An extremely rare medieval chess piece, one of the five missing Lewis Chessmen, has been sold at a Sotheby’s auction to an anonymous buyer for £735,000. The 900 year-old Lewis Chessmen hoard was discovered on the Isle of Lewis in 1831 and includes some 93 pieces, most of which are now to be found in the British Museum. The newly re-discovered piece, found in a drawer in an Edinburgh home, is a warder (the medieval...
An extremely valuable medieval chess piece, one of the five missing Lewis Chessmen, has recently been discovered in a drawer by a family in Edinburgh. The 900 year-old Lewis Chessmen hoard was discovered on the Isle of Lewis in 1831 and includes some 93 pieces, most of which are now to be found in the British Museum. The newly re-discovered piece is a warder (the medieval equivalent of a rook) in the form of an...
The enormous success of 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger also marked the beginning of long association with British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin. The Aston Martin DB5, the model most associated with James Bond, is now one of the world’s most iconic cars, and in an auction at Sotheby’s California in August, you could buy one of the few remaining vehicles with a direct association with James Bond. The vehicle for sale is a 1965...
A painting by Claude Monet, one of the Meules (Haystacks) series, depicting rural life near his home in the Normandy region, has set world records by selling for $110.7m (£85.7m). Shortly after, a sculpture by US pop artist Jeff Koons sold for $91.1m (£71m), breaking the record price for a work by a living artist. The Monet painting from 1890 was the first Impressionist work to achieve over $100m. It was last auctioned in 1986,...
A bespoke painted enamel panel created by American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein is coming up for sale with an estimate of $900k-$1.2m at the Contemporary Art Sale day at Sotheby’s New York. The work, Composition, was commissioned in 1969 by the late playboy art collector Gunter Sachs for his then wife, the French model and actress Brigitte Bardot. Previously exhibited in Hamburg, Munich and elsewhere, the piece in porcelain enamel on metal measures 24 by 771⁄2...
Sotheby’s Renaissance Revival collection was featured in the Magnificent Jewels auction in spring. Incorporating intricate enamel work, old mine diamonds, delicate seed pearls, ornate filigree and other enchanting details, the value of these pieces is dictated by the craftsmanship, magnificent, detailed designs and their historical significance. Originally popularised during the 19th century by master jewelers and goldsmiths such as Castellani and Giuliano, the collection is inspired by the classical antiquity unique to the Renaissance. These Renaissance inspired...
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...
Sotheby’s and acclaimed fashion designer Jan Taminiau will open an exclusive collaborative exhibition in which Old Master highlights from Sotheby’s forthcoming sales of The SØR Rusche Collection will be presented in the contemporary setting of Jan Taminiau’s dynamic pop-up store in Amsterdam on April 11th and 12th. Known for his love of exquisite embroidery and lavish couture dresses, Jan launched his independent label JANTAMINIAU in 2004. Showcasing his collections during Couture Fashion Week in Paris...
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...
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...
