The top five most valuable bottles of wine the public may have at home have been revealed thanks to research by LoveAntiques.com. According to the antiques website, bottles such as the 1962 Romanée Conti, Domaine Romanée Conti; the 1961 Hermitage La Chappelle, Jaboulet; and the 1945 Mouton Rothschild are at the top of the list—each costing around £15,000. Will Thomas, managing director at LoveAntiques.com, said: ‘Wine is a hugely popular area for people to invest...
Geared towards introducing new models and future trends within the watch industry, Baselworld keeps its crown as the key event for timepiece aficionados. This year’s show—which is now in its 101st edition—proved that the watchmaking industry is showing signs of improvement. In terms of attendance, it saw around eight percent more visitors over the first few days compared to last year. As is the case every year, Baselworld was yet again the epicentre of the...
Flourishing in the 14th century, the Renaissance movement owes its rapid growth to political stability, cosmopolitanism, economic prosperity and the increasing sophistication of society. Influencing everything from art and architecture to music, politics and literature, this revival of Classical values is widely considered to be a bridge in time between the Middle Ages and modern history. The conceptual basis of the movement was its own adapted version of humanism, which was attained through the rediscovery...
The legendary Farnese Blue diamond is expected to fetch in excess of $4 million when it makes its auction debut at a Sotheby’s jewels sale. The historic 6.16-karat pear-shaped blue diamond was passed down through four of the most important royal families in Europe: Spain, France, Italy and Austria. It will embark on an international tour and will be offered as part of Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels in Geneva on 15...
Auction house Sotheby’s has recently announced it is teaming up with celebrated chef and restaurateur Mark Hix to curate a contemporary art sale. The Contemporary Curated sale, which will take place in London on 11 April, includes works from artists including Banksy, Michael Craig-Martin and Harland Miller. These pieces will be on display at Sotheby’s Bond Street salon from 6 to 10 April. The sale will give collectors the rare chance to acquire accessibly-priced works...
Proud Central in London will showcase a collection of historic photographs of the Kennedy family shot by famed photographer, Mark Shaw. Chronicling the ‘golden years’ of one of the most famous families to ever step into the White House, Life with the Kennedys: Photographs by Mark Shaw will retrace JFK’s stellar rise to office—from his days as Senator to and stint as 35th president of the United States to his tragic murder. This exhibition, which...
From 25 May, a new exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands will reflect on ancient Roman Londoners and their relationship with death. Roman Dead, a display sparked by the monumental discovery of a Roman sarcophagus in Southwark borough in the summer of 2017, seeks to provide visitors with an insight into ancient funerary rituals and religious beliefs. The ‘Southwark sarcophagus’—which is on view for the very first time—will act as the centrepiece of a...
Hubert de Givenchy, founder of the iconic fashion brand best known for dressing some of Hollywood’s most famous women, has died at the age of 91. Credited with putting Paris on the fashion map in the 50s, the designer was a real creative mind and visionary. An elegant and well-mannered man, Givenchy came from an aristocratic background. Born in the French town of Beauvais in 1927, he had a passion of textiles and fabrics—as well...
At 27 years old, Vincent Van Gogh decided to become at artist; and just like that, the history of art was changed forever. Born on 30 March 1853 in Brabant, a region in the south of the Netherlands, Vincent Willem Van Gogh was the son of a Protestant minister and an artist with a love for nature. The eldest of six, although not the first-born (his parent’s first son, also named Vincent, was stillborn), Vincent...
Mayfair Art Weekend, an initiative which celebrates the Mayfair and St James districts’ history, culture and art, has recently announced it will return in 2018 from 29 June to 1 July. The popular cultural event, which is now in its fifth year, coincides with the landmark 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy of Arts (RA). It will be joined and supported by over 35 galleries, auction houses, artists and members of the creative industry and...
