On October 19th, Sotheby's will auction off a dazzling array of jewels, from a 29.53 carat flawless pear-shaped diamond ring to exquisite pieces designed by Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, David Webb and Tiffany & Co. The sale, which will take place at Sotheby's New York headquarters, will feature jewels from private American collections, as well as a selection of high quality white diamonds and signed and period pieces.

The 29.53 carat pear-shaped diamond is the centerpiece of the auction. The D color, internally flawless stone has been recently determined to be both potentially flawless and type IIa by the Gemological Institute of America. The ring has an estimate of $1.8 million to $2.2 million or $61,000 per carat.

Another stunning piece is a fancy vivid yellow diamond ring by Tiffany & Co., which is set with a potentially flawless emerald-cut stone of 9.55 carats in a diamond crossover mounting. Its estimate is $250,000 to $350,000.

Also featured at the sale will be an 18 Karat gold, diamond and amethyst "Botticelli" necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels. Designed with a foliate motif, it has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.

A diamond butterfly brooch by Bulgari, which is set with over 24 carats of diamonds, has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000, while a David Webb-designed abstract star-shaped Abalone Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Diamond and Emerald Brooch has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000.

The jewels will be on exhibition at Sotheby's New York showroom beginning on October 14th, 2009. An online catalogue is available to preview at Sotheby's website.

Selling at the top of a bubble is fantastic ... if you can pull it off. You look, feel and live like an absolute genius. Former art dealer Anthony d'Offay did this, unloading 725 postwar and contemporary pieces before the art market collapsed, dragged down by a global financial crisis. Timing is everything, and the collection purchased for a mere £26.5 million was valued at an astounding £125 million. Included were Jeff Koons' "Winter Bears," an Andy Warhol hamburger (evidently more expensive than those at Burger Joint) and an Anselm Kiefer palm tree.

D'Offay didn't make a dime.

Rather than sell the collection at a profit of close to £100 million, he sold them to the United Kingdom at cost: £26.5 million. Instead of taking the money, d'Offay chose to be paid with strings ... namely those attached to the deal. The condition of his sale was that the country had to send the artwork on tour throughout the UK, making it easy for people under age 18 to access the art.

D'Offay explains that financial constraints on British museums – which are free and thus have no money with which to acquire new pieces – are great for the people, but not for keeping the walls full with fresh material. On the list for the future is a special room for Damien Hirst's "Pharmacy" installation and has already purchased Hirst's "Painkillers" piece (pill cabinet) for $877,000. In a deal with Hirst, he also picked up work by Koons, and Hirst's new "Necromancer." Hirst was d'Offay's gallery assistant as he was finishing college.

D'Offay's talent, he says, is buying art, rather than curating or creating. He became inspired as a child in northern England when viewing a collection of Francis Bacon (shocking, right? Bacon connection comes back again ...).

Do you like contemporary art? A new study suggests that's because you've developed an emotional connection to it. If you prefer older pieces, on the other hand, your response is intellectual. The findings, published in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, from the University of Rome was based on 137 people who attended to local museums in Rome: the Braschi, which is home to pieces created through the middle of the nineteenth century, and the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. Essentially, how you feel about a piece is based largely on when it was created.

Both groups – the emotive and intellectual – stated that their reason for going to the museums was "an interest in the artists" and the opportunity to "see the artworks in the original." But, those opting for the National Gallery frequently responded that they enjoyed "the pleasure they feel during their visit," while those going to the Braschi cited a "desire for cultural enrichment."

Is it as simple as "modern art is to be enjoyed and the classics are to be appreciated?" It sure seems that way, as the response by those hitting the Braschi seem to equate it to taking the stairs rather than an elevator – it feels good because it's good for you. That said, there's no doubt that intellectual stimulation feels fantastic, so oversimplifying the reaction as some form of self-betterment is probably a tad unfair, especially since participants in both groups had high scores for "openness to new experience." The modern art lovers, though, did tend to lean toward "sensation-seeking."

The demographic breakdown is pretty interesting, as well. Most of the participants were women, and all generally had similar levels of education. But, those preferring the National Gallery were 10 years younger, on average, than those gravitating toward the classics.

