Most important upcoming auctions of 2011
Back in 2009, we introduced you to some of the most hyped auctions that set new records despite the economic downturn, and lately, we took a look at the top 10 auctions of 2010 that set new records. It’s been only two months of the year 2011 and we have already seen some of the amazing auction results. Let’s take a look at some of them and most importantly, the hottest upcoming auctions of the year.
1. Bonhams’ Space History Sale
Personal items of several astronauts will be sold in the Space History Sale taking place at Bonhams, New York on May 5, 2011. The sale will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Alan Shepard’s historic mission on Freedom 7 as the first American in space. The highlights include a Russian spacesuit, Sokol K ($100,000-$150,000), worn by cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, Commander of the Soyuz 19 spacecraft. A Russian spacesuit, Sokol KV-2, used by cosmonaut Gennadi Strekalov on the Soyuz TM 10, is estimated at $60,000-$80,000.
2. L.S. Lowry's 'The Football Match’
A painting by “matchstick men” artist L.S. Lowry, which has not been seen in public for two decades, is being said to set a new world record for his works by fetching up to £4.5 million (about $7.3 million) at Christie’s in May. The painting, currently owned by a private collector, shows hundreds of Lowry’s signature “matchstick” figures gathered at a match in Manchester against a backdrop of factories with billowing chimneys. Expected to go for between £3.5m and £4.5m at auction, the painting dubbed “The Football Match” has been described by Christie’s London as a modern masterpiece.
3. 1961 Soviet space capsule
Before the first human entered into space in 1961, the Soviet Union fired off one last test flight of the tiny capsule that would carry Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin to space. The test capsule, Vostok 3KA-2, will be sold at Sotheby's in New York on April 12, the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's flight. This space capsule could fetch between $2 million to $10 million.
5. The Jerni Collection
Sotheby’s is proudly auctioning the world’s largest toy collection with an estimated value in the tens of millions of dollars. The collection of 35,000 vintage toys is said to be the most comprehensive toy collection in the world. The Jerni Collection, which has been amassed by American collector Jerry Greene over a period of 50 years, pays tribute to the Golden Age of toy making. The collection, which includes toys made between 1850 and 1940, and replicas of real train stations, bridges and buildings destroyed during both world wars, was on display until the end of February 2011. Experts have valued it at between £25 million and £31 million.
6. 'Batman Forever' Batmobile
The Batmobile that Val Kilmer drove in the 1995 Warner Bros. film "Batman Forever" will be sold by “Auctions America by RM” at its March 4 sale in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The fiberglass car is still in good running condition and is estimated to sell for between $200,000 and $275,000.
7. Guardi Venice Scene - July
On July 6, 2011, Sotheby’s London will auction off one of the greatest masterpieces of Venetian view painting. Estimated around £20 million (US $30 million), Francesco Guardi’s Venice, a view of the Rialto Bridge, Looking North, from the Fondamenta del Carbon is monumental in scale. It will be part of the London’s Old Master auctions in July.
8. Christie's Magnificent Jewels
One of the most anticipated auctions every year is the Christie’s annual Magnificent Jewels Auction. This year will also see some amazing jewelry pieces. This April in Geneva, Christie’s will offer a 10.09-carat, cushion cut, fancy vivid purplish pink diamond at its Magnificent Jewels Auction coming up in New York on April 12. The diamond carries an estimated sale price tag of $12 million-$15 million. Another highlight is an unmounted 56.15-carat heart-shaped D color, internally flawless diamond that is expected to fetch between $9 million and $12 million at the auction.
UPDATE: The Pink diamond fails to sell at the auction.
9. Hong Kong Wine Auction
The Hong Kong Wine auction is a delight for wine connoisseurs. The four major sales, to be held by a number of the biggest auction houses, including Sotheby’s and Acker Merrall & Condit, will fetch a combined estimate of $36.4 million of bottles. Christie’s Charles Curtis, head of wine for Asia, has said that it’s possibly the most exciting sale of his career, given the depth, breadth and the provenance of the wines.
10. 1955 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta
RM Auctions will offer an iconic 1955 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta by Pinin Farina at its debut sale during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Lake Como on May 21. Done in two-tone ivory and metallic blue, the Ferrrai with s/n 0490 AM was the last 375 MM built and is said to be the last Ferrari to carry the famed "Mille Miglia" designation. The car has been displayed at some of the world’s most prestigious concours events, including the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2004 and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2005. It is expected to fetch up to $5 million.
