Auction News Network

“Lost” ’27 Mercedes Could Be Worth $2.4

They call it “The Lost Mercedes,” because the 1927 supercharged “S” Type sports tourer has been tucked away by the same family for 85-years. In totally unrestored condition, Goodwood is bringing the car to auction in September with an estimate of $2.4m. In its day, the car could do 100 mph.

Patek Philippe Sells For Record $3m At Sotheby’s

Back in 1928, Patek Philippe produced a yellow gold tonneau wristwatch, with one of the earliest minute repeating movements, for a noted collector named Henry Graves. This week that timepiece, with an 1895 movement and 1927 case, sold at Sotheby’s for a record $2,994,500, making it the most expensive watch ever sold by the auction house.

Over $1m Expected For Painting By Winston Churchill

It’s hard to imagine that Winston Churchill had much spare time. But when he wasn’t leading England through the dark days of World War II, or writing the 55 volumes for which he won the 1953 Nobel Prize for literature, he was painting, and doing it with the same zeal he showed in his other activities. One of Churchill’s works, a 1936 oil on canvas called “Still Life With Orchids,” is coming up for auction later this month in London, where it’s expected to sell for a statesmanlike $1.17m.

Inverted Jenny Glides To Market

Every so often, a 1918 “Inverted Jenny” stamp flies onto the auction market, quickening collectors’ pulses. The U.S. Postal Service produced only 100 examples of the 24-cent stamp in which, as a result of a printing error, a Curtiss biplane flies upside down. Back in 2007, one sold at auction for almost $1m. The example that Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries will offer on June 27^th may not be quite as valuable. The stamp is rated a “Fine 70,” with an estimated value of $340,000. It won’t come as a big surprise, however, if the issue sells for a lot more.

“David Copperfield” Signed By Dickens Sells For $95,000

It seems everything having to do with Charles Dickens involves a good story. In “David Copperfield,” Dickens made up a company name that actually existed so after publication he presented the owners an inscribed, first edition from his own library that’s so rare it sold for $95,000, many times what his unsigned first editions go for.

As Much As $2.4m Expected For Emancipation Proclamation

When Abraham Lincoln signed the 1863  Emancipation Proclamation, he said, “I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right.” Just 26 signed copies of the historic document that freed the slaves were produced.  Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries will offer one of them, bearing Lincoln’s signature, on June 26^th in New York, where it’s expected to sell for $1.8m to $2.4m.

Liz Taylor’s Cleopatra Dressing Room For Sale

Forget the dresses, now they’re selling the dressing room 20th Century Fox spared no expense in building for Elizabeth Taylor to make her feel like the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. In an orgy of extravagance, it’s estimated the trailer cost $500,000 to construct in today’s dollars. The high estimate at next week’s Profiles in History auction is $75,000.

Largest-Scale Photography Book Ever Produced

British photographer Francis Frith didn’t travel light on his 1858 trip to Egypt. His kit included huge cameras, masses of equipment, and even a mobile darkroom. What resulted was one of the most remarkable books of photographs ever produced, containing 20 views, each measuring 30 x 21 inches, of Egypt, Sinai and Jerusalem. The book, considered the largest with the biggest, non-enlarged prints ever assembled, is expected to fetch $77,500-$108,500 at Bonhams’ Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs sale in London on June 12.

Shipwreck Champagne Sells For $156,000

A year ago this month, two bottles of 18^th century Veuve Cliquot recovered from a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea sold for $78,400. Today, 11 more bottles from the same stash of perfectly preserved champagne sold at an auction in Finland for $156,000. Six of the bottles were from Juglar, closed since 1829, one was from Heidsieck, and four from Veuve Cliquot, one of which sold for $18,771.

Renoir’s “Baigneuse” Leads Impressionist Sale

Renoir’s “Baigneuse” hasn’t been seen on the auction market for 15 years. The last time around, in New York, the painting sold for $20.9m. When it comes up for sale later this month at Christie’s Impressionist & Modern art auction in London, the price is expected to be in a similar range, with a low estimate of $18.5m and a high of $27.8m. In all, 71 works will be offered at the June 20^th event, for which a total of $134.4m to $196.9m is anticipated.

Custer’s Saddle Rides Again

General George Custer wasn’t much interested in standard government-issue gear, witness his buckskin jackets, pearl-handled Webley revolvers, or the cavalry saddle he ordered modified to suit his taste for western-style tack. Supported by extensive documentation, this saddle, which Custer used in the Indian Wars, will be a highlight at Heritage’s Legends of the Wild West Auction, which ends in Dallas on June 10^th.  Bidding for the item, which had been estimated at $10,000-up, currently stands at $28,680, including commission.

Patek Philippe May Bring More Than $1m

Patek Philippe leads the field once again at Christie’s coming watch sale in New York. Nine of the top ten estimated lots at the June 13^th sale are from the celebrated Swiss watch producer, led by a rarity manufactured in 1963, an 18K gold world-time wristwatch with two crowns that’s expected to fetch $700,000-$1.2m.

Update: the Patek Philippe sold for $1m, a world record for the model, ref.2523/1, and the highest price ever achieved for a watch at Christie’s Americas. Christie’s described the anonymous buyer as an “international” collector.

Napoleon’s “English” Letter For Sale

In 1815, Napoleon attacked the British and the Prussians at Waterloo. His army was thrashed and the Brits sent him into exile where the ex-Emperor attempted to learn English. He even tried his hand at writing in English. His first letter was not grammatically très bon, but it’s for sale this Sunday at Osenat Auctions in Paris. High estimate is $100,000.

New Record For World’s Most Expensive Car

Forget about the record $30m price paid last year for a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. The new record holder, at $35m, is a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, built for legendary U.K. driver Stirling Moss. Technology billionaire Craig McCaw reportedly bought the Ferrari last month from a Dutch-born businessman.

Hollywood Agent Sue Mengers’ Private World

From the 1960s through the 80s, talent agent Sue Mengers was part of the bunch that ruled the Hollywood roost. The client list of the notorious agent, who died late last year, included the likes of  Barbara Steisand, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway and Candace Bergen, and even after Mengers retired in the late 80s, her dinner parties remained one of the hot tickets in town. Next week Bonhams will be offering a two-day sale of her estate, or “private world.”  Leading the mix at the June 11-12 event in Los Angeles is a 17^th/18^th century Chinese altar table, estimated at $20,000-$30,000.