[Photo by Steve Ferdman, Bauzen Studios]

Shanghai's Bund, which runs along the river and divides the city's former international section (with its old world architecture) from Pudong, with its intergalactic hyper-futuristic architecture, isn't a place for subtlety. This divide makes it a place for big statements, particularly of the fashionable variety, which is why this is where you find the city's big name restaurants (Jean Georges, M on the Bund), major international designers and so on. And it made it an entirely logical neighborhood for Chinese restaurateurs South Beauty Group to select for the Shanghai edition of the LAN Club, following on the 2006 success of its Beijing launch, which was designed by Phillipe Starck.

LAN Shanghai, designed by Patrick Gilles and Dorothee Boissier. opened in a historic building just off the Bund last summer, and it's not about subtlety, no, not even a little bit. Its four floors that put me in mind of the clubs that I used to encounter as a teenager in 1980s New York: an adult version of a theme park. There's a dance club, and several bars, and each floor is home to a different restaurants or, if you will, dining concepts, and they've changed a bit since opening. What was once a Chinese restaurant on the first floor has become O-Supper Club, which is doing a Chinese/Tapas fusion. (This sounds more interesting than it tastes); the French restaurant on the fourth floor had a new name, Papillion, named for the 400 butterfly specimens displayed on its walls. And that's not to forget a seafood restaurant, adorned with an aquarium of living jelly fish, an atrium-like space with a wall of plants, and a full floor of VIP private dining rooms, because in a crowded country, it's luxurious to go to a restaurant to be seen and then have total privacy.

One of these rooms, the Art and Banquet Hall, is meant to accommodate a group, and it is genuinely, no-gimmicks impressive: it was designed around the Liu Ziaodong painting, Migrants of the Three Gorges. It's some 30 feet in width, and was, for a time, the most costly work by a contemporary Chinese artist sold at auction. But favorite space was "La Terrace", the lounge on the roof, which opened this past July. It's view of Pudong and the Bund isn't unobstructed, but I rather liked the Shanghai peep show effect, which was enhanced by the pimp-my-ride lit tables.

The thief was a sports fan, it seems. Ten pieces by pop art king Andy Warhol – showing famous sports figures – were swiped from a home in West Los Angeles, according to local police. The 40 square inch silkscreens were stolen around September 2 and September 3. The owner, businessman Richard Weisman, is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the multimillion dollar collection.

Times may be tough for the art market, but a large collection of Warhols is still definitely worth a $1 million reward.

The paintings were displayed in Weisman's living room, and the doors to the house were locked. Nobody's sure how the thieves got into the house ... well, nobody knows but the thieves (obviously). The family nanny noticed that the paintings were missing and dashed off to a neighbor's house to call the police.

Among the missing are pieces depicting O.J. Simpson, Pele, Chris Evert and Muhammad Ali. The exact value of the collection is unknown, but Weisman had tried to sell it for $3 million in 2002. In 2007, of course, Warhol became the top seller at auction worldwide, so even in the current art slump, it's hard to imagine the collection hasn't appreciated.

Other artwork in the house was untouched, and the home had not been ransacked, leading the police to believe that the thieves were only interested in Warhol.

So, once again, the LAPD is trying to track down O.J.

Last year, Vanity Fair's "New Establishment" list was hefty with art market players. This year, the magazine noted that the Wall Street folks and "big media" got their asses handed to them ... but a quick look shows that the arts got slammed, as well.

In 2008, the entire Francis Bacon supply chain showed up on the list. Bacon-inspired Damien Hirst (shown at right) filled the production link, with dealer Larry Gagosian moving Hirst's product and Roman Abramovich buying up not the Bacon-inspired but the works of the master himself. And, they wound up in some hefty positions. Hirst hit #31, with Gagosian close behind at #38. Of course, deep pockets win, which is how ol' Roman pierced the top 10 (at #8).

This year? Well, the Francis Bacon supply chain didn't fair as well. Abramovich was ignored completely, along with Gagosian. Hirst was tossed into the "Pit Stop," where he's joined by shark-loving hedge fund manager and art collector Steve Cohen, who sacrificed $750 million of his own wealth to the financial crisis.

While Cohen keeps the comings and goings of SAC Capital Advisors under wraps, we do know that Hirst had to layoff 20 employees. There's a silver lining, though. With Hirst having to do more of his own work, we probably won't have to see as much of it.

