroy America, Is This Tomorrow, Double Talk, and Two Faces of Communism. "These are a real time capsule of the Cold War days, from the time period when comics were considered one of the more effective ways to reach a mass audience," Borock said. A same grade copy of Blood Is The Harvest last sold at Heritage for over $3,000 back in 2003. This one should do at least as well.

Tags: Anti-communist, Comic Books, Heritage Auctions, Rare Comic Books

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Trump Bids on Patricia Kluge's Virginia Estate

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) — Feb 18th 2011 at 6:01PM

trump bids on patricia kluge estate The latest wrinkle in Patricia Kluge's dispursal of fortune involves another famed billionaire: Donald Trump. This Wednesday, Trump had two lawyers representing him at the auction of Albemarle House, Kluge's luxe estate on 300 acres in tony Albemarle County, Va.

Shortly before the auction began, Steve Blaine and Les Goldman announced to the crowd of approximately 60 gathered in front of the Albemarle County Courthouse that they represented Donald Trump. What others might not have realized is that Trump had already purchased the adjacent 200 acres which, because of conditions outlined when Kluge gained the property in her divorce, would grant him right of first refusal on Albemare House.

"I think Mr. Trump wanted others to be aware that he was a bidder and he controlled the front yard of the house," said Baine, a Charlottesville, Va. lawyer. "He's a savvy business person but I think any other person with a serious interest in the house would have tried to figure out how to secure those 200 acres first."

Gallery: Patricia Kluge's Albemarle House

Tags: albemarle county, albemarle house, Charlottesville, Donald Trump, Luxury Real Estate, Patricia Kluge, Patricia Kluge Broke, virginia real estate

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Soccer Faberge Eggs Head To The Auction Block

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 18th 2011 at 2:01PM

American football players get jeweled rings and shiny trophies but European football (a.k.a. soccer) players get Faberge eggs. Or at least some of them do. Two Faberge eggs created to honor two soccer players, Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone and Manchester United's George Best are being auctioned off by McTears' Auctioneers in Glasgow, Scotland. The enameled eggs are decorated with silver and gold and open to reveal a small silver and gold figure of each of the players inside.

The eggs were created by Sarah Faberge, the great grandaughter of Russian Imperial Jeweler Carl Faberge and go up for sale on March 1. The egg shown at right is Best's egg which shows the European Cup medal and the football League Champion's badge. The sides of the Egg are decorated with the official crest used by Manchester United in 1968 and, from the same year, the Northern Ireland official crest. Inside the egg, a figure of Best stands with a sterling and black-gold diamond studded ball at his feet. It is estimated at £20,000 to £25,000.

Tags: Faberge Eggs, George Best, Machester United, Mc Tears Auctioneers, Soccer

Rare Tintype of Billy The Kid To Go Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 17th 2011 at 8:01PM

The image above depicts one of the Old West's most infamous bad guys. This rare tintype of Billy the Kid is believed to be the only survivor of four that were created when he posed for the picture in a Fort Sumner, New Mexico, gambling hall in late 1879 or early 1880. This shot often accompanies stories about Billy the Kid and is believed to be one of the only authenticated images of the young outlaw. It will be auctioned on June 25 at Brian Lebel's Old West Show and Auction at the Denver Merchandise Mart where it could bring between $300,000 and $400,000. The tintype passed through the family of one of Billy's rustler partners, Dan Dedrick and is sometimes called the Upham tintype after the Dedrick's grand-nephew, Frank Upham and his descendants.

Tags: American History, Billy The Kid, Old West, Photography, Tintype

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Luxist Phototour: A Look At Eric Clapton's Legendary Guitars Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 17th 2011 at 7:01PM

In the last 50 years guitars have made the transition from serviceable musical instruments to works of art. Collectible guitars have become hot items at auction and some have been enshrined at museums around the country. Guitars that have been touched by guitar gods are particularly valued. In the guitar world they don't get much godlier than Eric Clapton. Clapton is a rock icon whose work has stretched decades. Not only is he one of the best, he's played with the best and is forever enshrined as part of the history of rock and roll.

