Tag Archives: auction

Castellani Micromosaic Brooch

Jewellery Pick of the week – Castellani Micromosaic Brooch

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This week’s pick is an extraordinary micromosaic brooch by Castellani I had the delight of discovering in an inherited collection. Much to our surprise, amongst the treasured and loved jewellery was an original box containing this perfectly well kept brooch. The brooch is circular and set throughout with blue and red micromosaic, in closed-back setting, only 3cm in diameter.

Castellani Micromosaic Brooch

A red and blue micromosaic brooch by Castellani

So why is it so special?

Firstly due to its age. Dating from the 1860s, it is extremely rare to not miss at least one tesserae in a micromosaic piece, let alone one that has been around for 170 years.

Castellani Micromosaic Brooch

The above brooch was sold at Christie’s in 2011 for Euro 31,040, against an estimate of Euro 8,000-12,000, and had a missing tile.

No dents are present in the item’s soft gold, which is another key aspect of its uniqueness.

And it is also signed on the back with a double C (no Chanel was not the first one to use a double C as a maker’s mark!).

Castellani Micromosaic BroochCastellani Micromosaic Brooch
A brooch by Castellani

Castellani’s founder, Fortunato Pio Castellani, opened up shop in Rome in 1814 and is commonly described as launching the archaeological revival movement in jewellery. This passion came a few years after opening his shop, hearing his friend Michaelango Caetani speak about recreating gold to look ancient. With the opening of the Etruscan Regolini- Galassi tombs in 1836, Castellani was granted access to view the jewellery. With further fascination for archaeological finds, Castellani’s jewellery became more and more popular.

Using various exquisite techniques, such as wiring and granulation, Castellani was able to imitate ancient jewellery. The week’s brooch has a ropetwist border, adding to it a sense of completion.

So what’s the price tag on such a rare piece?

At auction, the item would be valued at £1,500-2,500. A similar example sold for £2,375 including premium in 2018 at Bonhams. It was orange on a blue background.

Castellani Micromosaic Brooch
A orange and blue micromosaic brooch by Castellani

Another piece is currently for sale privately for over £18,000. This brooch is blue and green.

Castellani Micromosaic Brooch
A green and blue micromosaic brooch by Castellani

And though I was able to find two almost identical pieces for sale, over a decade separates their sale date. Which goes to show how rare brooches of this style and make are. If you find one… Grab it and keep the box!

 

Old Master Sales July 2024

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The Old Master market, judging by the London sales in early July, continues to be split between the desirable and the unloved. The Day Sales, for the “unloved” were very flat affairs. Christie’s managed a total of £3.489M for 170 lots, with 36 unsold – mostly sculptures and watercolours, which they now include with oil paintings as there is such a dearth of viable lots; while Sotheby’s total was £2.178M for 182 lots, 65 of which were bought in.

The evening sales painted a much rosier picture, with only 10 out of 58 lots failing to sell on the day, although they may have found buyers, subsequently. Christie’s had much the better sale, in fact, their wonderful Titian of The Rest on The Flight into Egypt made over £5M more than the whole of the Sotheby’s sale! It was estimated at £15-25M and was knocked down for £17.56M including buyer’s premium. Other star lots at Christie’s include the beautiful Quentin Metsys of The Madonna of the Cherries which made £10.66M including buyer’s premium to the Getty Museum, against an estimate of £8-12M. It is interesting to note that this picture was offered by Christie’s in 2015 described as a studio work and made £200,000. At that time, a green curtain, painted at a later date, obscured the beautiful landscape seen through the window. Subsequent cleaning and restoration have revealed that this is the prime version of a much-copied composition. There was also a handsome Frans Hals Portrait of a Gentleman, which made a solid £5.7M.

It was a bad week for George Stubbs the great Liverpudlian, 18th Century horse painter, however. His magnificent Mares and Foals offered by Christie’s with an estimate of £7-10M failed to find a buyer, as did the fine double horse portrait by him offered at Sotheby’s with an estimate of £400,000-600,000.

The Christie’s evening sale achieved a very healthy £43,594,800, which was their best result for 10 years, while Sotheby’s total was a less impressive £12.366M.

One of my favourite pictures of the week, was the view of a Baroque Sculpture Gallery by the Dordrecht painter Samuel van Hoogstraten, which made £356,000 including buyer’s premium at Bonhams. Hoogstraten was a man of many talents, poet, painter, art theoretician and sometime pupil of Rembrandt. There is a wonderful trompe l’oeil, peep show with views of the Interior of a 17th Century Dutch House, by him in the National Gallery, London. It is well worth a visit.

The message from the week’s sales is that if you have a masterpiece by an Old Master make sure the insurance value is high enough and if you have works by minor masters, check current values to make sure your premium isn’t too high.

 

Read more articles about Old Masters here.

Vivienne Westwood the Personal Collection - A Review

Vivienne Westwood the personal collection – a review

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June is one of the most important months in the European fashion calendar with Milan Men’s Fashion week and Paris Haute Couture Week, showcasing forthcoming styles.

This year, however, perhaps the more significant occasion for fashion historians took place at Christie’s, London – the sale of the personal collection of British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.

 

Dame Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) was a seminal British fashion designer and linchpin of the Punk movement. Her designs simultaneously captured and redefined quintessential British fashion.

The Christie’s auction included pieces worn by Vivienne Westwood from her own collections. The auction was offered in two parts, Part I – a live day sale (including 95 lots) held on 25th June and Part II – an online auction (including 179 lots) closing on the 28th June 2024.

Proceeds from the sale were to be donated to a number of charities important to Westwood: Amnesty International, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Greenpeace and The Vivienne Foundation.

The highest price achieved during the auction reflected these values. Lot 1 – ‘THE BIG PICTURE – Vivienne’s Playing Cards, Collect the Cards, Connect the Cards’ – a series of 10 signed digital prints. Though conceived in 2017, they were printed in 2024 – with Vivienne signing the blank sheets prior to printing in 2022. Each suit was designed by Vivienne to represent those who have had a positive or negative impact on humanity and the environment. The prints used images and symbols recognisable from her career spanning six decades. With 100% of the sale proceeds being donated to Greenpeace, the lot had a total selling price of £37,800.

Her route to becoming one of fashions leading figures, was much like Vivienne herself, unconventional.

She was born in Cheshire, spending her childhood between Cheshire and the county of Derbyshire. When Vivienne was 17, her father took the decision to move his family to Harrow (now in Greater London). She attended Harrow School of Art to study fashion but did not enjoy the course or believe a woman would be able to earn a living with this career. After a spell working in a factory, Vivienne chose primary school teaching as an alternative occupation (sharing her knowledge seemed to be a lifelong endeavour – she continued to teach fashion throughout her life – fashion designer Bella Freud described her as “the greatest teacher I have ever known” [Vogue, December 2022]).

Vivienne Westwood continued to make her own clothes, by the early 1960s was married with a son. During the mid 1960s she met Malcolm McClaren – the man influential on her perception of the possibilities of art and fashion – he would become her second husband.

The pair collaborated on a vision of an entire shop (developed from McClaren’s existing stall) – selling clothes, memorabilia and 1950s inspired pieces for the rebellious, located on at 430 Kings Road, Chelsea. This location was to change the course of fashion and music history – and would be connected with the Vivienne Westwood brand throughout her career.

The shop’s first incarnation dubbed ‘Let It Rock!’ opened in 1971. With each changing collection the store changed its name (‘Too Fast to Live to Young to Die’ 1973, ‘Sex’ 1974 – 1976, and ‘Seditionaries’ 1976 – 1980), – becoming a focal point for the burgeoning punk movement. For these later incarnations Vivienne created what we would now call the Punk Aesthetic – with fetish wear, graphic designs, and accessories of chains and safety pins. The band the Sex Pistols were formed by Malcolm McClaren through the shop (members Glen Matlock and Sid Vicious both worked there) and their name chosen in part to promote it.

