Luxist http://www.luxist.com Luxist http://www.luxist.com/media/feedlogo.gif Luxist http://www.luxist.com en-us Copyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Super Vintage Weekend at the Hotel Marqués de Riscalhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/07/05/super-vintage-weekend-at-the-hotel-marques-de-riscal/http://www.luxist.com/2008/07/05/super-vintage-weekend-at-the-hotel-marques-de-riscal/http://www.luxist.com/2008/07/05/super-vintage-weekend-at-the-hotel-marques-de-riscal/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts group has planned a "Super Vintage" wine auction weekend at the incredible Frank Gehry-designed Hotel Marqués de Riscal in Rioja, Spain in October. To celebrate 150 years of the region's famed wines, the culinary-themed weekend will culminate in a gala dinner and charity auction of local vintages conducted by Christie's - including the Riscal Superlot, a single lot consisting of 131 bottles dating back to 1862, proceeds from which will go to UNICEF. Details on the once-in-a-lifetime event, which will take place from Oct. 24-26, can be found here.

%Gallery-26793%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>ChristiesFrank GehryFrankGehryHotelsLuxury CollectionLuxuryCollectionMarques de RiscalMarquesDeRiscalRiojaSpainUNICEFJared Paul Stern2008-07-05T12:02:00 00:00Astor Collection Auto Auction This Weekendhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/27/astor-collection-auto-auction-this-weekend/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/27/astor-collection-auto-auction-this-weekend/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/27/astor-collection-auto-auction-this-weekend/#commentsFiled under: ,


Renowned entrepreneur and broadcast veteran Art Astor is selling off part of his famous car collection in Anaheim, California this weekend. The sale, conducted by RM Auctions, mainly features American cars with a few classic imports of the kind we're partial to thrown in. We're particularly fond of this 1970 Jaguar XKE Series II Roadster, for example, which with an estimate of only $40,000 - $60,000 is something of a bargain. Also included in the sale: a 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I "Playboy" roadster which was used as a movie car and has been driven by Bette Davis and Robert Redford, est. $175,000 - $250,000; a 1968 Jaguar XKE Series I.5 2+2 Fixed Head Coupe, est. $30,000 - $40,000; a 1961 Jaguar XK150 3.8 Roadster, est. $80,000 - $120,000; a rare 1941 Chrysler Town & Country Nine-Passenger Estate "woody" wagon, est. $250,000 - $300,000; and a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster. est. $125,000 - $150,000. See the gallery for pix, and place your bids online at LiveAuctioneers.com.

%Gallery-26261%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>Art AstorArtAstorAstor CollectionAstorCollectionCaliforniaCorvetteJaguarRM AuctionsRmAuctionsRolls-RoyceJared Paul Stern2008-06-27T12:06:00 00:00Bacon, Basquiat, Prince and Warhol Star in Sotheby's Salehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/27/bacon-basquiat-prince-and-warhol-star-in-sothebys-sale/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/27/bacon-basquiat-prince-and-warhol-star-in-sothebys-sale/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/27/bacon-basquiat-prince-and-warhol-star-in-sothebys-sale/#commentsFiled under: ,

Not to be outdone by archrival Christie's, Sotheby's is staging its own major Contemporary Art auction in London on July 1st. With total pre-sale estimates topping $130 million, the event is being billed as "the highest value summer sale of contemporary art ever held by Sotheby's in Europe." The untitled Jean-Michel Basquiat painting belonging to Irish rockers U2 that my colleague Deidre Woollard mentioned earlier this month is a top draw in the auction, with an estimate of $8 - $12 million.

Other highlights include two important works by Francis Bacon: Figure Turning, painted 1962, est. $20 - $30 million, and Study for Head of George Dyer, painted in 1967, est. at over $16 million. Rounding out the other notable big-ticket items are Richard Prince's Overseas Nurse, 2002, est. at $8 - $12 million - more than the current Prince auction record; and Andy Warhol's 1964 Large Campbell's Soup Can (pictured right), est. $5 - $7 million. Also of interest: tennis great John McEnroe is selling his 1986 Warhol portrait with ex Tatum O'Neal, est. only $500,000 - $700,000. See the gallery for images.

