Can you imagine a sofa getting sold off for 80,000 pounds ($159,000)? If not then start convincing yourself as a Ron Arad sofa may fetch up to 80,000 pounds ($159,000) at a London sale this week. It is a clear symptom of growing demand for “design art.” But even after dropping this hefty dough you cannot afford to sit on this steel work.

Ben Williams, a design expert at Phillips de Pury engaged in selling the Arad couch, titled “Early Big Easy Volume 2 for 2 Sofa”1989 said: If you are carrying jeans, then it is suggestive to be actually cautious. Usually they serve as a sculptural element but can be used for sitting on occasionally. Other designer creation includes “Alligator Chair,” carved out of children’s cuddly alligator toys and anticipated to fetch 25,000 pounds at Phillips. Other highlights of the 246 objects featured at sale include a carbon-fiber table designed by Australian- born Marc Newson may fetch up to 200,000 pounds.

It is estimated that Phillips’s inaugural design sale in London would generate a sale of 1.4-2 million pounds.
The limited edition of Newson’s three-legged “Black Hole” table, dating back to 2006 may get sold off for 235,448 euros ($375,000).

Via WilliamVerdult

Here comes a perfect antique gift for your beloved. Featured above is a 206.82 carat sapphire pendant encrusted with diamonds to be auctioned at Sotheby’s auctyion house in Geneva, London. Designed by jeweller Cartier in 1951, the pendant formely was a part of collection of Britain’s Wallis, Duchess of Windsor. It is anticipated to fetch $1.1-1.5 million (Euros 6,97,000-9,50,000) on 15 May.

The most respected thing about vintage jewelry is the inheritance of history that comes with it. Featured above is an intricate Empress Eugénie’s brooch, an aged diamond bow brooch designed dated back in 1855 by the Parisian jeweler François Kramer for the French Empress. The brooch was the highlight of the scheduled auction at Christie’s called “Eye of a Connoisseur sale,” that came to standstill during last minutes because of some court orders involving Fred Leighton owner, Ralph Esmerian under the charge of outstanding loans of $178 million debt owned to Merrill Lynch & Co.

Esmerian has had hard times paying off his debts and thus had to give up the security (his collection). Merrill Lynch made quality efforts to cash in the jewels at a Christie’s auction but Esmerian managed to put an hold on the sale, thereby declaring bankruptcy.

Against the pre-sales estimated amount of $4 million to $6 million, the brooch generated $11 million and all thanks to Louvre, who inked this pricey deal in order to get back a piece of the crown jewels. Having auctioned first in 1887, the brooch remained in the custody of jeweler Emile Schlesinger throughout his stay of 100 years in the Astor family.
I think more than craftsmanship, it is the legacy factor that has led to such a pricey auction.

Featured above is a tiara bejeweled with a 101.27-carat shield-shaped diamond making up to Christie’s auction house based in Hong Kong. The diamond tiara is successful in inviting the attention of filthy rich and is anticipated to fetch $6,000,000-$7,500,000.

Via USAToday

Update: Umm Kulthoum’s antique necklace fetched $1.3 mn, almost 10 times of its pre-estimated sales amount at Christie’s auction house.
An antique necklace embedded with around 1,888 pearls, a pricey possession of Egyptian Singer Umm Kulthoum is all set to go under hammer in Dubai on 29 April. The necklace was once gifted to Kultham by Sheik Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late president of the United Arab Emirates and is anticipated to fetch $80,000-$120,000 during the Jewels and Watches auction in Dubai.

Christie’s spokeswoman Clare Roberts said Umm Kulthoum received this nine-row necklace from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1970s. Born in 1904, Umm learnt singing from her father and debuted her first footage in the mid-1920s and by 1930s; she reached the top of Cairo’s composition panorama.

Via IHT

Christie’s International is hoping to take deep breaths as it is focusing into the antique English furniture market by holding an evening sale of 12 “masterpieces” in London on 18 June. The discretely segmented selection that follows Christie’s evening sale of the anthology of the late Simon Sainsbury, is anticipated to fetch 10 million pounds ($19.7 million). The sale exhibits five works by Thomas Chippendale, the renowned English cabinetmakers.