By the early 1980’s Vivienne Westwood was not yet a household name and her innovations generally under appreciated. As punk faded, a new scene grew – dubbed by Vivienne ‘New Romantic’. The shop rebranded to ‘World’s End’.

Vivienne held her first fashion collection ‘Pirates’ in 1981.

Christie’s chose to sell Vivienne’s wardrobe in chronologic order – with the earliest dating ensemble created as part of the ‘Witches’ collection (1983) (her first to be shown in Paris and her final collaboration with McClaren).

Lot 2 was from the ‘Witches collection – A navy blue two-piece outfit bearing the ‘World’s End’ label, estimated at £4,000 – 6,000. The garments had been inspired by Vivienne’s meeting artist Keith Haring in late 1982. The total selling price here was £8,190.

Prior to the sale the viewing was packed with celebrities and Sartorialists looking to add to their collections, or simply get a glimpse of a career in microcosm – the sale more typical of a V&A exhibition than auction.

During the preview Christie’s projected one of Vivienne’s quote’s ‘The art lover is a freedom fighter’. With portraiture in mind, Christie’s displayed pieces from the Vivienne Westwood auction alongside paintings included in their forthcoming Old Masters sale. Lot 30 a dress created for the Autumn/ Winter 1998/ 1999 ‘Dressed to Scale’ collection was viewed alongside Sir Peter Lely’s ‘Portrait of Barbara Villiers’ [Lot 20, Old Masters, Christie’s, 2nd July 2024, £567,000]). The corseted piece of silk taffeta fetched the highest price for clothing realising £32,720.

Similarly, two lots included clothing from the AW 1997/8 ‘Five Centuries Ago’ Collection. This show was directly inspired by garments depicted in Tudor and Jacobean portraiture, which had been exhibited at the Tate Gallery in 1996. Lot 23 was a flannel two-piece suit worn by Vivienne on the runway at the close of this show. Estimated at £2,000 – 3,000 it achieved £8,190. Whilst lot 23 a black and gold brocade dress sold for £8,820 (against an estimate of £1,200 – 1,800).

Lot 4 was a three-strand faux pearl necklace and matching earrings produced for the Autumn / Winter 1991/1992 ‘Portrait’ collection. Vivienne had worn the jewellery during publicity for her Swatch Watch campaign – again showing the impact of historic imagery and faux pearls becoming part of her signature style. Estimate at £800 – 1,200 the set sold for £5,040.

The Orb is the symbol most closely associated with the Vivienne Westwood brand. It was conceived in 1986 and first appeared in the ‘Harris Tweed’ Autumn/ Winter 1987/ 1988 collection. Several lots of costume jewellery were available with the Orb central to the design. Lot 9 (estimated at £600 – 900) was a knuckle duster orb ring, created in 1992. Now instantly recognisable as a Vivienne Westwood piece, it sold for £4,043. Lots 10, an orb choker, and 11, a pair of orb earrings, both from the 1993/4 ‘Anglomania’ collection, sold for £10,080 and £4,788 respectively.

This ‘Anglomania’ collection was the first to feature Vivienne’s own tartan – again a style now synonymous with the brand – and marked the beginning of her creative partnership with husband Andreas Kronthaler (which would continue over their almost 35 years together). Vivienne met Andreas in 1988 whilst teaching fashion design in Vienna. The tartan was named ‘McAndreas’ after him and produced by weavers Locharron. Lot 12 was a two-piece tartan suit utilising the fabric, here selling for £5,292 (inc. BP).

The ‘Anglomania’ show was memorable, due to Naomi Campbell’s catwalk tumble whilst wearing a pair of super elevated platform shoes. Lot 13 was a velvet jacket, identical to that worn by Campbell during the show, offered together with a blouse. Estimate at £800 – 1,200 it sold for £11,340.

Several pairs of platform shoes were included in the auction – the highest price achieved for footwear was lot 39 – A pair of brown leather ‘Animal Toe’ heeled ‘Trainer Shoes’ from the AW 2002/3 ‘Anglophilia’ Collection. These sold for £6,048.

From the same collection and inspired by Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee celebrations was lot 40 – a complete ensemble from the Gold Label, against a pre-sale guide of £1,500 – 2,500 it sold for £13,860.

Lot 68 was given special attention during the viewing and placed in a space alone. The satin ‘Cinderella’ dress in ice blue colour was created as part of the 2011 ‘Gaia The Only One’ collection. Taking influence from ballet and 18th century fashion it achieved ten times its mid estimate figure selling for a total of £25,200.

Part I was a white glove, 100% sold auction – achieving a sale total including buyer’s premium of £465,192.

Part II included further items from Vivienne’s collection – many of them being individual garments and accessories.

Lot 105 was of costume jewellery produced for the 1993 ‘Grand Hotel’ collection and reflected Vivienne Westwood’s earlier career. The ‘Sex’ choker and earrings sold for £7,560 (inc B.P).

Several of the pieces could have been purchased for inclusion in a contemporary wardrobe. Lot 193 was a striking blanket coat from the AW 2004/5 ‘Exhibition’ collection. The graphic fabric, in a punk / graffiti inspired motif, sold for £4,410 (inc. B.P).

From the later part of Westwood’s career was an unusual handmade headdress designed for AW 2017/18 (lot 258). Inscribed ‘Ecotric’ in felt pen and manufactured from pieces associated with waste, it achieved £2,520.

A lot which seemed to show how 1950s style continued to influence Westwood was 104 – a faux leopard fur coat from the AW 1991/2 ‘Dressing Up’ collection. Here the estimate was £1,500 – 2,500, it achieved £6,930.

Lot 162 showed the cross-over in Westwood collections of punk symbolism, with historical classical inspired pieces and contemporary prints. From the ‘Summertime’ collection, Spring/ Summer 2000 it included a long sleeve Lycra top and a silk skirt – selling for within estimate at £2,142.

An ensemble which highlighted the continuing influence of the punk style alongside the importance of her environmental message was lot 232 – a jersey t-shirt from the 2012 ‘War and Peace’ collection. Printed with the Gaia family tree and a climate change map of the world, it realised £2,016.

Towards the end of the auction were several pieces designed by Vivienne Westwood’s husband and current brand Creative Director, Andreas Kronthaler. Produced for Vivienne Westwood label and from Vivienne’s wardrobe, lot 272, a brass necklace with tooth shaped charms from ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ Collection, 2020 – the estimate here was £500 – 800 but total price of £3,276.

The highest price achieved during the online auction was not for clothing, but for the neon sign, specially commissioned by Christie’s to display at the King Street headquarters. In two pieces, totalling over 10 meters in diameter, it was not included in the printed catalogue, despite this it eventually sold for £30,240 (inc. BP).

As with Part I – Part II was 100% sold achieving a total of £289,296, bringing the combined figure for the two sales to just over £750k.

 

Read more articles by Stephanie Connell.

Strumming The Strings Of History

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Christie’s auction of Mark Knopfler’s guitar collection on 31st January 2024.

Mark Knopfler, the virtuoso guitarist and frontman of the iconic rock band Dire Straits, is not only a musical legend but also a passionate collector of guitars that have played a significant role in
shaping his distinctive sound.

On the 31st January, Christie’s Auction House had the privilege of hosting the sale of a portion of Knopfler’s remarkable guitar collection, offering enthusiasts a chance to own a piece of musical history.

The preview of the sale included an immersive sound experience delivered by Dolby and Neumann, which attracted fans from across the world, and generated excitement for almost two weeks before the sale.

The collection saw unprecedented interest, with over 2,300 registrants from 61 countries taking part — 84% of whom were new buyers to Christie’s, the sale lasted over six hours and sold 100% of the lots being offered.

Mark Knopfler: A Musical Journey

Mark Knopfler’s musical journey began in the late 1970s when he formed Dire Straits. His fingerstyle technique and soulful compositions quickly set him apart, earning the band global acclaim. Over the decades, Knopfler has become a respected solo artist, known for his storytelling lyrics and masterful guitar work.