%Gallery-26232%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>Andy WarholAndyWarholContemporary artContemporaryArtFrancis BaconFrancisBaconJean-Michel BasquiatJean-michelBasquiatJohn McEnroeJohnMcenroeRichard PrinceRichardPrinceSothebysU2Jared Paul Stern2008-06-27T11:01:00 00:00Results of the Sopranos Auctionhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/results-of-the-sopranos-auction/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/results-of-the-sopranos-auction/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/results-of-the-sopranos-auction/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Last month we reported that there was to be an auction of apparel from The Sopranos. The results from the June 25 event are in: Twenty-five outfits worn by James Gandolfini's alter ego raised $187,750 and benefited the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that aids wounded soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gandolfini attended part of the Christie's auction with a soldier from the project.

The highest bid was for a faux-bloodstained outfit that Gandolfini wore in a scene when Tony is shot by a demented Uncle Junior: the black and beige short-sleeve polo shirt, a tank top and black pants brought in $43,750. The next highest bid was $21,250 for a four-piece costume that included a blue, red and yellow striped robe and boxer shorts that the actor wore in numerous episodes. Other top-selling outfits included a tan cotton bathrobe with lavender trim and 'S' insignia on the breast pocket that was featured in the pilot when Tony fetched the morning paper and fed the ducks in his pool, which raised $13,750.

All of the outfits were authenticated by Gandolfini, and many had the original production tags attached. See a sampling of the auctioned items in the gallery. See the entire lot and prices realized here.

%Gallery-26263%
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>auctionsChristiesgandolfiniJames GandolfiniJamesGandolfiniSopranosTony SopranoTonySopranoWounded Warrior ProjectWoundedWarriorProjectLisa Palladino2008-06-26T22:01:00 00:00Bonhams' $2 Million Motorcycle Auctionhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/bonhams-2-million-motorcycle-auction/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/bonhams-2-million-motorcycle-auction/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/bonhams-2-million-motorcycle-auction/#commentsFiled under: ,


On Monday, Bonhams will auction off an astounding collection of vintage motorcycles worth $2 million at the Royal Air Force Museum in London. The sale represents the largest single-owner collection of motorbikes ever to come to auction; all 300 machines are from the Professor Fritz Ehn Motorcycle Museum in Austria. Our favorite lots are two wicked - and wickedly fast - British-made Vincents: the 1955 998cc Black Prince, pictured here, est. $56,000 - $64,000; and a 1952 998cc Black Shadow, the fastest road-going vehicle of its time, est. $44,000 - $56,000.

Also included in the historic sale: a 1935 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50hp, ak.a. the "Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles" as driven by T. E. Lawrence (the famous Lawrence of Arabia), est. $50,000 - $60,000; a 1927 BMW 500cc R47, est. $36,000 - $44,000; a 1937 Ariel 995cc Square Four Model 4G, est. $20,000 - $24,000; as well as many other examples by Harley Davidson, Ducati, Triumph and more.

%Gallery-26121%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>AustriaBMWBonhamsDucatiLondonMotorcyclesTriumphVincent motorcyclesVincentMotorcyclesJared Paul Stern2008-06-26T16:02:00 00:00Stained Celtics Shirt Wins Big For Charityhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/stained-celtics-shirt-wins-big-for-charity/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/stained-celtics-shirt-wins-big-for-charity/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/stained-celtics-shirt-wins-big-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Sporting triumphs are often marked with the splash of victory, that moment when the Gatorade hits the winning coach's unsuspecting head. Celtics coach Doc Rivers got a good soaking in orange Gatorade when the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. His Gatorade-stained shirt has now brought in $55,000 for The Shamrock Foundation through an auction on sports radio WEEI (850 AM). The Boston Globe's Celtics Blog reports that an anonymous bidder pledged $35,000 for the shirt and the Gatorade bucket used in the soaking. The Gatorade company donated an addition $10,000 and a second anonymous donor gifted a $10,000 pledge.Steve Pagliuca, Celtics managing partner and president of The Shamrock Foundation has offered another $35,000 if the shirt's new owner will let the Celtics show off the shirt to fans at certain points during the next season.

The Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation benefits children in Boston, partnering with community based organizations that provide healthcare, shelter and vital services for children in need. The foundation's current community partners are Perkins School for the Blind, Childrens Hospital Boston, Horizons for Homeless Children, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC). They accept donations if you want to commemorate the Celtics victory with a little giving of your own.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>celticscharity of the daydoc riversDocRiversshamrock foundationDeidre Woollard2008-06-26T10:01:00 00:00Monet Painting Sells For Over $80 Millionhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/monet-painting-sells-for-over-80-million/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/monet-painting-sells-for-over-80-million/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/26/monet-painting-sells-for-over-80-million/#commentsFiled under: ,


I'm no art critic, which is perhaps why I'm a little mystified by the astronomical sale of Le Bassin aux Nympheas by Claude Monet for £40,921,250, ($80,451,178) at a recent sale at Christie's London. This new sale obliterates the record set at Christie's New York in May by Monet's "Le Pont du chemin de fer a Argenteuil" which went for $41.181 million.

Le Bassin aux Nymphéas was fought for by three bidders, two on the telephone and one woman at the front of the room. The Guardian reports that at one point the woman bidder asked for more time but she eventually had the winning bid. The painting is one of Monet's large-scale Nymphéas which led to his Grandes décorations, the frieze now in the Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris. Dated 1919, when Monet signed the picture and sold it with three sister-works, Le bassin aux nymphéas is one of the tiny handful of pictures from this period that he sold.

As the Guardian article mentioned, quoting art expert Charles Dupplin, right now the art market is an interesting spot. Records are being smashed all over the place while the middle section of the market appears to be sagging. This mimics in some ways the state of the entire luxury market which has remained robust at the ultra high end but has shown serious weakness in the lower and middle ranges.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>artauctionchristiesmonetpaintingDeidre Woollard2008-06-26T09:02:00 00:00Rare Never Exhibited Bacon on Offer at Christie'shttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/24/rare-never-exhibited-bacon-on-offer-at-christies/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/24/rare-never-exhibited-bacon-on-offer-at-christies/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/24/rare-never-exhibited-bacon-on-offer-at-christies/#commentsFiled under: ,


A rare Francis Bacon triptych that has never before been seen in public and has never been offered at auction is expected to fetch over $20 million during Christie's Contemporary Art Sales in London at the end of the month. Painted in Paris in 1975, Three Studies for a Self Portrait (above) is similar in character to the Bacon triptych that sold for $28 million at Christie's last month. Also starring in the sales on June 30 through July 1: Lucian Freud's Naked Potrait with Reflection, one of the most important works by the artist ever to be offered at auction, est. $20 million - $30 million; Jeff Koons' Balloon Flower (Magenta), 1995-2000, the most important Koons work ever offered at auction in Europe, est. about $25 million; Andy Warhol's Nine Multicolored Marilyns, est. $5 million - $7 million; and Jean-Michel Basquiat's Trunk, painted in 1982, est. $2 - $3 million.

%Gallery-25938%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>Andy WarholAndyWarholChristiesContemporary artContemporaryArtFrancis BaconFrancisBaconJean-Michel BasquiatJean-michelBasquiatJeff KoonsJeffKoonsLucian FreudLucianFreudMarilyn MonroeMarilynMonroeJared Paul Stern2008-06-24T12:02:00 00:00Tony Hawk Foundation, Charity of the Dayhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/22/tony-hawk-foundation-charity-of-the-day/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/22/tony-hawk-foundation-charity-of-the-day/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/22/tony-hawk-foundation-charity-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The Tony Hawk Foundation has a very broad mission of working to foster lasting improvements in society and it aims to do this mainly by empowering and supporting the youth of today. The Tony Hawk Foundation creates and supports various recreational programs around the country but usually favors (of course!) putting up skateboard parks in low income communities.

Currently the foundation is auctioning off a one-of-a-kind 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on eBay that was customized by Tony Hawk himself. As of writing this post the bidding is at $45,500 with the auction set to end later today.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>auctionauctionscharitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayebayhawkjeep wrangler rubiconJeepWranglerRubicontony hawkTonyHawkRigel Gregg2008-06-22T10:01:00 00:00Royal Monceau Prepares To Get Starckedhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/22/royal-monceau-prepares-to-get-starcked/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/22/royal-monceau-prepares-to-get-starcked/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/22/royal-monceau-prepares-to-get-starcked/#commentsFiled under: ,


These days when a famous hotel needs a redesign, they often make a cottage industry of selling off the old design. The Royal Monceau in Paris is selling off furniture, mirrors, minibars, curtains, bar stools, dishes and more in a multi-day auction that ends today. The grand hotel has played host to many famous faces since its opening in 1928 including everyone from Ernest Hemingway to Britney Spears. The sale is expected to bring in around one million euros with some of the top pieces for sale including an 18th century commode and a Louis XIV-style marble table. Next week, on June 26th, VIPs are invited to a "demolition party" to help smash whatever is left over.

