An orrery, as mavens of vintage scientific instruments may know, is a mechanical model of the solar system. W & S Jones produced the George III example that Christie’s will be offering on April 25th. The intricate 1794 device has a a disc showing phases of the moon, mounted on a complex multi-wheeled mechanism, with a secondary ring graduated with the signs of the Zodiac. Christie’s anticipates a price of $47,580-$79,300.The auction’s top valued lot is a painting by Augustin Brunias (c. 1740-1796). “A Negroes Dance in the Island of Dominica” is a depiction of island life. Brunias had traveled to the West Indies in 1763 while employed by Sir William Young, who was appointed first Governor of Dominica in 1770. Two other featured lots are early globes. One is a 17th century copy (c.1615) of the Hondius Celestrial Globe (est. $39,650-$55,510). The second, produced about a century later, is a German 8-inch armillary Sphere attributed to Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr (est. $39,650-$55,510).
An Orrery & Other Curious Devices At London Sale
April 18, 2012
Most Successful Art Auction Ever
May 16, 2013With metronomic regularity, works of Contemporary Art soared to dizzying prices at Christie’s last night in New York, as the auction house achieved a record $496m, the highest ever in the history of art auctions. Most works exceeded their high estimates, and 15 new artist records were set, including the $58.4m that a buyer paid for Jackson Pollock’s “Number 19, 1948,” which turned out to be the star of the evening.
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Bizarre Topless Photo of Jolie, $45,500
May 16, 2013A bizarre topless photo of Angelina Jolie called “Horseplay” sold at Christie’s London auction last night for $45,500. The “Wild Side of Photography” sale was scheduled well before Jolie’s double mastectomy announcement. Taken when she was 25, the photo also prominently displays a “Billy Bob” tattoo, referring to former husband Thornton who has since been removed from her shoulder and her life.
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Spotlight On Contemporary Art In New York
May 13, 2013Last week in New York, as major auction houses took in more than $473m, the spotlight was on Impressionist & Modern Art. This week, the focus shifts to the more uncertain field of Contemporary Art, with several hundred works coming up for sale. The action starts tomorrow at Sotheby’s, where a blue abstract by Barnett Newman, “Onement VI,” owned by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, is expected to sell for $30m-$40m.
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Rising Value of Unrestored Cars
By Malcolm Welford, Vintage Car Specialist