On October 7th Christie's in London will auction the collections of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ismail Merchant (above) of Merchant Ivory fame, the production company noted for evocative all-star adaptations of the works of Henry James, E. M. Forster and others. Works of art, furnishings and textiles from Merchant's stylish residences in London, Paris and the Hudson River Valley, as well as a small selection from his New York apartment, will be on offer. The Indian-born producer passed away in 2005. Estimates range from £500 to £70,000 (about $115,000) for the pieces which reflect Merchant's "fascination with the encounter between Eastern and Western cultures." In addition, the auction will feature a small group of film memorabilia including some props from various Merchant Ivory films such as a bookcase from Howard's End and a replica of Pablo Picasso's L'Homme a la Guitare from Surviving Picasso.

[via JustLuxe]

Known for its leather-trimmed, fitted outerwear, Canadian coat designer Mackage on September 1 opened its first stand-alone store, and chose NYC's hip Meatpacking District. I stopped by the store to check it out. The full Fall/Winter 2009 lines for men and women were on display in the small but classy store. Mirrors here and there make it easy (and tempting) to slip on a leather coat, puffy jacket, trench, or packable anorak. I commented to the rep helping me that the line looked familiar -- she said that certain styles were in Bloomingdale's and other high-end stores, but never the whole line, which is why Mackage decided to open its own store.

The coats are beautiful -- from wools to leathers to styles with fur trim, all are designed to be warm and fashionable, a rare combo. Even the packable anoraks are upscale. Rather than try to describe all here, check out the gallery for a few representative styles.

The store is a pop-up boutique, aka a limited-run, just for September, so Mackage can gauge interest and see if it wants to continue in this retail venue. So don't hesitate if you want to see the new line. There even will be special promotions this month with the chance to win a free coat or a free blow-out. Or ...

To see Mackage's Fall 2009 line, stop by the store (829 Washington St, NYC, 212-255-3807) on Thursday, September 10, as part of Fashion's Night Out, a worldwide event that coincides with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Fashion authority Phillip Bloch will be on hand offering free tips and consultations from 7 - 9 p.m., Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon will be doing blowouts from 6 - 9 pm, and model Irina Lazareanu will DJ from 9 - 11 pm.

On New York City's pricey Fifth Avenue forget Tiffany & Co., the Apple store might just be the hottest address. Bloomberg reported this week that Apple's store on the popular shopping street could have annual sales of more than $350 million. It may just be the highest grossing store on Fifth Avenue beating out stores like Tiffany & Co. and Harry Winston.

Sam Gustin, writing for our sister blog Daily Finance, is skeptical of the figure, saying that the idea that Apple sells around $1 million in merchandise in that store every single day might be a bit of an optimistic number. He interviewed a retail analyst who also expressed a bit of disbelief but entertained that it could be possible. New York City stores are rules unto themselves and the store is located in one of Manhattan's most visited areas and is open 24 hours a day. Also any Apple aficionado in the area will tell you that the store is often packed with people. Also while Tiffany and Harry Winston and other luxury retailers may attract a great deal of window shoppers Apple tends to attract those interested in buying more than looking.

Ever gone on vacation and realized you left your swimsuit behind. Worry no more if you are staying at any of The Standard hotels. Sporty clothing company Quiksilver has partnered with André Balazs' The Standard Hotels on co-branded swimwear that will be sold not only in the hotel boutiques but also poolside in special vending machines in New York, Los Angeles, Hollywood and Miami. It's a smart collaboration, The Standard is infamous for its pool scenes.

Four different styles of men's board shorts were designed one for each hotel but women will have to content themselves with a black string bikini. Items can be purchased online at shopthestandard.com, and the first vending machine will open in Los Angeles on August 8.

[via The Thread]

The weather's heating up and we need ways to cool down. Why not make an extra special cocktail concoction for your front porch? We got these herbal and floral recipes from three of NYC's hottest restaurants -- Counter, Harbour, and Yerba Buena (above).

We'll provide the list of ingredients, and you can be creative with your pours!

Some of these recipes call for creative (and totally brilliant) infusions of various alcohols. Not sure how to infuse? Check out this guide -- but be sure to plan ahead; while they are definitely easy, infusions can take up to two weeks.

Ready to start mixing? Recipes for cool summer cocktails are in the gallery below!