The four-star hotel will reopen in Fall 2009 after a thorough redesign by Philippe Starck that will give the hotel a style referred to as "Art Deco revisited which is expected to give the hotel more oomph to attract a younger crowd.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>francehotelparisroyal monceauRoyalMonceausaleDeidre Woollard2008-06-22T08:02:00 00:00Damien Hirst's Golden Calfhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/20/damien-hirsts-golden-calf/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/20/damien-hirsts-golden-calf/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/20/damien-hirsts-golden-calf/#commentsFiled under: ,


Compared to his diamond-covered skull, Damien Hirst's latest work for sale, a bull in formaldehyde, with a head crowned by a solid-gold disc, and hooves and horns cast in 18-karat gold is practically a deal. The Golden Calf will be auctioned off at Sotheby's in New York in September and is estimated to bring in $16 to $24 million. The calf comes in a gold-plated stainless steel and glass box. The monumental piece is part of Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, a major auction of new works by Hirst, on September 15 and 16. The auction will include formaldehyde sculptures, new paintings, new cabinets and preparatory drawings,

%Gallery-25565%
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>artdamien hirstDamienHirstmodern artModernArtsothebysDeidre Woollard2008-06-20T08:02:00 00:00Yves St. Laurent Pieces To Be Auctioned Offhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/19/yves-st-laurent-pieces-to-be-auctioned-off/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/19/yves-st-laurent-pieces-to-be-auctioned-off/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/19/yves-st-laurent-pieces-to-be-auctioned-off/#commentsFiled under:

With the recent passing of Yves St. Laurent, the fashion icon's belongings are quite valuable and will be desired by many fans to be sure. Christie's will be assisting with an auction on July 2nd of seven lots of clothing and jewelry representing almost every decade of the French designer's career. These collectible pieces are relatively inexpensive since they are not new designs and have been worn. Check out the auction ahead of time on Christie's website and be ready to bid come July 2nd -- what a great way to celebrate fashion and the incomparable YSL.

%Gallery-25477%
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>ChristiesYSLYSL-AuctionYves-Saint-LaurentLaura Malesich2008-06-19T08:01:00 00:00Sean Connery's '61 Bentley Up for Auctionhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/18/sean-connerys-61-bentley-up-for-auction/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/18/sean-connerys-61-bentley-up-for-auction/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/18/sean-connerys-61-bentley-up-for-auction/#commentsFiled under: ,


A beautiful 1961 Bentley S2 saloon that belonged to actor Sean Connery is going up for sale this Saturday in England. The car is being offered at Bonhams' Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Select Pre-War Motor Cars and Automobilia Sale during the Rolls-Royce Enthusiast's Club's Annual Rally at historic Kelmarsh Hall near Northampton. The stately S2 model saloon, above, finished in two-tone Shell Grey/Tudor Grey with a contrasting red leather interior, is estimated at only $24,000 - $30,000.

Also included in the auction: A rare 1919/20 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Eagle, est. $280,000 - $320,000, the highest-priced lot; the ex-Earls Court Motor Show 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine, one of only 13 built, est. $116,000 - $130,000; a 1963 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur Saloon with coachwork by H J Mulliner, est. $130,000 - $140,000; and the steal of the sale, a 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Saloon, formerly the property of Lord Leverhulme, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, which has been ridden in by several members of the Britsh Royal Family including the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the late Princess Di, est. only $26,000 - $30,000.

