Is there anything more exciting than a concert violinist standing in front of a full symphony orchestra, ready to share with the world the beauty of Tchaikovsky? Perhaps a soloist playing on their own beautifully hand-crafted instrument. Once a violinist reaches a certain level of expertise, the next step in their career is to locate a violin made specifically to suit their requirements. We round up places to find elegant and excellent violins around the...
While investment in stocks, shares and bonds remains an uncertain option, alternative investments, such as art, cars, coins and stamps, have become increasingly attractive. The rate of return can be spectacular, and this is true nowhere more than in the world of wine bottles. Between 2012 and 2017, for instance, the Petit Mouton 2011 vintage appreciated from £690 per case to £1,831, an increase of 165 percent. Last year, two of just 600 surviving bottles...
Audrey Hepburn, who was at the peak of her fame in the 1950s and ‘60s, is remembered for movies as diverse as Roman Holiday, Sabrina, The Nun’s Tale, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and My Fair Lady. She became not only a world-celebrated actress, but also a style icon, her images reproduced thousands of times. Added to the International Best Dressed List in 1961, Hepburn was associated with a minimalistic style, usually wearing clothes with simple silhouettes...
Beautiful and tragic, actress Marilyn Monroe will always be associated with the allure of gems—if nothing else, her signature song Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend will ensure that. The Hollywood diva, whose glittering career ended with her controversial death in 1962, appeared draped in jewellery for her show-stopping song in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953. But though her character, showgirl Lorelei Lee, had been caught in compromising photos with a diamond mine owner, the...
What comes to mind when you think of holiday destination Ibiza? For most people the association is with wild nightlife, great weather and wonderful beaches. But this magical Mediterranean spot is also a Mecca for artists who arrive every Summer to be inspired by the White Island’s natural beauty. So what other role does art play in Ibiza? Ibiza Gran Hotel, the most famous hotel on the island known for its sophistication and luxury, has...
Sotheby’s New York Fine Jewels auction offers selections from modern and classic designers including David Webb, Van Cleef & Arpels, Elizabeth Gage, Tiffany & Co. and Chanel. From classic white diamonds to top quality stones, the fine jewels are tailored to match every look, from a bold, gold daytime display to diamonds to dazzle your way through the evening. Chanel Ear Clips Estimated at $3000 to $5000, Chanel’s beaded gold surmounts are accented by round...
On Tuesday April 2nd, Sotheby’s fourth sale of Modern and Contemporary African Art in London amassed £2,316,625 / $3,023,196 (pre-sale estimate: £1.5-2.2 million / $2-2.9 million), creating new auction records for 11 artists in this category. El Anatsui, a contemporary Ghanaian artist, led the sale with his metallic aluminium bottle cap tapestry titled Zebra Crossing 2, achieving £1.1 million / $1.4 million (est. £550,000-750,000); the competitive bidding for the shimmering tapestry realised the third highest price...
Tenuta delle Terre Nere is located in Sicily, on the northern slopes of Etna, its extremely old vines digging deep into volcanic sands, ash and basaltic rock. Except for 7 hectares recently planted, the rest are between 50 and 100 years old. One parcel, having survived phylloxera, has reached the venerable age of 130-140 years old. Tenuta delle Terre Nere’s Winemaking History The estate stands in the finest area for red wine – northern slope...
The Peninsula Hotels, Official Hotel Partner of Art Basel Hong Kong, hosted a gala event to celebrate the launch of Art in Resonance, a multi-year global contemporary art programme, attended by guests Pom Klementieff and Bianca Brandolini. In a continuation of the group’s ethos of innovation, The Peninsula Hotels has worked alongside curators Isolde Brielmaier and Bettina Prentice to commission work from artists who are poetically pushing the boundaries of their mediums and engaging the...
On April 2nd 2019, Sotheby’s is launching a Modern and Contemporary African Art auction to exhibit masterpieces by renowned Sudanese artists. The line up will include artwork from Ibrahim El Salahi and Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq, who helped found the Khartoum School in Sudan, alongside artwork from Salah Elmur and Hussein Shariffe. Formed in 1960, The Khartoum School was a modernist art movement formed to simulate the changing face of the newly independent Sudan, from Anglo-Egyptian...