Beyond his success in the music industry, Knopfler’s passion for guitars has been a constant companion throughout his career. The auction at Christie’s provided a rare opportunity for fans to delve into his personal collection and connect with the instruments that contributed to the creation of some of the most iconic songs in rock history.

Some of the highlights included:-

A 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, achieving an impressive £693,000, this vintage Les Paul Standard was a centrepiece of the auction. With its rich tone and exquisite craftsmanship, it’s a guitar that undoubtedly played a crucial role in shaping the Dire Straits sound.

A 1988 Pensa-Suhr MK-1, co-designed by Mark Knopfler and used at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in 1988 at Wembley Stadium, sold for £504,000.

A red Schecter Telecaster used to record the hit Dire Straits song ‘Walk Of Life’, fetched £415,800.

The iconic 1983 Gibson Les Paul Standard ’59 Historic Reissue, used by Mark Knopfler to record and perform ‘Money For Nothing’ and ‘Brothers In Arms’ and played on stage at Live Aid, achieved £592,200.

The auction also featured handwritten lyrics, stage-used amplifiers, and other memorabilia, giving fans a comprehensive look into Knopfler’s musical journey.

The Christie’s auction not only provided a platform for guitar enthusiasts to acquire instruments from a music legend but also allowed them to own a piece of the stories behind the music. Each lot sold at the auction carried a unique history, resonating with the spirit of Mark Knopfler’s illustrious career.

As the gavel fell on each lot, it marked the beginning of a new chapter for these guitars, now in the hands of collectors who will cherish and appreciate the musical legacy they represent.

The total sale achieved £8,840,160 – a fantastic result and a true testament to the phenomenal global appeal of Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits.

25% of the proceeds will be divided equally and donated to charities Mark Knopfler has supported for many years: the British Red Cross, Tusk and Brave Hearts of the North East.

100% of the funds raised from the final lot, the 2021 Gibson Les Paul ‘Gold Top’ guitar signed by world-famous musicians including Mark Knopfler, which sold for £403,200, will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Crown auction at Bonhams

Bonhams: The Crown Auction

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The Crown AuctionThe Crown AuctionWe are in the era of prestige television.

Historically, T.V. programmes have been looked upon as the lesser relation to cinematic releases – movies traditionally viewed as pinnacle of film making. Today, television shows are often highly respected productions. As series run over weeks or even years, they can capture the public imagination with scores of fans and followers alike. These shows are essential to the success of streaming
platforms – with large budgets and famous casts the quality of productions has improved enormously.

As such the field of Entertainment Memorabilia collecting has expanded with those objects featured in major television series, being broader and highly sort. Production companies have apparently become more aware of the value of these assets. Once filming ceases and series end, auctions of costumes and props are becoming more of a common occurrence.

It is with this backdrop, and several months of planning that Bonhams, London announced they would be holding an auction of costumes, props and designs used during production of the Netflix series ‘The Crown’.

The Crown has done a tremendous job of creating fictionalised accounts of historic events – capturing World Affairs and global politics from the 1930s to early 2000s. The series managed to recreate the costumes and settings enjoyed by the Royal family.

The Bonhams The Crown Auction was arranged as two separate sales – a one day Live Auction including 161 lots and many of the most valuable pieces, held at their New Bond Street headquarters. The second being an Online Auction of the more affordable and decorative objects, closing the following day. Proceeds from the Live Auction are to be donated to the National Film and Television School for a scholarship programme.

The pre-sale viewing for the auction was very popular with over 30,000 people attending – it is not very often that one can be photographed standing in the doorway to Number 10 Downing Street (be it a prop or otherwise – which eventually sold for £10,800 plus BP) or next to so many recognisable costumes.

The skill of the prop makers and set designers for the series was clear throughout the sale. One of the most impressive lots of the live auction was lot 80 – a reproduction of the Golden State Coach.

This is a highly accurate facsimile of the famous original, which has been used at every Coronation ceremony since 1831. The coach is a magnificent achievement in prop making. The replica was
designed and manufactured by specialist team including film horsemasters The Devil’s Horsemen and prop design company Anarchy. To achieve an accurate copy the coach was constructed in part from fibreglass, clay and 3-D printed elements. This stunning lot was sold for £56,280 (inc. BP).

A similarly important prop relating to the Coronation was lot 20 – a reproduction of Saint Edward’s Chair, otherwise known as the Coronation Chair. The chair – central to British history and the Coronation ceremony was predominantly manufactured out of fibreglass and had featured in the 5th episode of series one of the show. This precise replica of the 14th century original, such an important symbol of Royal authority, sold for £25,660 (inc. BP).

Another feat of prop making was lot 158 – a replica model of the funeral procession of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. According to the catalogue the model had taken between six and eight weeks to produce, being over 12 meters wides, including over 500 Britains soldiers, two hundred 3-D printed models (all having been designed and produced by The Crown team and hand-painted with accurate costume) devised by a group of experts. The selling price here was £53,740 (inc. BP).

As with the props, costume was an important element of the sale with detailed reproductions of famous regalia, evening wear and everyday outfits being included. The highest price achieved for costume in the Live Auction was for lot 21 – a replica of Queen Elizabeth II’s ceremonial Coronation garments. The original was in part designed by Norman Hartnell – the multi element costume worn by Claire Foy sold for £19,200. Also from the Coronation ceremony was lot 22 – a replica of Princess Margaret’s Coronation gown and robe. This time the lot sold for £6,144 (inc. BP).

Lot 238 was a cornelian jewellery suite designed for Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret and featuring in season 2. The set was specially commissioned by costume designer Jane Petrie and made by jewellery designer Katy Hackney. The catalogue detailed the inspiration behind the suite, conceived to act as a direct contrast to Her Majesty’s pearls. The lot included ear clips, triple strand
choker, together with original design. This fashionable suite sold for £5,376 (inc. BP).

For the fashion savvy lot 125 – a Christian Dior ‘Lady Dior’ handbag. This example, in black lambskin had been worn by Elizabeth Debicki during Season 5. The bag is closely associated with the late Princess Diana and was named ‘Lady Dior’ after Lady Diana. It is believed she owned the bag in every colour and was regularly seen carrying it, after she first received one as a gift from the First Lady of France in 1995. This bag sold for £10,880 (inc. BP).

Arguably one of the most iconic costumes in the auction was lot 134 – a replica of the black silk and chiffon cocktail dress worn by Princess Diana in November 1994. Dubbed the ‘Revenge’ dress, it had featured in Season 5, Episode 5 ‘The Way Ahead’. Unsurprisingly, one of the most sought after outfits in the sale (the lot additionally included bag and shoes) it sold for £12,800 (inc. BP).

In direct contrast one of the more affordable lots of the sale was 314 – A blouse and dungarees worn by Emma Corrin portraying the young Lady Diana Spencer. This lot costume achieved £435.20 (inc. BP).

Costume designs themselves were also popular with a number being offered for sale. Lot 170 was a collection of three watercolour and pencil designs executed by Michele Clapton for the character
of the Queen. The illustrations, which included fabric swatches and detailed annotations gave an insight into the Emmy Award winning costume designers work. They sold for £5,376 (inc. BP).

Interestingly, many of the pieces featured in the sale were not modern replicas but fine antique furniture and decorative objects. To reproduce the interiors afforded to a Royal household, pieces
had been carefully selected by the set designers. Chimney pieces, toys, ceramics and glass were all available.

Within the The Crown Auction Online Auction lot 168 was a William IV rosewood breakfast table used as part of the Buckingham Palace set. This traditional antique sold for £8,320 (inc. BP).

Lot 200 was a typical lot one might expect to see in a sale of Fine Furniture – a George II chest on chest. This 18th century and later piece of crossbanded walnut had been used as part of the set
for the Queen’s bedroom. With strong bidding it eventually sold for £21,760.