[via Kempt]

%Gallery-25389%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>BentleyBonhamsBritish royaltyBritishRoyaltyEnglandJames BondJamesBondKelmarsh HallKelmarshHallPrince CharlesPrinceCharlesRolls-RoyceRolls-Royce Enthusiasts ClubRolls-royceEnthusiastsClubSean ConnerySeanConneryJared Paul Stern2008-06-18T14:01:00 00:00Results of the Onassis Jewelry Salehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/16/results-of-the-onassis-jewelry-sale/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/16/results-of-the-onassis-jewelry-sale/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/16/results-of-the-onassis-jewelry-sale/#commentsFiled under: ,


Last week Athina Onassis auctioned off a large collection of her mother's jewelry through Christie's in London, with the most noteworthy piece being a diamond necklace featuring a 38-carat pear-shaped diamond pendant.

Athina's mother was Christina Onassis, daughter of famous Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis, and she died at the young age of only 37 back in 1987. The diamond necklace was a fitting example of the great jewelry and art the Onassis family was known for collecting. It sold for $7.1 million.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>athina onassisAthinaOnassisauctionchristiechristieschristina onassisChristinaOnassisonassisRigel Gregg2008-06-16T20:02:00 00:00U2 To Auction Off Famous Artworkhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/15/u2-to-auction-off-famous-artwork/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/15/u2-to-auction-off-famous-artwork/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/15/u2-to-auction-off-famous-artwork/#commentsFiled under: ,


Celebrities often buy and sell art, (as Hugh Grant did last year when he parted with his Warhol) but it's rarer that the painting belongs to a band. The piece above, a powerful painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat belonging to rock band U2, will be auctioned July 1 at Sotheby's London. Untitled (Pecho/Oreja), completed in 1983, is estimated to sell for £4-6 million ($7.775-11.662 million) but could go higher.

U2 bassist Adam Clayton first spotted the painting, which is acrylic, oil stick and paper collage on canvas, and the band bought it way back in 1989, a year after Basqiat's untimely death. It has hung in their Dublin studio ever since. The painting, which was begun when Basquiat was just 22 features some of his popular motifs including the stylized, skull-like face, the small crown and his use of words and scrawled lines to invoke an urgent chaos. BBC News reports that the current auction record for a Basquiat work stands at $14.6 million.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>artbasquiatu2Deidre Woollard2008-06-15T15:01:00 00:00Patek, Rolex, Cartier & Panerai at Bonhams Watch Salehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/14/patek-rolex-cartier-and-panerai-at-bonhams-watch-sale/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/14/patek-rolex-cartier-and-panerai-at-bonhams-watch-sale/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/14/patek-rolex-cartier-and-panerai-at-bonhams-watch-sale/#commentsFiled under: ,

On June 19 in New York, Bonhams will auction off a selection of Fine Watches including this beautiful platinum Cartier pocket watch, estimated at $7,000 - $9,000. While overall the timepieces featured are of less importance than in some of the mega-auctions we told you about recently, there are still plenty of valuable and beautiful pieces to be had here. Also on the pocket watch front, there's a rare 18k gold open face minute repeating perpetual calendar version with phases of the moon by Patek Philippe, est. $80,000 - $120,000.

Also included in the sale: A Patek 18k gold self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases and leap year indicator, est. $25,000 - $35,000; several examples of the coveted "Straight Hand Steve McQueen" Rolex Explorer and a rare 1960 stainless steel anti-magentic Oyster chronograph, est. $40,000 - $60,000; and a limited edition titanium Panerai Luminor, est. $10,000 - $15,000.

%Gallery-25125%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>BonhamsCartierPaneraipatek philippePatekPhilippeRolexWatchesJared Paul Stern2008-06-14T12:02:00 00:00Pamela Anderson Auctions Off Her Viper At Julien's Summer Entertainment Salehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/11/pamela-anderson-auctions-off-her-viper-at-juliens-summer-entert/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/11/pamela-anderson-auctions-off-her-viper-at-juliens-summer-entert/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/11/pamela-anderson-auctions-off-her-viper-at-juliens-summer-entert/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Pamela Anderson has been associating herself with the animal rights group PETA for years (15 years, to be exact) and she's continuing that trend with her latest effort to support the charity: auctioning off her 2000 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster and donating the proceeds.