Chippendale’s Kenure Cabinet from 1750s, an affluently stamped piece in a Chinese “fantasy” style is illustrated as the “finest example of his craft to ever appear at auction” by the auction house.

Since 1964, it was not seen in the market and news it this time at Christie’s it may generate a sale of record 2.5 million pounds to 4 million pounds ($3.9-$7.8 million) on 18 June.

Via Bloomberg

Folks, am back with an exciting piece of news for you. Whilst days back I told you about the prestigious private dagger owned by Shah Jahan, all set to go under hammer. And today the auctioned finally happened and the bid process finally ended with the highest bid of 1.7 million pounds made by an anonymous buyer.

Christie’s has exhibited the rare collection of jewels and gemstones to be auctioned on 15-16 April. Roughly 65 lots from these two sales to be held at Christie’s Manhattan salesroom are expected to fetch really big dough. The 15 April rare jewels & gemstones sale will exhibit antique jewelry dating from the 17th-20th centuries. Among the interesting and must-see jewels, there is a historic diamond bow brooch made for Empress Eugénie in the mid-19th century, which is expected to generate r $4-6 million.

Whilst the 16 April auction would count an array of atypical shaded gemstones, diamonds and jewelry from eminent American collections counting pieces possessed by the novelist Danielle Steel and a flawless 39.34 carat diamond.

The highlights of the preview of the “Christie’s Rare Jewels and Gemstones: The Eye of a Connoisseur” include a pair of sugarloaf cobachon emerald ear clips, weigh up about 17.38 and 17.39 carats, within a graduated marquise and pear-shaped diamond foliate surround, mounted in platinum and is expected to fetch $800,000 million on 16 April.

Others include:

A 14.23 carat rectangular-cut pink diamond ring with a pre-estimate of $15 million to be sold on 15 April.

An art nouveau enamel, multi-gem and diamond corsage ornament by George Fouquet to be auctioned on 15 April for $200,000.

A rectangular-cut, D color, absolutely flawless diamond ring of 27.91 carats (top), and its identical copy designed using simulated diamonds, both mounted by Harry Winston, will fetch $3 million on 16 April.

An art nouveau glass and enamel “Speedwell” bracelet by Rene Lalique sits to demand around $700,000 on 15 April.

Handful of jewelry that belonged to Christina Onassis would also be available for auction at Christie’s. Onassis is the daughter of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis who made efforts to find bliss regardless of her family’s prosperity.

Via PamBeachDailyNews/ WWD

All you filthy rich elephants thinking to witness Monaco this season to ink great deals for updating your private collection of antique cars can consider this. News is the LeMans edition of the celebrated Bugatti type 55 would go under hammer at Bonhams vintage car exhibition.

Raced ages back in 1934, this vintage racer is one extant example of the 38 type-55 Bugatti’s ever made. Developed in 1932, the coupe was possessed by the French proletarian driver, Charles Brunet and has also been worn-out in that race. A pricey reinstatement by the French expert Etablissements NOVO pursued and the Type 55 was shortly sold to the Bill Serri anthology and more lately the ‘Mas du Clos’ collection. Now, this magnificence would be up for sale on 10 May 10, when this vintage would be auctioned at more than the demanded price of €2,000,000 and €2,600,000 at Monaco.

Other must-see vintage coupes’ include a 1938 BMW 328 (€400,000 – 600,000), 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS (€500,000 – 800,000), 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 NART Spyder by Michelotti (€525,000-675,000) and 1958 Aston Martin DB MKIII DHC (€150,000 – 200,000). The Type 55 Bugatti LeMans up for auction is shown at the top right of the image shown above.

Via BornRich

Carl Asplund’s watch has reached the Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers in Devizes, Wiltshire, England and is anticipated to fetch £15,000-£20,000 ($30,000-$39,000). The watch was recovered from the body of Carl Asplund who sinked on the Titanic and is part of the Lillian Asplund compilation of Titanic associated objects that will be auctioned on 19 April. Asplund was just 5 in April 1912, when the Titanic hit an iceberg and submerged on its maiden cruise from England to New York. Amongst the 1500 others who died included her father and three siblings.

Via Yahoo