Lot 322 was a French 19th century kingwood, parquetry and cross banded brass mounted liqueur set. The set which is visible in the Audience Room scenes included glasses and decanters. It fetched £5,632 (inc. BP).

The most expensive piece of furniture included in the two auctions was lot 237 – A parquetry and gilt metal mounted cylinder bureau in the Louis XVI style. The bureau, having only been estimated at £2,000 – 3,000 was used by all three of the actresses playing the Queen (Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton). The lot was offered with set dressing, including framed
photographs and desk accessories. The piece was important to the history of the show, having served as a prop during the London stage production of ‘The Audience’ in 2013 – the inspiration
for The Crown series. The eventual online selling price was £46,080 (inc. BP).

On a different note, was lot 58 – two Beswick porcelain models of corgis. A common sight in Antique Centres across the UK, they had been chosen by the Set Decorating Department due to their similarity to pieces found in Windsor Castle. Offered together with an Edwardian silver photo frame containing a picture of a corgi – against a pre-sale estimate of £200 – 300 the charming lot sold for £3,328 (inc. BP).

The highest price paid during The Crown Auction Live Auction was for lot 102 – a 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC car – the vehicle had been used as a double for the late Princess Diana’s Jaguar, driven from 1987 – 1991.

The original, now part of the collection of Jaguar Heritage Trust, was adapted from a two-seater to allow Princes William and Harry to be passengers. Elizabeth Debicki as the Princess can be
seen driving it in the show. The car eventually achieved £70,250 (inc. BP).

The Crown auction highlighted the research and detail required when staging a production such as The Crown. This was evident during the online auction, where seven lots from The Crown’s reference library were on offer. Lot 498 included 90 volumes on the Royal Family – the books were no doubt invaluable to the team involved. The footnote detailed how the production used five full time researchers and other full-time staff to achieve historical accuracy – this lot sold for £2,816 (inc. premium).

This white glove sale of over 470 lots eventually realised over £1.6 million.

RM Sotheby’s Nigel Mansell’s legacy collection auction

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In Britain we have a long association with motor racing, dating back over 120 years. Since those early days, memorabilia connected with motorsport has been a popular area for collectors. Motor racing collectables combine the glamour of the automobile with the excitement of high-octane sport. Today, Formula One memorabilia is perhaps the most desirable field in automobilia collecting.

When RM Sotheby’s announced they would be selling the archive of legendary racing driver Nigel Mansell, collectors were prepared for prices to ‘hurtle’ away.

Nigel Mansell began his career as a Formula One driver in 1980 and continued to race in F1 until 1995. During this period, Mansell won over 30 Grand Prix races and was the 1992 Formula One World Champion. These achievements made him the most successful British racing driver (a record only broken by Sir Lewis Hamilton).

Mansell’s skill as a racing driver went beyond Formula One. Immediately after his 1992 Formula One World Title win, he moved to CART IndyCar for their 1993 the season. Remarkably he won his debut IndyCar World Series. Therefore in 1993 he held both the Formula One World Title and the IndyCar World Series – Mansell is the only driver to have held both titles at the same time.

Nigel Mansell’s extensive collection had previously been on display as part of his museum in Jersey, which closed in 2019.

The collection included over 320 pieces capturing Mansell’s entire career. The sale was held during the early part of October as a week-long online auction, with all lots being offered without reserve.

Prior to the auction RM Sotheby’s had focused publicity on the trophies, racing suits and racing helmets. These pieces, which are the closest associated with racing are typically the most desirable.

Demand was high throughout the sale. The highest prices of the sale were indeed achieved for racing helmets. Lot 142 the 1985 Canon Williams-Honda European Grand Prix racing helmet being the most expensive lot. The European Grand Prix was held at the British racing circuit Brands Hatch in October 1985. The action-packed race saw Nigel Mansell winning his first Grand Prix, beating Ayrton Senna in second place by a margin of over 21 seconds. The important racing helmet which is clearly visible in images for the race sold for £68,400.

The second highest price was achieved by Lot 200 the 1992 Canon Williams-Renault Arai Formula One helmet. This example was worn by Nigel Mansell during his record-breaking World Title winning season for Williams, it reached £61,200. 1992

Like the helmet, pieces connected to the 1992 Formula One title were expectedly the most valuable.

The sale included several significant trophies earned during this F1 World Title winning season for Williams.

The 1992 San Marino Grand Prix 1st place trophy was the most expensive of the collection. The trophy marked Mansell’s fifth win of that competition, making him the first driver to win the first five races of a season. The Automobile Club Bologna trophy was engraved with the names of other former prominent winners including Jim Clark, Niki Lauder, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna. The impressive and large gilt trophy sold for £28,800.

One of the most coveted of the trophies was in fact for a second-place finish. Lot 212 was the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix 2nd place trophy. The race is known as a classic of the sport, with Mansell starting the race from pole position, battling for first place against the eventual race winner Ayrton Senna. This lot eventually sold for £24,000. Nigel Mansell’s pole position trophy from the same event, was also on offer and achieved £16,800.

One of Nigel Mansell’s most remarkable achievements of the 1992 season was the British Grand Prix. Held at Silverstone in July, it was here that he became the most successful British racing driver. Mansell started the race from pole position, going on to win every lap, set the fastest lap and break the track record!

Lot 386 was the trophy awarded for this fantastic first-place finish – bidding was strong, with the virtual gavel falling at £26,400. Lot 223 was a piece commemorating the race – an unusual time-chart captioned “The Ultimate Lap”. To quote Mansell himself “On the last but one lap we smashed the track record”. This piece had been signed and dedicate to Mansell by Williams Racing’s Chief Technical Officer, Paddy Lowe. The final price here was £8,400. While lot 208 the baseball cap worn by Nigel Mansell on the winner’s podium sold for £6,800.

Similarly, the highest price racing suits of the sale were those worn during Nigel Mansell’s 1992 winning season. Lot 199 and 222 were two such examples. Lot 199 was the more complete of the outfits including suit, gloves, and boots. This lot achieved £21,600 whilst lot 222 which included a suit alone sold for £19,200.

Ferrari memorabilia is a strong collecting field within its own right. Therefore, those pieces relating to Mansell’s 1989-1990 seasons driving for Ferrari were of interest. Notably, Mansell was the last racing driver to be selected by Enzo Ferrari himself.

Racing helmets were again the top lots here. Lots 174 and 182 were Scuderia Ferrari helmets worn during the 1989 racing season. They fetched £43,200 and £46,800 respectively. Lot 350 was a trophy awarded to Nigel Mansell by Ferrari. The sculptural trophy was in the form of their iconic prancing horse logo. This award fetched £28,800. A vintage red leather Ferrari briefcase was a stylish addition (lot 103) reaching £3,720. Mansell had a difficult 1990 season with the team and chose to retire afterwards. It was after his return with Williams in 1991 that he achieved his greatest success.

During 1993 to 1994 he moved away from Formula One. Mansell signed with Newman/ Haas to drive in the CART IndyCar World series. As mentioned previously, he was immediately very successful, winning his first ever IndyCar race! He went on to win the World Series, winning five races out of sixteen. Helmets, suits, and trophies were again the most valuable lots, with four of the helmets achieving over £25,000 each. One of the more curious lots was lot 250 a podium wreath decorated with beer cans given as part of the 1993 IndyCar Miller Genuine Draft 200 race. This lot sold for £3,000.

Now to some of the more unusual lots. Lot 106 was a personalised number plate ‘5 NM’. The plate made reference to Nigel Mansell’s initials and his association with red number 5 during his career. Red Number 5 was the name given to his winning Williams Formula 1 racing car. The number plate offered with a presale estimate of £30,000 – 60,000 and sold for £50,400.

