Not long ago, only high-value Bordeaux seemed to impress Hong Kong buyers. Those days seemed distant this past weekend, when Christie’s offered a variety of Burgundies from the cellar of Henri Jayer. Every lot sold, many above estimates, as the February 10th auction realized $8.5m. The star attraction was a 12-bottle offering of 1985 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru “Cros Parantoux,” which soared to $266,498. more than twice its high estimate.Other top lots included a 12-bottle lot of the 1989 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru “Cros Parantous,” which sold for $235,145, almost quadrupling its high estimate, a 12-bottle lot of the 1979 Richeourg-Vintage, which brought in $235,245, and a 2 magnum lot of 1985 Richebour-Vintage 1985, which fetched $219,469. In all, 17 lots sold for over $1m HK ($129,000).
Hong Kong Embraces Burgundy At Christie’s
February 14, 2012
James Bond Barn Find: $90K ‘Thunderball’ Watch
May 22, 2013The latest dramatic barn find involves a Breitling Top Time, the very watch Sean Connery wore in “Thunderball.” Several years ago a collector snapped it up at a yard sale for less than $40. Suspecting a higher value, the anonymous buyer took it to an expert for evaluation. The savvy collector wasn’t wrong: when the watch appears at a Christie’s auction next month in London, it’s expected to sell for as much as $90,000.
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“Harry Legacy” Sells For $26.m
May 17, 2013Money has been flooding into the rapidly rising diamond market in recent months, as collectors seek remunerative parking spots for their investment dollars. The latest example is the $26.7m that jeweler Harry Winston paid this week at a Christie’s auction in Geneva for a flawless 101.73-carat “colorless” diamond. The price was a new high for a diamond of this type, exceeding the last auction price record by more than $10m.
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Bizarre Topless Photo of Jolie, $45,500
May 16, 2013A 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.
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Rising Value of Unrestored Cars
By Malcolm Welford, Vintage Car Specialist