The car will go up on the block as part of Julien's Auctions' Summer Entertainment Sale of Hollywood Memorabilia. The auction runs June 21 & 22 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas and the car is expected to sell for somewhere between $30,000-$50,000. %Gallery-25117%
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>andersonauctioncelebrity auctionCelebrityAuctioncharitydodge viperDodgeViperpamela andersonPamelaAndersonPETAviperRigel Gregg2008-06-11T16:02:00 00:00The Most Expensive Watermelonhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/09/the-most-expensive-watermelon/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/09/the-most-expensive-watermelon/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/09/the-most-expensive-watermelon/#commentsFiled under: ,


Watermelon is one of the signature fruits of summer, and although (considering today's economy) I'm willing to pay more for it than I used to I'm not so sure I'd be willing to pay upwards of $6,000 for a single melon! But at least one man in Japan was as he bid on and won an auction for a 17lb Densuke watermelon for a whopping $6,100. Despite the fact that watermelon is considered a luxury in Japan and that this particular kind of melon only grows in one place (on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan), this auction marks the highest selling price ever for a watermelon in Japan, and most likely the world.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>auctionauctionsfruitjapanmost expensiveMostExpensivewatermelonRigel Gregg2008-06-09T19:02:00 00:00Rare Leica to be Auctioned Off for Freedom of the Presshttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/03/rare-leica-to-be-auctioned-off-for-freedom-of-the-press/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/03/rare-leica-to-be-auctioned-off-for-freedom-of-the-press/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/03/rare-leica-to-be-auctioned-off-for-freedom-of-the-press/#commentsFiled under: , ,



On Saturday, Vienna-based auction house WestLicht Photographica will auction the first M8 digital camera ever produced by world-famous firm Leica, worth an estimated $30,000 - $45,000, with the proceeds going to freedom of the press foundation Reporters Without Borders. The M8 is just one of the beautiful and highly collectible Leicas -- the favored camera for famous photogs ranging from Henri Cartier Bresson and Diane Arbus to Nan Goldin -- on offer in the sale. Also included is an extremely rare M3 prototype c.1952, one of the most important cameras in Leica's history, est. $90,000 - $110,000; a unique olive painted IIIg made as a model for the German Army in 1960, est. $80,000 - $110,000; and one of our favorites, the 1955 M3 in black paint pictured here, est. $20,000 - $25,000. And if you're German's a little rusty, don't worry - you can place bids online with LiveAuctioneers.com.

%Gallery-24228%
Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>CamerasDiane ArbusDianeArbusGermanyHenri Cartier BressonHenriCartierBressonLeicaLeica M8LeicaM8LiveAuctioneers.comNan GoldinNanGoldinReporters Without BordersReportersWithoutBordersJared Paul Stern2008-06-03T18:02:00 00:00The Classicist: Memories of Motoring's Golden Agehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/02/the-classicist-memories-of-motorings-golden-age/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/02/the-classicist-memories-of-motorings-golden-age/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/02/the-classicist-memories-of-motorings-golden-age/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As a side note to Bonhams' classic car auction at the annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut this weekend, the sale also includes some reminders of a more elegant age of motoring. In addition to the amazing automobiles on offer, there are a few rare examples of perfectly-preserved traveling cocktail, picnic and tea sets in leather cases from the 1910s and '20s.

More elegant and elaborate antecedents of the kind of picnic sets still produced by the likes of Dunhill - such as the one my colleague Rigel Gregg wrote about the other day - these are the sort of cases one's servants would put into the boot of the Rolls for a day's motoring along with a hamper of delectables from Fortnum & Mason (which are still available today - see the gallery for a picture of their $200 Regent hamper featuring champagne, truffles, paté and port).

Included in the Greenwich auction is this gorgeous Dunhill traveling cocktail set from the 1920s featuring a nickel cocktail shaker, four stacking tumblers, a glass bitters bottle with a silver plated top and three silver plated spirit flasks, in a monogrammed honey leather carrying case, est. $3,000 - $4,000. If these days it seems a bit odd that so much thought and effort went into ways of drinking and driving, remember that as often as not one's chauffeur did the actual work behind the wheel.

%Gallery-24096%

Continue reading The Classicist: Memories of Motoring's Golden Age

Permalink | Email this | Comments
]]>AspreyBonhamsClassic carsClassicCarsCocktailsConcours dEleganceConcoursDeleganceDunhillFortnum MasonFortnumMasonLondonLuggageRolls-RoyceJared Paul Stern2008-06-02T09:02:00 00:00