On a similar theme was lot 205 a petrol pump designed with Nigel Mansell livery and the red number 5, commemorating his 1992 World Title win. This decorative piece of automabilia sold for £15,600.

Champagne is a drink closely associated with motorsport and several bottles were available. The highest price for a bottle was lot 198, an unopened magnum of Moet & Chandon given to the 1991 British Grand Prix ‘Driver of the Day’. The label was signed in silver ink by several celebrities apparently including Sean Connery. This impressive bottle fetched £3,240.

Also of note were two letters from Prime Minister John Major offered together as lot 202. The typed letters congratulate Nigel Mansell on his wins in Formula One and IndyCar. They were each signed and inscribed ‘Dear Nigel’ and on Downing Street headed paper. The pair eventually achieved £6,900.

The successful auction achieved total selling price of over £2 million.

Formula One collectors will now be looking ahead to the RM Sotheby’s auction scheduled for early November. This sale will include the collection of the late racing driver and two-time World Champion Graham Hill.

Sir Roger Moore

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The Personal Collection – Auction Review

For the art world, autumn brings a new season of exciting and ‘must view’ auctions. Last week Bonhams, London held one of the most electrifying – ‘Sir Roger Moore – The Personal Collection’.

Sir Roger Moore (1927 – 2017), was one of the most recognisable and treasured actors of his generation. He was widely adored by fans for his appearances as James Bond, as well as Simon Templar in The Saint and Lord Brett Sinclair in The Persuaders! to name a few.

The James Bond film ‘Octopussy’ (1983) starring Sir Roger Moore captures a fictional auction, with competitive bidding in a crowded saleroom (on that occasion for a “Faberge egg”). This scene could almost have been replicated on the sale day at Bonhams busy New Bond Street galleries.

The ‘white glove’ sale included over 220 lots, which took over nine hours to sell. The collection, which was being offered on behalf of the late star’s family, unsurprisingly garnered widespread presale interest from the media, enthusiasts, and collectors alike.

Much of the sale focused on Sir Roger Moore’s acting career, with scripts, awards and costumes all going under the hammer. Many lots related directly to James Bond, which is one of the strongest areas in film memorabilia collecting. Fittingly, this year marks 50 years since the actor’s first appearance in the role. Sir Roger was enormously influential as a taste maker in gentlemen’s fashion. Therefore, clothing, accessories and timepieces were some of the lots ‘to watch’. Antiques and art from the stars collection indicated his taste as a collector.

Early in the auction, various desk accessories, pens and stationery were offered produced by the likes of Montblanc, Cartier, and Gucci. Lot 3 was one such lot, an ‘RM’ monogrammed Gucci address and notebook – despite the original pages having been replaced with facsimiles (and the numbers having been removed) it offered a glimpse into Sir Roger’s showbusiness circle, including details for figures such as Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Kirk Douglas, HRH Princess Margaret, Paul McCartney, and Sidney Poitier. Estimated at £1,000 – 1,500 it achieved £6,400 (inc BP). Perhaps more surprising was the price achieved for Lot 6 a Morocco leather monogrammed stationery rack. The lot which included Sir Roger Moore letterheaded notepaper was estimated at £80 – 120. The final total sales price was £8,960 ( inc BP).

Sir Roger was an avid backgammon player and as James Bond notably competed on screen against villain Kamal Khan in a key scene of the movie Octopussy. The market for backgammon is currently particularly strong – the buzz during the viewing indicated the two lots of cased backgammon sets (Lot 10 and Lot 11) would far exceed their estimates.

Lot 10 was a personalised set embossed with the actor’s name. The footnote for the lot credited this example as having been used on the set of James Bond by Sir Roger to play against producer ‘Cubby’ Broccoli. The pre-sale estimate of £300 – 500 indicated the value of the set rather than the interesting provenance, it eventually sold for £15,360 (inc. B.P). The second of the sets Lot 11 was a more modest travelling willow basket example, estimated at £100 – 150, despite the estimate it fetched £10,880 (inc. BP).

In the world of James Bond poster collecting, examples printed in Australia are amongst the most affordable. However, for those included in such a collection this trend, would be tested. Four of the Lots (36, 42, 64 and 164) were Australian daybill posters for the films The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For You Eyes Only and A View To A Kill. Having each been signed by Sir Roger, they were offered with the same estimate of £500 – 700 each, a combined total presale low estimate of £2,000. Their eventual combined total was £46,720 inc BP. Having achieved individually £8,960; £10,240; £14,080 and £13,440 inc BP.

The James Bond franchise provided many modern-day collectors with their first glimpse into the world of luxury watches. Therefore, some of the most sought pieces in the collection were James Bond related watches. The highest price of the entire auction was achieved by Lot 92 a cased presentation set of twenty 007 watches produced by Swatch. Manufactured in 2002 to celebrate the James Bond film anniversary these sets typically fetch at auction between £4,000 – 6,000. This example however had been personally dedicated to Mr. Roger Moore. It had been estimated at £10,000 – 15,000 and sold for £76,660 (inc. BP).

Omega is a brand with a strong connection with James Bond. Lot 158 was an Omega Seamaster bracelet watch, produced in 2012 as a Limited Edition to celebrate ’50 Years of 007’. The clasp bore the inscription ‘To Roger love from Michael and Barbara’, which although not mentioned in the catalogue, may have indicated that the piece was a gift from Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Sold with the accompany box, card and instructions it achieved £57,550 (inc BP, estimate £20,000 – 30,000). The following item Lot 159 was also an Omega wristwatch this time a Speedmaster Automatic MK40 triple calendar chronograph, inscribed ‘Roger Moore’ and dated November 1996. It was offered with presentation box and original warranty – despite an estimate of £5,000 – 7,000 it sold for a total of £61,360.

Sir Roger Moore was known particularly for his impeccable sartorial choices. For the style aficionados the auction included many of his suits, jackets, ties, and cufflinks. Highlights from the sale had even been previewed on Saville Row, with Gieves & Hawkes. Sir Roger had a close association with the designer and tailor Doug Hayward and several pieces designed by him went under the hammer. Foremost amongst them was Lot 170, a double-breasted dinner suit made for Sir Roger’s role in A View To A Kill and worn at the Royal premiere of the film in 1985. The fully labelled costume, the ultimate in James Bond style, sold within estimate at £25,600 (estimate £20,000 – 30,000). To compliment this outfit Lot 178 estimated at £400 – 600 was two black silk bow ties, including one by Turnbull & Asser. They sold for £6,144 (inc BP).

Lot 80 was a collection of twelve ties including five designed by Hayward, with others by Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. The collection sold for a little over a thousand pounds each, with a selling price of £12,160 (estimate £400 – 600).

Roger Moore was well-known for his association with skiing, emphasised by his stunning downhill scenes featured in the James Bond films. However, many of these snowbound acrobatics were performed by a stunt double. According to an interview given by his son Geoffrey Moore prior to the auction, Roger Moore’s film contract did not allow him to ski. In fact, Sir Roger apparently did not take up skiing until preparing for filming of A View To A Kill in 1985. Afterwards Sir Roger was passionate about the sport.

One of the most desirable pieces in the auction was Lot 166 a white ski suit by Bogner purchased for, and identical to that, worn by Sir Roger in the pre-title sequence of A View To A Kill. Such instantly recognisable film costume is rare on the open market. It was sold within the estimate of £15,000 – 25,000, with the total sales price £28,160.

Towards the latter portion of the sale six lots of personally owned skis were included. The top Lot here was 219 a pair of Kästle skis bearing Roger Moore’s printed signature, offered together with a pair of Interport poles. Against an estimate of £800 – 1,200 they sold for £4,864 (inc. BP).

Amongst the awards the ‘star’ lot was saved until last. Lot 224 being the presentation plaque given to Sir Roger Moore to commemorate the placement of his Star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. His ‘Star’ was unveiled three days prior to his 80th birthday on the 11th of October 2007. The commemorative piece was estimated at £10,000 – 15,000 and was offered almost 9.5 hours after the sale had commenced at almost 10:30pm. The final lot was eventually sold to a room bidder for a hammer price of £19,000 (£24,430 inc BP).