Clapton has auctioned off guitars twice before in service of his other passion, recovery. The upcoming auction at Bonhams, New York on March 9 will benefit The Crossroads Centre, Antigua, the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center he founded in 1998. The sale will feature more than 70 guitars and 70 amps, which have helped create Clapton's legendary sound. Although he has donated guitars before this is the first time that he has brought his historic amplifier collection to auction and even for a non-musician, it's pretty compelling stuff. After all, you can't have Clapton's arena-filling sound without an amp.

Tags: Bonhams, Crossroads, Eric Clapton, Guitars

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Lena Horne's Personal Property Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 16th 2011 at 8:01PM

The lovely and talented Lena Horne passed away last May at the age of 92. Now items belonging to the singer and actress are being sold off at Doyle New York on February 23. Horne made a name for herself in Hollywood but she was a New Yorker at heart, she was born in Brooklyn and had a home on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Horne was a passionate collector with refined taste, The Lena Horne collection comprises approximately 200 lots of vintage costume jewelry, accessories, gowns, memorabilia, decorations, silver, furniture, books and fine art.

Tags: doyle new york, lena horne

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Andy Warhol Self-portrait Sells For $17 Million As London Art Boom Continues

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 16th 2011 at 7:00PM

An important rediscovered Andy Warhol self-portrait crowned a big art week in London, selling for £10.8 million pounds ($17.4 million) at Christie's. The piece which dates from 1967 is a red square six-foot acrylic and silkscreen piece showing Warhol staring thoughtfully at the viewer, two fingers covering his mouth. Christies had estimated the work to sell for £3 to £5 million as part of its 64-lot auction of contemporary works. Legendary art dealer Larry Gagosian snapped it up, bidding in the room and wresting it away from another client on the telephone.

Tags: andy warhol, christies, larry gagosian

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Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds Sell Above Estimate

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 16th 2011 at 1:01AM

This week's Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening sale in London started off with a bang when the first lot, Ai Weiwei's sunflower seeds, came up for sale. The Chinese artist generated headlines around the world when he installed 100 million ceramic sunflowers seeds in the Tate Modern in London and art watchers were curious to see how the art would sell. The first 100-kilogram pile of seeds was estimated to bring in £80,000 to £120,000 but sold for sold for £349,250 ($559,394) or around £3.50 per seed.

Each porcelain sunflower seed was individually hand made and painted by specialists working in small-scale workshops in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen. The Sotheby's listing suggests that the piece can be installed either in a mound as shown above or smoothed out into a carpet-like experience. There will be a total of ten lots sold from this work.

Tags: ai weiwei, andy warhol, Gerhard Richter

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Slash To Sell Off Cars, Guitars and More

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 15th 2011 at 8:01PM

Entertainment memorabilia auction house, Julien's Auctions, is hosting an auction dedicated to the property of legendary guitarist and musician Slash. The sale includes a variety of famous guitars, memorabilia, vehicles and personal furniture and décor from his Hollywood Hills home.

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: guitars, guns n roses, juliens auctions, les paul, slash

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Queen Juliana's Precious Possessions Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 15th 2011 at 10:01AM

The estate of a queen goes up for auction next month. On March 14-17, Sotheby's Amsterdam will offer 1540 lots from the property from the Estate of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands with all proceeds going to charity. The total amount will be divided into two parts. One part will be donated to The Red Cross because of Queen Juliana's involvement in its work. The other section will be divided into four equal parts chosen by her heirs: The Princess Beatrix Fund chosen by Queen Beatrix, the Natuurcollege chosen by Princess Irene, the Red Cross chosen by Princess Margriet and the Princess Christina Concours was chosen by Princess Christina.

Tags: netherlands, queen beatrix, queen juliana, red cross, sothebys

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