11. 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Coupe
Early Ferraris are always in demand, and the RM Auctions’ Automobiles of Amelia Island event in March is offering the iconic 1952 340 Mexico Coupe. Ferrari built only three examples, equipped with a 280-horsepower, 4.1-liter V-12 and a five-speed manual transmission. Expected to sell for between $2.7 and $3.5 million, the 1952 340 Mexico is the star of the Amelia event.
12. Chinese Erotica
An incredible set of Chinese erotic ivory panels mounted in zitan wood screens, thought to be from the court of the Qianlong Emperor, is estimated to sell at Bonhams' fine Chinese Art Sale in London on May 12 for between £800,000 and £1.2 million. The 18th-century ivory scenes display couples having great moments in leafy palace gardens. This is an auction to eye for Chinese bidders.
13. Mecum’s 24th Original Spring Classic Auction
Dana Mecum's flagship event, the 24th Original Spring Classic Auction, May 17-22, 2011, will feature more than 2,000 collector cars, motorcycles and thousands of neon signs and memorabilia. It's the world's largest collector car auction, and will run through six days, featuring every genre of collector car. Among the main attractions are the Shelby Cobra CSX2096, a significant collection of Ram Air IV GTOs from the Zeb Morris Estate and the ultimate collection of Nickey Chevys ever offered to the public, featuring the 1967 Nickey/Bill Thomas 427 Super Camaro.
Hottest auctions of 2011 so far:
1. Lord Raglan's Bugatti Type 51
The 1933 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix two-seater owned by the late Fitzroy John Somerset, the 5th Baron Raglan (1927-2010), Patron and former Chairman of the Bugatti Owners’ Club and trustee of the Bugatti Trust, was the top lot at the Bonhams’ Paris sale of Motor Cars on February 5, 2011. The iconic roadster sold for €943,000 ($1.30 million). The Type 51 series succeeded the famous Type 35 as Bugatti’s premier racing car for the 1930s. Lord Raglan, whose great-great grandfather, the 1st Baron, was the general in command of British troops in the Crimean War, was renowned for his love of collectors’ motor cars. “My passion for Bugattis started when I was 18 and I have raced around the world,” he once said.
2. Pablo Picasso La Lecture
At Sotheby’s auction in London last month, a Pablo Picasso painting of his mistress and model Marie-Therese Walter titled “La Lecture” went for a cool £25.2 million ($41.1 million). The portrait of the teenage mistress was earlier expected to sell for between £12 million and £18 million. The painting shows Marie-Therese Walter asleep in a chair. The Spanish artist met this 17-year-old blonde outside a Paris Metro station in 1927. Picasso, aged 45 at that time, approached her and said, “I am Picasso. You and I are going to do great things together.” Sotheby’s cited that there were up to seven bidders in the race to buy La Lecture, which went to some anonymous telephone bidder.
3. Francis Bacon's "Three studies for a portrait of Lucian Freud"
Sotheby's in London lately sold a trio of crimson-colored portraits of British artist Lucian Freud painted by his longtime friend and peer Francis Bacon for £23 million ($37 million). The triptych was bought by an unknown bidder for more than double its high estimate.
4. Titian Madonna and Child
A 450-year-old Madonna and Child work by Titian went for $16.9 million (£10.7m) in New York, setting a new auction record for the Renaissance master. The sale price beat the previous Titian auction record of £7.5m ($11.9m) paid at Christie’s in London in December, 1991.
5. Warhol self portrait
A huge self-portrait by "pope of pop" Andy Warhol sold for a whopping £10.8 million ($17.4 million) at Christie's in London recently, doubling the pre-auction estimated price. The 1967 piece measures six feet (1.8 meter) square, and shows Warhol with a hand to his mouth in what the auction house called "one of the most representative and iconic images of the artist."
6. Salvador Dali's "Portrait de Paul Eluard"
Salvador Dali's "Portrait de Paul Eluard" set a world record last month at Sotheby's London Thursday when it sold for more than £13 million ($21.6 million). The 1929 Surrealist piece shows French poet Paul Eluard.
7. Archie Comics #1
At Heritage Auctions' Feb. 24-25 Signature Vintage Comics & Comics Art Auction, a CGC-certified 8.5 copy of Archie Comics #1 managed to fetch a world record price of $167,300. It's not just a record for Archie, but is also the highest price ever paid for a non-superhero comic book.