The final sale total reached just over £1.1 million against a pre-sale high estimate of around £415,000.

‘Freddie Mercury: A world of his own’ auction

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Over the last few days auctioneers Sotheby’s held what could be described as “the sale of the century” – the collection of the late British rock music icon Freddie Mercury.

Rarely has auction captured the public imagination so powerfully. Sotheby’s dedicated their entire New Bond Street galleries to a month-long preview of the sale, aptly titled ‘Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own’.

The demand has been unprecedented. Almost 150,000 people of all ages and nationalities visited the saleroom to attend the preview, often patiently queuing for over two hours. For many the viewing appeared to be a pilgrimage to pay tribute to Freddie and his career, for others a chance to see a blockbuster event at the intersection of art and celebrity. Freddie’s influence goes far beyond the boundaries of music, he has become a cultural cornerstone, style idol, and one of the definitive figures in British music history.

Freddie left his entire collection (as well as his home Garden Lodge) to his dear friend Mary Austin. Mary has carefully preserved these pieces since Freddie’s untimely death in 1991.

Mary has described having taken the “difficult decision” to sell the collection this year. Due to Freddie’s appreciation for Sotheby’s, the company was chosen as the sale venue. Freddie famously said (as quoted in the book accompanying the sale) “The one thing I would really miss if I left Britain would be Sotheby’s”. Those who knew him speak of Freddie continuing to visit Sotheby’s until a few days prior to his tragic passing.

The sale offered a genuinely unique insight into the private life of the star. The auction of over 1,400 lots was held over six separate sale days. The sessions were arranged to reflect both Freddie’s public career and private collection. Freddie was an avid collector with a keen eye, the different sale days aimed to reveal this. Freddie’s love of Japan, his devotion to his cats, flamboyant wardrobe, appreciation for antiques, dedication to his craft of song writing and success as a member of Queen were all apparent.

The work of instantly recognisable artists and manufacturers were included throughout: Cartier, Tiffany, Lalique, Faberge, Dali, Picasso, Miro to name but a few. Those pieces closely associated with Queen and Freddie Mercury’s career as a singer and songwriter generated some of the strongest prices.

Bidding was fierce during every day and across all areas of the sale – with buyers from across the globe clamouring to own a piece of the Freddie “magic”. Almost all the pre-sale estimates were far exceeded and on some occasions by over a hundred-fold!

I will now take the opportunity to give an overview of each sale day and its highlights.

Day One: The Evening Sale

The Evening Sale was a microcosm of the collection – some fifty-nine lots including major highlights in art, design, jewellery, lyrics, instruments, and stage costume. The atmosphere unlike a typical Sotheby’s evening sale – the packed saleroom crowd seemed there to celebrate Freddie’s life.

The auction started as it meant to go on – Lot 1, the door to Freddie Mercury’s home the Garden Lodge took almost 25 minutes to sell. The green painted door was a London landmark – the exterior entrance to Freddie’s private residence. Now more like a piece of contemporary art having been heavily graffitied by visiting fans. The reverse in contrast was cleanly painted in jade green. The pre-sale estimate of £15,000 – 25,000 was quickly surpassed. The hammer eventually fell at £325,000 (including buyer’s premium £412,750).

Several important pieces reflecting Freddie’s appreciation of Art Nouveau were offered. One of the most striking was the Tiffany Studios seven-light Lily table lamp. Designed circa 1910, it showcased the skill of Louis Comfort Tiffany in producing beautiful products using relatively new technology. The piece was offered with a pre-sale estimate of £8,000 – 12,000 – the final sale price including buyers premium £60,960.

Another Art Nouveau piece of note was lot 6, a gold and jewel mounted agate vesta case created by Faberge. The vesta had been purchased by Freddie from an auction held at Sotheby’s Geneva in May 1991. It sold for a total of £95,250 (including BP, estimate £6,000 – 8,000).

Freddie’s appreciation for Japanese art and design is well known and Sotheby’s dedicated an entire day to this element of the collection. The key piece of Japanese art within the Evening Sale was a woodblock print ‘Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohasi Bridge and Atake’ by Utagawa Hiroshige. The catalogue detailed how Freddie and Mary Austin had sourced the woodblock during a visit to Japan in the 1970s. The estimate of £30,000 – 50,000 indicated the importance of the work, it sold for a total of £292,100 (inc BP).

Jewellery from Freddie’s personal collection generated some of the strongest bidding of the evening. The German silver snake bangle, notably worn by Freddie in the Bohemian Rhapsody music video (as well as numerous other appearances in the 1970s) was estimated at £7,000 – 9,000. Arguably one of the most iconic lots offered in the sale, the hammer eventually fell at £500,000 (£698,500 inc. BP). Another piece of note was Lot 32 an onyx and diamond ring by Cartier. The jewel, reputedly a gift from Elton John to his close friend Freddie, was sold with an estimate of £4,000 – 6,000. The total selling price (inc BP) was £273,050 with 100% of the hammer price being donated to the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Many of Freddie’s biggest fans and most passionate collectors awaited the lots closely associated with his craft as a song writer. Lot 42 was the extremely important signed eight-page manuscript lyrics for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Queen’s most ground-breaking and recognisable song is now a standard of popular music. The manuscript offers a deep insight into Freddie’s process in writing it. The importance of the work was indicated by the pre-sale estimate of £800,000 – 1,200,000. The total selling price was £1,379,000. Lot 44 Freddie’s Yamaha grand piano had been acquired by the star in 1975. The treasured instrument was used to composed many of Queen’s most famous songs and entertain guests at his home. With an estimate of £2m – 3m, prior to the auction Sotheby’s announced it would be offered without reserve. It eventually sold for slightly below the low estimate at £1,742,000.

Lot 57 was perhaps the most recognisable of the stage costumes available. Freddie’s crown and cloak worn on the ‘Magic’ tour during June – August 1986. The outfit had featured in much of the advertising and publicity for the auction. This regalia fit for a king achieved £635,000 (inc. BP – est. £60,000 – 80,000).

The final evening sale total was over £12 million.

Day Two: ‘On Stage’

The second day of the auction concentrated on Freddie Mercury’s professional career as a performer and musician. Costumes, awards (including Gold Discs), rare vinyl and lyrics were all on offer. This area of the sale had been a clear draw with fans during the sale viewing.

Lot 240 a military style jacket created for Freddie and worn at his 39th birthday party in September 1985 (and again worn later the same year at the finale of Fashion Aid) garnered much advanced bidding online. Against an estimate of £12,000 – 16,000 the final total selling price was £457,200.

Gold Discs Sales Awards are always in high demand with collectors, especially when the recipient is the composor. Freddie’s disc collection was a major feature of the auction viewing layout and all sold well. The RIAA Gold Disc presented to Freddie for sales of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ sold for £114,300 (est £4,000 – 6,000).

Lot 110 was one of the most important lots in Queen’s iconography – a collection of Freddie’s pen and ink designs for the band’s logo. The group of drawings included the final version of the iconic insignia. The lot achieved £190,500 (est £8,000 – 12,000).

The total realised for the second day was over £9.4m

Day Three: ‘At Home’

The third day of the sale was comprised of over 250 lots. ‘At Home’ offered the clearest indicated as to Freddie’s interior design style and passion as a collector. The auction resulted in a World Record price for the work of artist Rudi Patterson (British-Jamaican, 1933-2013). Whilst German porcelain, French glass, Chinoiserie inspired objects and furniture, works by Erte, and Icart all featured in number.

Lot 501 was probably one of the most surprising. A 20th century Chinese armchair carved with a dragon motif was estimated at an affordable £300 – 500. The piece was one of Freddie’s first acquisitions – it eventually sold for an astonishing £44,450.