Swiss coachbuilder Rinspeed never ceases to amaze with its far-out concept cars, so our interest was naturally piqued when we heard that the quirky company was launching a new series of limited-edition print artwork using its own vehicles, such as the E2 Fiat 500, iChange, sQuba and eXasis concepts, as subject matter.

Prints from Rinspeed's Official Fine Graphic Art Collection are now available for order from Rinspeedart.com on the buyer's choice of canvas, art paper or plexiglass, making them perfect for automotive gearheads looking to decorate their favorite hangout or workstation. There's also a series of five Futuristm prints that are limited to runs of 20 pieces each.

Just like the coachbuilder's own concepts cars, each print will be crafted in Sweden. Each will be available in multiple sizes and, therefore, prices, starting at 115 Euros ($160) for artwork printed on paper, though that amount rises rapidly as the size increases and the medium changes to plexiglass. See the official press release after the break and be sure to check out some of the unique pieces in our gallery below.


[Source: Rinspeedart]

It wouldn't seem to be the best time to open an art gallery in New York City but that's not stopping European art dealership Hauser & Wirth. The company, which has galleries in Zurich and London will open in New York in September. As ArtInfo reports the building at 32 East 69th Street, currently home to Zwirner & Wirth (and Hauser & Wirth's private American office) will hold a four-story gallery and event space.

President and owner Iwan Wirth told ArtInfo that he's not too worried about the current economic climate saying that "we have almost always opened our galleries in difficult economic moments" and pointing out that he opened the London gallery in 2002–03, after the 9/11 tragedy and resulting economic decline.

The opening exhibition will be Yard, which looks at an environment piece first made in 1961 by Allan Kaprow, the American painter and pioneer of performance art known as the inventor of 'Happenings.' More than forty years ago, he filled the backyard of a Manhattan townhouse with rubber auto tires heaped randomly for viewers to climb in and around. That work was Yard and the townhouse,which was then home to the Martha Jackson Gallery and is the new site of Hauser & Wirth New York.

'YARD' at Hauser & Wirth New York will be curated by Helen Molesworth, head of the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art and the James R. and Maisie K. Houghton Curator of Contemporary Art at the Harvard Art Museums, working with the Estate of Allan Kaprow. It will include documentation and "archival elements" (does this mean tires?), and will be accompanied by a program of activities at Hauser & Wirth New York and other locations to be announced. After Yard, Hauser & Wirth New York will present exhibitions featuring Paul McCarthy, Ida Applebroog and Eva Hesse.

Bastion of top-drawer British style Bamford Ltd., known for its beautiful customized Rolex watches, has opened an understatedly luxurious new beach boutique in Barbados. Bamford founder Carole Bamford was inspired by her "longstanding love affair" with the posh island resort in creating the airy, bright Barefoot on the Beach boutique from a traditional chattel house in St. James. The luxe boutique (above) is a treasure trove of Bamford's naturally luxurious women's and men's ready-to-wear and body collections, home wares and lifestyle products from the hands of skilled artisans. The shop offers elegant, hand-worked silk kaftans, organic khaki cotton accessories from India, ceramic rosary beads, quirky slogan beach baskets, straw hats and sandals, as well as the brand's beloved men's collection, Bamford & Sons, and the Bamford Body product line.

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas may not be finished as quickly as was originally planned. The museum is being designed to house one of the world's greatest collections of American art, the one amassed by Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton. Walton has spent the last few years snapping up treasures by American artists including paying a record price for the 1849 Asher B. Durand work "Kindred Spirits." But the museum, which was slated to open in 2010 may not be ready for until 2011 or beyond. In his recent state of the city address, Bentonville mayor Bob McCaslin referred to the museum as opening in 2011. But the AP also quotes a subcontractor which has said that their job will run through 2011 which could mean it may be an even longer wait. The museum should have a clearer idea of when the opening date may be sometime in the coming months.

Whenever it is completed it will be an impressive destination. The museum design by architect Moshe Safdie is rendered in glass and light wood and is arranged around two ponds at the center of the compound which are spanned by bridges. The building is set on around 100 acres of Ozarks forest, donated by the Walton family. Visitors will follow a lane through the woods to a knoll that overlooks the pavilions. From the knoll, glass elevators take visitors to a courtyard with a glass lobby that has a view of the water. The museum will offer 34,000 square feet of exhibition space as well as a cafe, performance hall, library and research center. Crystal Bridges is expected to bring in 250,000 visitors a year once it opens.