Auction News Network

Bizarre Topless Photo of Jolie, $45,500

A 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.

JP Morgan’s Jewel Collection Catalog For $130,000?

Collectors are accustomed to paying for glossy catalogs but nothing like the $130,000 Christie’s estimates will be bid just for a catalog, that is prints of JP Morgan’s jewelry and objets d’art collection. At lesser prices, catalogs of his watches and miniatures collections also will be offered at the November 21 sale in London.

Warhol’s “Screamer Print Sells For $450,000

In Warhol’s his version of Munch’s famous woodprint, The Screamer’s face is violent red, and the background hues of the original bridge scene are morphed into vibrant pop art colors. Apparently, collectors love the transformation. The Warhol print sold yesterday at Sotheby’s, London, for $405,000.

Hockney’s Works On Paper At Christie’s

Several years ago, David Hockney returned from California to his native England and began producing a series of landscapes, making use of his iPad, among other technologies. Today these works fill the galleries of London’s Royal Academy in a massive show that will last until June. Inspired by that exhibition, Christie’s will offer a sale of 147 of his works on paper. “Rake’s Progress,” the top lot at the February 16^th auction in London, is a set of 16 etchings with aquatint in black and red, estimated at $235,500-$314,000.

$10m For “Birds of America?”

Of the 120 copies that are known to exist of John James Audubon’s 4-volume magnum opus, “Birds of America,” just 13 copies are in private hands. All the other copies of the set, generally considered the finest color-plate book of ornithology ever produced, are in private institutions. Sometime after 1838 the Duke of Portland bought the first edition that Christie’s will offer in New York on January 20^th, when it’s expected to sell for $7m-$10m.

Audubon Bargain: Quadruped Lithographs

Many are familiar with Audubon’s paintings of North American birds, few are also aware he did 155 illustrations of North America’s 4-legged mammals, “The Quadrupeds.” A complete collection of 155 of the hand colored lithographs will be auctioned by Bonham’s on Oct.18^th in New York. The high estimate is $55,000, only a fraction of what the bird paintings sell for.

American Impressionist Leads Skinner Sale

There are works by better known artists than Theodore Robinson at Skinner’s auction of paintings, prints and photographs early next month – Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, and Maurice Utrillo are just a few. There are no more highly valued paintings, however, than the noted American Impressionist’s “Hansom Cabs,” an evocative late 19^th century depiction of New York carriages that’s estimated at $120,000-180,000.

Tony Curtis Estate Heads To Block

Tony Curtis acted in over 100 films, but he’ll always be best known for his hot streak in the late 1950’s and early 60’s, when he established his chops in both drama (“Sweet Smell of Success” and “The Defiant Ones”) and comedy (the classic “Some Like It Hot”). Along the way Curtis, who died last September, was also a serious painter. On September 17 Beverly Hills-based Julien’s will sell his art collection and memorabilia, including the iconic yachtman’s jacket he wore in his kissing scene with Marilyn Monroe in “Some Like It Hot.” It’s estimated at $10,000-$15,000.

Swann’s To Offer Marc Chagall’s Bible

In 1931 Parisian art dealer and publisher Ambroise Vollard sent artist Marc Chagall to Palestine to get a feel for Biblical landscapes. What resulted some 25 years later was Chagall’s “Bible,” a suite of 105 black-and-white etchings depicting Old Testament scenes. Just 275 numbered copies were produced, and Swann Galleries will sell one of these at its April 28^th Old Master Through Modern Prints auction, where it’s estimated at $100,000-$150,000.

Update: The Chagall Bible sold for $156,000, and the Egon Schiele for $78,000.

“Lady Chatterley’s Lover” & A Rare Atlas

At the time of publication, D.H. Lawrence’s “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” was considered too risqué to be produced in England, so the first edition of 1000 numbered copies was printed at Orioli in Italy. Cheffins, in Cambridge, England, is selling one of these numbered copies, signed by D.H. Lawrence, at its Specialist Books, Maps and Prints sale on February 23, when it’s expected to fetch $4000-$4850.

Whistler’s “Nocturne” Sets Print Record

At Swann’s two-day print sale this week, James A.M. Whistler’s etching, “Nocturne”(1879-80), sold for $282,000, a new world auction record for a Whistler print. It was also the highest price ever fetched by a print at Swann’s.

Chinese Art Prices Soar, Japanese Sag

The famous print collection came under the heading of the “Beres Japanese” when it was auctioned Sept.16-19, in Paris.  Compared even to 20 years ago, the results were lackluster, except for a few prints by acknowledged masters of the 1800’s.  In the same week, Christie’s held two sales of Chinese art where prices smashed all previous records.

More Art From Lehman Brothers

Much of the Lehman Brothers collection of postwar and contemporary art has already been sold, but a number of choice items remain. Sotheby’s will offer 147 lots, including items from the Neuberger Berman collection, later this week. Highlights include works by Damien Hirst, John Baldessari, and Ed Ruscha.

Rare Munch Madonna At Bonhams

Between 1895 and 1902 Norwegian painter Edvard Munch completed a variety of impressions of the Madonna, a series that emerged in seven different states. At its Print sale next week Bonhams will offer one of the earliest versions, a hand-colored print that has never been seen in public. It’s expected to sell for between $755,000 and $1.05 million.

UPDATE: The Munch sold for $1.89 million.

“Silver Liz” Goes On The Block

A hand painted  silk screen by Warhol called, “Silver Liz,” because of the silver background that highlights her violet eyes, will go on sale at Christie’s in London on June 30, 2010. The work has not been seen in public for 20 years. It is expected to fetch between $8 million and $11 million, but could go much higher.