One of the most stylish musical instruments offered during the six days was lot 524 Freddie’s grand piano (and matching stool) by John Broadwood & Sons. The piano in elegant Chinoiserie case was manufactured circa 1934 and purchased by Freddie during the 1970s. Considering the price realised for Yamaha piano sold during the Evening Sale, the estimate of £40,000 – 60,000 for the Broadwood appeared rather modest. Bidders agreed and the final sale total here was £444,500.

Within the Lalique collection, lot 571 the stunning blue Perruches vase, was a highpoint. Designed in 1919 it sold for £34,290 (est £4,000 – 6,000).

The humble auction catalogue was also highly prized. Lot 665 being one such example -the collection of annotated Sotheby’s, Christies and Bonhams 1991 sale catalogues (with invoices) sold for £12,700 (estimate £200 – 300).

Several items of furniture designed by Robin Moore Ede, who worked closely Freddie on the interior of Garden Lodge, were highly desirable. Indicative of Freddie Mercury as host, lot 650 Freddie’s D-shaped bar sold for £120,650 (est. £6,000 – 9,000).

Finally for feline fans lot 642, a silver model of a cat by Sarah Jones, dated 1987 had a pre-sale estimate of just £100 – 150. The lot sold for £21,590.

The eventual total for the third day was just over £5.3 million.

Day Four: ‘In Love with Japan’

The fourth day focused entirely on Freddie’s Japanese collection. His love affair with the Japan began in 1975 and continued throughout his life. The sale of 200 lots, included 37 lots of woodblock prints, 56 lots of kimonos, as well as decorative ceramics, silver, lacquer work and cloisonne.

Within the woodblocks Lot 1029 Ito Shinsui’s ‘Woman Wearing an Undersash’ reflected both Freddie’s love of kimono and Japanese prints. The beautiful scene sold for £38,100 (est. £1,000 – 1,500).

Several decorative boxes were included, part of the collection of traditional crafts or kôgei that Freddie treasured. The highest priced piece here was for lot 1056, a Taisho period document box by Wajim Keizuka selling for £76,200 (the estimate £4,000 – 6,000).

Lot 1063 an Ando style vase was one of the most desirable pieces of cloisonne. Decorated with koi carp and produced during the Meiji / Taisho period it was estimated at £1,500 – 2,000 but eventually sold for £57,100.

Freddie wore kimono at home and on stage and they served as presents for friends. The leading kimono in the collection (lot 1162) had been displayed prominently in the galleries. This decorative garment was offered at £1,200 – 1,800 with the final sales price reaching £27,940.

The Japanese collection final total was over £2.6 million.

Day Five & Six: Crazy Little Things 1 & 2

Potentially the most affordable lots of the sale were the offered during two online auctions titled ‘Crazy Little Things’. Bidding was available for over a month allowing interested spectators to see prices creep higher and higher.

Almost 700 lots were sold during these two auctions. Several items were estimated at levels almost unheard of for Sotheby’s since the 1980s. However, Freddie fever had now taken hold and bidding was not for the faint hearted.

Part 1 contained additional property from Freddie’s home. Cats featured heavily. Lot 1502 was described humorously as ‘a motley group of feline ornaments’. The clowder included twenty-nine in total and appeared to have been amassed by Freddie over several years.

They had been estimated at £300 – 500, a low estimate of a little over £10 each. The collection sold for £30,480! Similarly, lot 1513 a dish in the form of a cat was estimated at a meagre £40 – 60. Manufactured by Americn company N.S. Gustin the online bidding ended at £12,065 (inc. BP).

Lot 1782 Freddie’s 1982 BT red plastic rotary phone my well have been a world record price. Against an estimate of £1,000 – 2,000 it achieved £8,890.

Freddie’s decorative shower door, emblazoned with his initials was sold as lot 1794. The striking bathroom accessory reached £12,700 (est. £500 – 700).

Part 2 focussed on Freddie as a performer, with most of the lots being awards, ephemera and clothing.

Again, awards relating to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ were amongst the most esteemed. Lot 2039 the British BPI Award for sales of over 500,000 copies sold for £152,400 (est. £3,000 – 5,000).

Freddie’s aviator sunglasses had been offered with a guide of £2,000 – 3,000. However, such a recognisable piece would always be prized. The selling price here was £40,040.

Finally, to (possibly) the most talked about lot of the auction – the penultimate item in the sale lot 2348 Freddie Mercury’s silver Tiffany & Co. moustache comb. A replica or Freddie’s famous moustache had hung above the entrance way to Sotheby’s London headquarters for over a month – a symbol of the star. With an estimate of only £400 – 600 the virtual hammer fell at £152,400.

The combined total for ‘Crazy Little Things’ was over £10.3million bringing the total for the entire event (including buyer’s premium) to just under £40 million.

Rachel Doerr spoke with Mike Moran, English musician, songwriter, composer and record producer, following the auction who said ‘Wonderful but strange experience to see many of these treasures somewhere other than beautiful Garden Lodge. Spotted a couple of presents I’d given Freddie as Christmas and birthday presents plus some of my scribbled music and lyrics for the Barcelona lots which went for a bit over £157,500.(wish I’d kept a couple!)’- Mike Moran Sept 15, 2023

Mike Moran studied at the Royal College of Music in London prior to becoming a session musician and a composer and arranger. Moran has worked with many musicians, including Ozzy Osbourne, George Harrison and various members of Queen. He was co-producer, arranger, keyboards performer and co-author of all the tracks on the album Barcelona, the classical crossover collaboration between Freddie Mercury and opera singer Montserrat Caballé, released in 1988.

Decoding Bencharong Porcelain

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During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Bencharong porcelain was considered Thailand’s most valuable ceramic ware and is still widely celebrated in Thai culture today.

First commissioned by the royal Thai court from the late Ayutthaya period (1351-1767), Bencharong wares were produced in a variety of shapes, colours, and sizes, featuring both religious and secular motifs.

Three Bencharong wares on display at the newly reopened Humboldt Forum.

Three Bencharong wares on display at the newly reopened Humboldt Forum.

These pieces are instantly recognizable for their bright palette, geometric patterns, and frequent appearance of Thai Buddhist scenes. The name “Bencharong” means “five colours” in Thai; however, most Bencharong palettes range from three to eight colours.

The Bencharong palette first included yellow, black, white, red, and turquoise. Later, blue, orange, purple, and pink increasingly appeared.There is more than meets the eye, however, as this quintessentially “Thai” form was crafted entirely in China at Jingdezhen!

The most common theory for Bencharong’s name cites a literal translation from Bencharong’s Chinese Ming predecessor, wucai (“five colours” in Chinese). Another theory links the name to bencharongse, a Thai cotton dyeing technique with a similar five-colour palette, dating to the Sukhothai period (1238-1438).

Techniques

Bencharong techniques closely resemble those of Ming and Qing wucai (sometimes called yingcai in the Qing Dynasty or famille verte, noire, or jaune). Like Bencharong, wucai was also glazed, double fired, and decorated with three-to-eight polychrome enamels.

The primary differences between domestic wuai and Bencharong are Bencharong’s different colour palette (particularly turquoise), which catered to Thai tastes, its lack of underglaze blue, and its enamel, which was more thickly applied.Bencharong enamels also cover the entire surface of the body, displaying no white porcelain, unlike many of their domestic Chinese counterparts.

Bencharong’s production history is difficult to reconstruct, as no commission records remain. However, recent excavations at Jingdezhen have revealed decorated Bencharong sherds, suggesting that Bencharong wares were both fired and decorated at Jingdezhen, during a period when some export wares were only fired at Jingdezhen and decorated after export.

Closeup of a wucai famille verte dish on display at the Holburne Museum. Both familie verte and Bencharong emply the same porcelain techniques.

Closeup of a wucai famille verte dish on display at the Holburne Museum. Both familie verte and Bencharong emply the same porcelain techniques.

