record

Although neither the seller nor the buyer, both private and tight-lipped, want to comment on the sale, the $140 million price tag that was attached to a Jackson Pollock paining last week makes it the most expensive piece of artwork in history. The painting, which was done on fiberboard, is titled "No. 5, 1948" and measures 4-feet 8-inches in height. David Geffen reportedly it sold to the "obsessively private" Mexican financier David Martinez through Sotheby's. The NY Times speculates that, as Geffen just sold off two other very expensive paintings in the last few weeks, he may be trying to raise money for a bid to purchase the LA Times.

[Thanks, Lana]

It's hard to say whether the CL Sound Machine is practical, or simply overkill, so I'll let you be the judge. It is a combination iPod docking station, record player, cd player and... wine rack? The triple format audio system is a fantastic idea. Not only does it give you the really interesting, old-fashioned look of a phonograph and the practical ability to play more modern forms of music, but it also allows you to relive some of the classics from the record collection that has been gathering dust in the back of your closet. The question is, is the wine rack necessary? If you have the room and money for this gadget (pricing available upon request), the chances are good that you're going to be able to keep the 12-bottles of wine that the CL holds in another location.

[via SciFi Tech]

At a Paris auction of primitive art, a "Fang 'ngil" African mask sold for $7.5 million - triple its presale estimate. It was the highest selling lot of the auction, which involved more than 500 items, and set an individual price record, though the sale raised about $54 million total, which was a record high itself.

Experts judged that the mask, which originated in Western Africa, dated to the 19th century. It was housed in the privated collection of Pierre and Claude Verite for most of the 20th century, out of the public view. The most remarkable thing about the mask is the impact that it has had on modern art. Painters like Picasso, Matisse and Andre Breton were said to have been deeply inspired by it.

Eclipsing the record set in 2004 by a Pablo Picasso painting, Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I has sold for $135 million, the highest price ever paid for a painting. It was purchased by billionaire Ronald S. Lauder, the heir to the Estee Lauder fortune, and it will be displayed in his small, New York museum, the Neue Galerie. The painting was taken from the Bloch-Bauer's home in 1938 by Nazis and was sold by her niece, Maria Altmann, who has only had it since the beginning of this year, after looted artwork was returned to relatives of the original owners.

A Stradivarius violin made in 1707, known as "The Hammer", sold for far more than its estimated price of $1.5-2 million at a Christie's auction today. The winning bid, placed by a private collector, was for $3.54 million. This makes it the most expensive musical instrument ever sold at auction, though there are reports that say private sales have gone even higher. Stradivari is believed to have made more than 1,100 instruments in his lifetime and approximately 600 violins are believed to survive today. The Hammer is said to be from the master craftsman's "golden period," when he produced his finest pieces.

[Image from The Age]

The Ritz Carlton Laguna Nigel on the Southern California coast has just been sold for $330 million, or approximately $840,000 per room. This makes it the second most expensive hotel sale in terns of price per room, only surpassed by the sale of the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, which had a price tag of $1 million per room.

The 22 year old hotel has 393 rooms, including 38 suites, and was acquired by Strategic Hotels, who is hoping to increase their presence in the luxury hotel market in California. Strategic feels that not only is the beachfront property worth its high price, but that it is sure to increase in value over the next two decades given that space on the coast is both desirable and difficult to obtain. The hotel, prior to the sale, underwent a $40 million renovation that revamped the interior and improved their spa and fitness offerings.  Rooms start at $400 a night and ocean-front suites are available for more than $2,000 per night. They also offer a $750 per night Mercedes-Benz package, which includes the use of a car.