Auction News Network

Andrew Jackson Defends His Duel

In 1806, long before he was President, Andrew Jackson fought a duel –one of 13 during his lifetime–in which he killed Nashville Attorney Charles Dickenson. On February 6, 1806 Jackson wrote a statement for the Nashville paper offering his side of the story. The signed document will go on sale at Swann’s (est. $10-$$15,000) on November 4, along with an eclectic mix of Americana.

Most Valuable Movie Poster Ever?

Only one copy exists of Universal’s 1935 teaser one sheet Style E movie poster for “The Bride of Frankenstein,” now in the Todd Feiertag Collection. Heritage will offer it at their Beverly Hills Signature Movie Poster Auction on November 11-13, when it’s expected to sell for over $700,000.

24.98-Carat Diamond At Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s calls the stone “one of the world’s great diamonds,” which may not be an exaggeration. The 24.98 carat Fancy Intense Pink Diamond –rare, large, and of exceptional quality–hasn’t been on the market for some 60 years. When Sotheby’s offers it on November 16^th in Geneva, it’s expected to sell for a weighty $27-$38 million.

Big Sale For “Charlotte’s Web” Cover Art

“Just about perfect” was how novelist Eudora Welty described E.B. White’s 1952 children’s book, “Charlotte’s Web,” and generations of readers have agreed with her.  Bidders at Heritage rendered a similar judgment on the novel’s classic cover art by Garth Williams, which sold on Friday for $155,000, or six times its presale estimate.

Soccer Great George Best’s Awards At Bonhams

Not surprisingly, the late Northern Irish soccer legend George Best accumulated a variety of awards during his storied playing career. Bonhams is selling a collection of them on October 20, when the top lot will be his 1968 European Cup winner’s medal awarded after Manchester United’s victory over Benfica, Portugal. It’s expected to sell for $144-$192,000.

Update: Best’s 1968 European Cup winner’s medal sold for $245,000, more than $50,000 above its highest estimate.

Rare Audrey Hepburn Stamps In Berlin

The original 2002 German stamp showed an image of Audrey Hepburn with a cigarette holder. When her son Sean Ferrer—an anti-tobacco advocate—objected, the stamp was withdrawn and all but a few copies destroyed. Tomorrow, for the benefit of charity, Ferrer will offer a very rare unused sheet of the stamps at auction in Berlin, where it’s expected to fetch at least $563,000.

Update: The sheet of ten stamps sold for $606,000.

Bonhams Offers Vintage Motorcycles

Stellar racing bikes along with an eclectic mix of vintage motorcycles highlight Bonhams’ sale of Collectors’ Motorcycles and Related Memorabilia on October 17 in Staffordshire. Highest expectations among the more than 200 cycles on offer are for a rare 1929 Brough Superior Overhead 680, estimated at $104-$136,000.

Update: The 1929 Brough Superior sold above estimates for $150, 764.  An ex-Helmut Fath 1966 URS, which won the the 1971 World Championships, fetched even more: $164,893.

Warhol, Auerbach & Kiefer At Sotheby’s

Lucien Freud’s portrait of a pregnant Jerry Hall has gotten the lion’s share of pre-sale attention among offerings at Sotheby’s auction of Contemporary Art in London tomorrow evening. A variety of more valuable works will be offered, however, including Andy Warhol’s “Diamond Dust Shoes”(est. $2.1-$2.6 million) and “Flowers”(est. $1-$1.4 million), Frank Auerbach”s “Head of Helen Gillespie”(est. $1.1-$1.4 million), and Anselm Kiefer’s “Bohmen Liegt Am Meer”(est. $800,000-$1.1 million).

Update: Warhol’s “Diamond Dust Shoes” more than doubled its low estimate, realizing $2.5 million; Auerbach’s “Head of Helen Gillespie,” part of the Jerry Hall collection, sold for $1.7 million; and Kiefer’s “Bohmen Liegt Am Meer” fetched $1,175,940. Lucien Freud’s small portrait of a pregnant Jerry Hall scored a $963,202 sale, or double its low estimate, all of which suggests the recovery of the contemporary art market is rocketing along.

Bonhams In Dubai

With sales across several categories, including collector cars, art and watches, Bonham’s brought in a total of $4.4 million at its October 11th auctions in Dubai. Two BMW’s – the first ever to have been offered from BMW’s office factory collection – set new world records for their models, and a mixed media piece by Jawad Salim set a record for the late Iraqi artist, selling for $384,000.

Francis Bacon’s $10 Million Gift To Doctor

After finishing “Figure In Movement” in 1985, Francis Bacon gave the portrait of a figure in cricket pads to his friend and physician Dr. Paul Brass. For the past ten years it’s been on loan at the Tate, but on November 9th Sotheby’s will offer the work in New York, where it’s expected to sell for $7-$10 million.

Koons’ Balloon At Christie’s

For years, as part of the Daimler Corporate Art Collection, it adorned Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz. Now Christie’s will offer Jeff Koons’ monumental outdoor sculpture “Balloon Flower (Blue)” at its November Post-war and Contemporary sale, where it’s expected to sell for  $12-$16 million.

20th Century Italian Masterworks At Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s turns its focus to 20^th Century Italian art in a London sale featuring major works by Lucio Fontana, Marino Mariani, Giorgio de Chirico and Alberto Burri. Top lots at the October 15^th sale, which has become a yearly event for Sotheby’s, are expected to be de Chicico’s “Interno Metafisico (Natura Morta Metafisica)” and Lucio Fontana’s “Concetto Spaziale, Attese,” each of which is estimated to sell for up to $4 million.

Mirage Jet To Be Sold

Artcurial is auctioning a Mirage Jet at its Oct.29^th sale in Paris. The first major production model flew 50 years ago.  The sale is to celebrate its maiden flight.

3-City Wine Auction at Bonhams

Most of the recent news about wine has concerned last week’s stellar auctions in Hong Kong, where Chinese collectors displayed an apparently insatiable appetite for rare and ever more valuable vintages. There is, however, activity on these shores as well. Bonhams will hold a 3-city wine auction on October 16, with sales in New York and San Francisco, simulcast in Los Angeles.

Spirits To Be Lifted

As in all good mysteries, you never know what’s behind the bookcase. In this case, Christie’s is auctioning 2000 bottles of rare whiskey found in a vault concealed behind a bookcase in an Italian villa. They were labeled, “for medicinal use” and had been hidden for many years.