Dating and Uses

One useful technique to date Bencharong objects is by palette. Objects such as the one below (currently on display at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin) can be dated to the eighteenth century because nineteenth- century pieces often heavily feature pink or gold, a technique called Lai Nam Thong.

This piece also minimizes use of purple and blue, meaning that it was unlikely produced after 1800. When examining an object, don’t forget to examine the interior, which can provide useful clues! For example, turquoise interiors are only found in earlier Bencharong wares. Precise dating is typically unreliable, as Bencharong styles did not always align with Thai reigns.

18th century Bencharong lidded bowl on display at the Humboldt Forum, featuring a Thai Buddhist figure called a thephanom.

18th century Bencharong lidded bowl on display at the Humboldt Forum, featuring a Thai Buddhist figure called a thephanom.

Bencharong was often used as a dining ware, and therefore often came in matching sets.

Early Bencharong court wares also sometimes served as containers for cosmetics or medicine.

Initially, Bencharong was only produced for the Thai court, but high nineteenth-century demand necessitated expanded production for Thai nobility and merchants.

In the nineteenth century, King Rama II so admired Bencharong that he attempted to produce copies himself, as he was an amateur artist!

Visual Characteristics

Bencharong decorations often reflect traditional artistic tastes across Thai media. Bencharong’s most common motifs include geometric patterns, Buddhist or Hindu iconography, mythic or literary creatures, and Thai flora and fauna.

The entire surface of the Buddhist lidded bowl at the Humboldt Forum is covered with polychrome enamels in red, navy, turquoise, white, yellow, and green, with floral bands and motifs surrounding Buddhist figures. These bands typically frame primary motifs and are either plain or subtly decorated.

The various floral patterns, particularly the yellow stem pattern at the top of the bowl, are commonly found in Buddhist Bencharong wares. The red band near the bottom of the bowl and repeated throughout the lid is a lai kruay cherng pattern (a funnel motif) depicting repeating tri-lobed flowers.

Given Buddhism’s predominance in Thailand, many Bencharong wares depict scenes specific to Thai Theravada Buddhism. This scene takes place in the Himaphan forest, a lower Buddhist heaven. At the center of the primary scene sits a thephanom on a red medallion shaped like a lotus petal, with his hands in anjali mudra.

The thephanom is a minor celestial being in Thai Theravada Buddhism, often mistaken by contemporary viewers for a Buddha. He wears jewellery and an ornate Thai headdress.

Although he is featured alone here, he is often surrounded by norasinghs, Thai Buddhist semi-deities who flank the thephanom and can be identified by their human upper body and lion/ deer mixture lower body.

Collecting Bencharong

Bencharong remains a popular form in museums and in private collections throughout the world, with a demand for a contemporary reproduction market in Thailand. Taking your Bencharong wares to a valuer may help you determine whether your objects are antiques or are contemporary reproductions.

Bencharong reveals a rich history of trade, religious activity at Thailand’s royal court, and upper-class desires to emulate royal tastes.

Further academic examination of the history of Bencharong may result in a better understanding of China’s historical relationship with Thailand, religious and secular imagery in Early-Bangkok Period art, merchant trade culture, and the upper class’ relationship with the royal Thai court.

Meanwhile, there is plenty Bencharong for us to enjoy in public collections, such as the Humboldt Forum, the V&A, and the British Museum!

Andy Warhol’s Birthday

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Andy Warhol, born Andrew Warhola, was born on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Slovakian immigrant parents. Andy was the fourth of five children, his father worked as a construction worker, and his mother was a homemaker and they lived in a working-class neighbourhood in Pittsburgh.

Andy was ‘dogged’ by illness, at the age of eight, he contracted a rare and severe illness called Sydenham’s chorea. This left him bedridden for several months, during which time his mother helped fill his days by giving him drawing lessons, which ignited his passion for art. Andy attended Schenley High School in Pittsburgh, where he demonstrated early artistic talent and where he was recognised and encouraged in these abilities. After graduating in 1945, he went on to study at the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh.

After completing his studies in 1949, Andy moved to New York City, where he began his career as a commercial artist and illustrator. He worked for magazines, advertising agencies, and retail stores, quickly gaining recognition for his unique and imaginative art style.

By the late 1950s, he had started experimenting with Fine Art and had begun producing paintings, drawings, and prints. He found his inspiration in everyday objects and popular culture, leading him to create many of the works that would become iconic representations of the Pop Art movement and synonymous with Andy Warhol.

In the 1960s, he established his now famous studio space called “The Factory.” It was a hub for creative collaborations, attracting artists, musicians, writers, and celebrities, alike and it rapidly became a centre for the avant-garde in New York City.

Warhol’s fascination with celebrity culture led him to create portraits of many famous personalities, including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Andy Warhol’s creativity extended way beyond painting and drawing and he ventured into film, creating the experimental movies “Chelsea Girls” (1966) and “Empire” (1964), a slow-motion film of the Empire State Building.

Andy Warhol, well known for his contributions to the Pop Art movement and his choice of subjects for his art, was heavily influenced not only by celebrity and popular culture but also brand names, crime and for some reason car crashes. Some of his most famous paintings include the following:

The market for Warhol’s work has existed from day one and interest from buyers is truly international, with his work being sold across the world, where it is both a highlight and a mainstay of all the major and minor auction houses and galleries across the world. His major works continue to change hands for multi-million pound sums and the second and third most expensive Warhol works sold at auction to date are as follows:

Andy Warhol's art and history

Behind the scenes Andy Warhol is just as fascinating, here are a few little known facts about him.

Time Capsules:
Warhol was an avid collector and archivist. He had a fascination with preserving everyday items and created what he called “Time Capsules.” These Time Capsules were essentially cardboard boxes in which he stored various objects such as newspapers, correspondence, photographs, art supplies, and random items from his daily life. Over the years, he filled over 600 of these Time Capsules, which provide a unique insight into his life and the culture of the time.

Religious Devotion:
Despite his flamboyant and controversial public persona, Warhol was a devout Byzantine Catholic. He attended church regularly, and his religious beliefs played a significant role in his life. He even commissioned religious-themed artworks, including several portraits of Jesus Christ.

Art Collector:
Warhol was an enthusiastic art collector and he had his own extensive collection of art, including works by fellow contemporary artists and art pieces from various periods and styles. Following his death, Sotheby’s auction house held a nine-day auction in 1988 where they sold off more than 10,000 items from Warhol’s personal collection, which fetched tens of millions of dollars.

Underground Filmmaker:
As mentioned earlier in this piece Warhol is well-known for his contributions to the visual arts and he was also a pioneer in underground filmmaking. In the 1960s, he produced a series of experimental films that challenged traditional cinematic conventions. One of his most famous films is “Sleep” (1963), which depicts his friend John Giorno sleeping for over five hours. Warhol’s films often explored themes of monotony, voyeurism, and the passage of time.

Wig-Wearing Icon:
Andy Warhol’s signature silver-white wig became an essential part of his public image. He began wearing wigs in the 1960s to create a distinctive look, and it quickly became one of his trademarks. The wig allowed him to transform his appearance and present himself as an enigmatic figure in the art world and popular culture

Cookbook Author:
In 1959, Warhol and his friend Suzie Frankfurt co-authored a quirky and amusing cookbook titled “Wild Raspberries.” The book, which was never intended to be a practical guide to cooking, featured illustrations and handwritten recipes for dishes like “Omelet Greta Garbo” and “Piglet a la Cubist.” This limited edition book is now a highly sought-after collector’s item.

These lesser known facts highlight the diverse and eccentric aspects of Andy Warhol’s life and artistic pursuits. His impact on various forms of art and culture continues to be influential and celebrated to this day.

Throughout his life, Andy Warhol continued to push the boundaries of art, leaving a lasting impact on the art world and popular culture. His early experiences and upbringing shaped his artistic style and many of the themes he explored in his work.

 

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