Auction News Network

Forged Art Stash in Portugal

Forged Art Stash in Portugal

Police in Portugal revealed they have busted a major art forgery ring with the discovery of 130 phony paintings ranging from Picasso to Miro, Munch, Chagall, Kandinsky, even da Vinci, accompanied by fake certificates of authenticity. Cops say the forgers might have been peddling for years.

Russian Art Sales Begin At Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s kicks off its autumn Russia sales in London this evening with an auction of recently rediscovered Romanov heirlooms. Hidden in pillowcases in the Swedish foreign office for some 90 years, the hoard includes a collection of 19^th century jewelry and cigarette cases. Later in the evening, Sotheby’s will launch the first of three art sales. Top lot is expected to be Alexandra Exter’s Venice, estimated at $1.4-$1,9 million.

Ireland Bank Sells Off Art

With the spectre of Lehman Brothers’ art sell-off in the background, the Bank of Ireland sold a portion of its art collection at an auction in Dublin.  All but one of the 145 works went for a total of $2 million. The money goes to community art projects, not debt holders.

Truffle Sells For $330,000

A Macau billionaire named Stanley Ho has paid $330,000 for a 2.87 pound white truffle at an auction. The sale, which was simulcast in London, Rome, and Macau, raised $417,200 for a variety of charities.  Ho is chairman of SJM Holdings, the largest casino operator in Asia.

Jewelry Records In Hong Kong

A Fancy Intense Pink rectangular-cut 14.23-carat diamond ring sold today at Christie’s in Hong Kong for $23.16 million. It was the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction in Asia –a new high in a $78.9 million sale that set a record for a jewelry auction in Asia.

Audubon’s “Birds of America” At Sotheby’s

It’s among the world’s great art trophies: an original copy of John James Audubon’s “Birds of America.” Only about half of the original 200 copies still exist; just 11 are in private hands. When Sotheby’s London offers the book on December 7th, it’s expected to sell for $6.2-$9.3 million.

Plan To Auction a Movie

A director hoping to be accepted at the Sundance Film Festival plans on auctioning his horror movie on the spot to the highest bidding distributor. Kevin Smith launched his first film, “Clerks,” from Sundance exposure in 1994.

World Record Chinese Snuff Bottles

An enameled gold-ground glass Chinese snuff bottle sold at Bonhams Hong Kong for $1.16 million, almost four times its estimate and a new world record. It was a further sign of the remarkable strength of the Chinese art market.

Duchess of Windsor’s Jewels

They were sold once before, 23 years ago at the time of the Duchess of Windsor’s death. Now Sotheby’s will offer twenty pieces from her collection again at a London auction on November 30. A highlight is the Onyx and Diamond Panther bracelet Cartier created for her in 1952; it’s expected to sell for $1.6-$2.4 million.

Update: Bidders ponied up $12.5 million at the record-breaking sale, several times more than its estimate. It was the highest price single owner auction of jewelry every recorded. The Cartier panther bracelet sold for almost $7 million, or three times its estimate, making it the most expensive bracelet ever sold at auction.

Rockwell Painting at Chicago Auction

Work by Norman Rockwell highlights a December 12 auction in Chicago staged by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Earlier, in New York after Thanksgiving, a full week of American art will be highlighted at numerous Upper East Side galleries and auction houses.

Twain’s Hand Written Manuscript Sold

Long before Xerox machines, Mark Twain submitted his manuscripts in long hand. His travel book detailing an excursion across Europe was called, “A Tramp Abroad.” A 38-page chapter from that book sold at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago for $79,300, nearly $30,000 more than the high estimate.

World Record For Avedon

“Dovima with elephants,” an iconic image by photographer Richard Avedon, sold for $1.16 million this past weekend at Christie’s in Paris. It was a new world record for the artist, and considerably above what Christie’s had been expecting for the massive print. All 65 lots at the sale sold either above or at their   estimates, raising a total of $7.8 million for The Richard Avedon Foundation.

Chinese Art Sets New Records In U.K.

Buyers of Chinese art were still waving their paddles in the U.K. this week, rounding off a series of auctions with $6 million going for a white jade carving of a deer and its young at a Woolley & Wallis auction in Salisbury.  A record price in the series of sales, second to the Qianlong Imperial vase that sold for $46 million at Bainbridges in West London.

Botero Shines At Christie’s

Works by Colombian Fernando Botero, the Chilean painter Matta, and Mexican Rufino Tamayo led Christie’s to a strong $23.3 million result for its Latin American art auction this week in New York. Botero’s “Family Scene” was the top seller at $1.7 million, followed by Matta’s “S’Enroseer,” which brought in $866,500, more than twice as high estimate.

10 Cent Comic Sells For $492,937

When Robert Irwin was 13, he went to a Sacramento newsstand and paid a dime for a copy of Detective Comics No.27, featuring the debut of “The Batman.” Yesterday at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, he finally sold his comic to an anonymous collector for $492,947.