Auction News Network

Kluge’s Winery Estate To Be Broken Up, Sold

Patricia Kluge’s ambitious dream of establishing a renowned Virginia winery will likely be dashed completely when the 900-acre property is broken up and put to auction next month in Charlottesville.

Amelia Island Concours Auctions Begin

For collectors and fans of classic cars, the focus shifts this weekend to Amelia Island, near Jacksonville, Florida, and its annual Concours d’Elegance. In connection with the show, RM and Gooding & Company will both be hosting major auctions. The action begins this afternoon, when Gooding will offer 87 lots, including a 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Cabriolet, estimated at $800,000-$1.1 million.

13th Century Text That Changed the West

An astounding manuscript written in 1202 by Fibonacci in which he introduces to the West the concept of “Arabic numerals,” (the numbers 0-10).  The illustrated work will be auctioned by Bohnam’s on June 22 in New York.

Gloria Swanson’s Diamond Ring

In her lifetime, actress Gloria Swanson (1899-1983) was a famous stylista as well as movie star, known for her fabulous wardrobe. In the 1920’s, when she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood, she’s reputed to have spent as much as $500,000 a year on jewelry alone. Later this spring in Paris, Christie’s will offer an example of her celebrated taste, a 5.1 carat rectangular-cut diamond ring that’s expected to sell for $96,500-$138,000.

Eric Clapton’s Guitars Triple Estimates

As a gallery of collectors, fans, and musicians watched, rock icon Eric Clapton’s personal collection of 75 guitars and 55 amps sold at Bonhams yesterday for $2.15 million, more than tripling pre-sale estimates. Proceeds from the New York auction will go to benefit the Crossroads Centre, a drug rehabilitation clinic in Antiqua.

Royal Attic Sale

Even royals, it appears, have attic sales. This one concerns the property of the late Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Sotheby’s will sell it in Amsterdam on March 14-16.  Although the Queen acquired some of these 1600 lots, most of the furniture, porcelain, glass, silver, and art was accumulated by previous royal generations over the past 150 years and has been stored in the attics of the seven royal palaces in the Netherlands.

Spiderman Comic Book Nets $1.1 Million

You might want to inform your mother (who threw away all your comic books) that the 1962 debut issue of Spiderman just sold for $1.1 million. The pulp copy is in near perfect condition. It bypassed auction and went directly from private seller to buyer in Philadelphia.

A Slave-Carved Ballast Stone

A carved ballast stone recovered from a 16^th century slaveship highlights Swann Galleries’ March 10^th auction of African American relics, printed matter, and manuscripts. The stone, used to shift the center of gravity in sailing vessels, is carved with an elephant’s face, probably the work of a slave during a long passage. Recovered from a wreck on the Little Bahama Banks, it’s estimated at $8,000-$12,000.

Half-million Pearls In This Canopy

A 150-year old canopy commissioned by a Maharaja who loved jewels will be sold by Sotheby’s on March 24 in New York. It incorporates a half million pearls and a lot of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds sewn in to form an intricate floral pattern.

Antiquorum Offers Half-Million Dollar Watch

A vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch is expected to fetch as much as $500,000 at Antiquorum’s New York watch sale on March 10^th.  Sold by Cartier in 1950 and in exceptional condition today, the reference 2419 18K yellow gold watch has an oversized crown, repeaters slide and subsidiary seconds display.

Illuminated Book Once Owned by Astor

Heritage will sell a 16^th Century illuminated manuscript once owned by William Waldorf Astor. Ornately illustrated, with pure gold detail, the manuscript is a bound devotional concerning saints’ days, psalms, and prayers, called a “Book of Hours.”

Upward Bound: Christie’s Hong Kong Wine

As anticipated, Asian buyers led the way at Christie’s first Hong Kong wine auction of 2011, another tick in the upward trajectory of that market. Collectors showed a particular thirst for old Bordeaux and Burgundy vintages. Top sellers were two 6-magnum lots of 1961 La Tache, which each sold for $92,448, just shy of the low estimate. In all, however, the sale brought in $9.91 million, well above the $9 million expected.

Largest Tyrannosaurus Skull Ever Offered

An array of fossils, meteorites, minerals, gemstones and examples of lapidary art will be featured on March 24 at I.M. Chait’s Natural History Auction in New York. But the standout item is the largest Tyrannosaurus skull ever to be offered at auction. Almost four feet wide, bristling with jagged teeth, and exceptionally well preserved, it’s expected to sell for $250,000-$300,00.

$40,668 For Justin Bieber’s Hair

A lock of Justin Bieber’s hair sold for $46,668 on eBay yesterday to an online casino that already owns Pope Benedict XVI’s Popemobile VW Golf and William Shatner’s kidney stone. Bieber had given the hair to Ellen DeGeneres, who sold it for the benefit of the Gentle Barn, an animal rescue organization in Santa Clarita, California.

“Yesterday” Piano Will Sell

The 1926 “mini-piano” on which Paul McCartney composed “Yesterday” is coming up for auction at London’s Drury Lane Theatre on April 14. The melody of the Beatles’ classic came to McCartney in a dream, and at first he suspected he’d stolen it. So he went to singer Alma Cogan, and for the first time played the song on this piano. It’s expected to sell for at least $203,000.

Update: The piano sold for $240,000, exceeding estimates.