antiquesandartireland.com

A collection of Chateauneuf-du-Pape features a 1995 Magnum, seven bottles of 1995 vintage and one 1999 vintage, all Chateau Beaucastel, estimate $600-800.

Signature Cellars, Christie’s on-line only auction of fine and rare vintage wines, runs from August 6 to August 20. There are hard to source Californian wines from Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle as well as ’82 Lafite and Labour, pre and post war vintages and magnums of champagne.

The sale features vintage port and Bandol wines from the legendary Domaine Tempier.  A mix of collectible blue chip wines and approachably  priced selections it represents much time invested in client relationships by Christie’s North American specialists.

This is the first in a series of planned on-line only auctions that will run in parallel to traditional sales room activity. The sale marks the next major step in e commerce activity at Christie’s.

In the first half of 2012 growth in on-line activity at Christie’s rose by 20 per cent and there has been a 15 per cent increase in customers bidding via Christe’s Live.

UPDATE:  The sale, which has ended, brought in  $819,715.  The top lot was a case of 1982 Chateau Lafite which made $42,350 including buyer’s premium.  There were 444 registered bidders from 29 countries and 88% of the 301 lots were sold.

DAPHNE GUINNESS MARIO TESTINO (B. 1954), FOR BRITISH VOGUE, MARCH 2008 © Mario Testino is estimated at £20,000-30,000. (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: THIS MADE  £133,250, A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER AT AUCTION AND WAS THE TOP LOT IN THE SALE.

THE auction of 102 lots from the stylish wardrobe of Daphne Guinness at Christie’s in London on June 27 is expected to bring more than £100,000 to the Isabella Blow Foundation.  There are 40 dresses, 48 coats and jackets and eight pairs of shoes as well as tops, trousers, skirts and photographs from a list of makers that reads like a Who’s Who of the world of couture.  These range from Balenciaga, Balmain and Roberto Cavalli through Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Givenchy, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Laboutin, Lanvin, Alexander McQueen, Miu Miu, Prada, Rochas and Jil Sander.

Isabella Blow, the British style guru who committed suicide in 2007, is credited with discovering models Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl and the fashion designer Alexander McQueen.  McQueen died by suicide in 2010.  The Isabella Blow Foundation seeks to honour the memory of Isabella Blow, to support aspiring art and fashion students and to facilitate further research in the fields of depression and mental health.

Daphne Guinness, born in 1967, is a direct descendant of Arthur Guinness and holds British and Irish nationality.  A designer, editor, model, muse, and stylist, she has been described as one of the most stylish women living by designer and director Tom Ford.

UPDATE:  THE auction achieved  £476,800, four times the pre-sale estimate.

A BALL GOWN OF MIDNIGHT BLUE SATIN CHRISTIAN LACROIX £4,000-6,000. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2012. (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: THIS MADE £12,500.

A DIP-DYED SATIN COCKTAIL DRESS WITH RED, WHITE AND BLACK GRADATIONS PRADA (£600-1,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2012. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS MADE £375

A BLACK AND WHITE CROPPED JACKET GARETH PUGH, SPRING/SUMMER 2009 (£600-1,500) courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. 2012. (Click to enlarge).  UPDATE: THIS MADE £375

Bentley once owned by Sir Elton John at Bonhams. (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: IT MADE £47,437

A 1975 Bentley Corniche convertible formerly owned by Sir Elton John, goes under the hammer at Bonhams in Oxford on June 16.  One of only 45 Bentley Corniche ‘Series 1’ convertibles built between 1971 and 1976 it was bought new by Elton John in September 1975.  He sold  it to his personal assistant Robert Halley in 1998 and re-bought it in 1999.  Mr. Halley had it repainted in its present livery and updated with later alloy wheels.

The current owner bought the Cornice when a selection  of Elton John’s cars was auctioned in 2001. Sir Elton speaks highly of the Bentley, which was one of a handful of his cars used extensively. He said: “I’ve had a lot of people in it, Princess Margaret’s been in it,  everyone’s been in it.” It is estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 at a sale held in Association with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Banbury Run.

UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £347,437 INCLUDING PREMIUM

The Irish Examiner Titanic Supplement. (Click on image to enlarge).

Exactly a century ago Titanic sailed from Queenstown into the history books . On April 11, 1912 Titanic arrived from Cherbourg and dropped anchor at the outer anchorage at Roches Point near Queenstown (now Cobh) in Cork Harbour.  It was to be her last port of call.

Of the 123 passengers who boarded in Cork only 44 survived.  Among the eight passengers who disembarked at Queenstown was the Jesuit trainee priest Frank Browne. A keen photographer, he was the only person with photographs of the ship at sea. His work has been used extensively ever since.

On April 11, 2012 the Irish Examiner newspaper, whose own photographer covered the visit of Titanic, will publish a special supplement to commemorate the event.

Several different types of deck chair were ordered for Olympic and Titanic for use by first and second class passengers on the boat and promenade decks. Passengers paid a hire charge for each voyage of four shillings for the chair and the same amount for a woollen steamer rug.

Three exceptional solitaires from the collection of Lily Safra.

THE jewellery collection of Mrs. Lily Safra will be sold at Christie’s, Geneva on May 14.  Mrs. Safra is a major philanthropist and a connoisseur. The jewellery collection reflects her refined taste in evolution through five decades from the 1970’s.   The three solitaire rings illustrated here share some exceptional characteristics.  They are each the best colour of their type and weigh over 30 carats.  The 34.05 carat rectangular-cut diamond ring (D/VVS1 potentially flawless, Type IIa) is a perfect stone estimated at US$3,600,000-5,000,000. Formerly in the collection of Luz Mila Patiño, Countess du Boisrouvray, the famous 32.08 carats cushion-shaped Burmese ruby and diamond ring by Chaumet is offered with an estimate of US$3,000,000-5,000,000, while a 31.21 carats rectangular-cut Burmese sapphire and diamond ring, mounted by Boucheron, is estimated at US$450,000-550,000.

Mrs. Safra and a ruby and diamond flower brooch by JAR estimated at $1.2-$1.5 million.

The sale includes the largest single owner selection of jewels by JAR – the elusive Paris based Bronx born jewellery design trendsetter – ever seen at auction.  JAR creations rare come to auction and the sale represents a singular opportunity for JAR lovers to purchase some of his best jewels.

Mrs. Safra, a London based Brazilian born billionaire, is the widow of Lebanese banker Edmond J. Safra who died in a fire at his Monaco apartment in 1999.  She is a prominent art collector. The sale, which will feature 70 lots, is estimated to bring in more than $20 million. All proceed are to be donated to 20 different charitable institutions.

(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for July 10, 2011)

12.04ct Fancy Intense Pink Type IIa Round Brilliant-Cut Diamond Ring, by Harry Winston Estimate: HK$65,000,000-95,000,000 US$8,000,000-10,000,000. Click on image to enlarge. Picture © Christie's Images Limited 2012.

The largest round fancy intense pink diamond ever at auction features at Christie’s sale of magnificent jewels in Hong Kong on May 29.  The 12.04 carat stone was purchased from Harry Winston in 1976, the year the US launched it first satellite on a mission to Mars.  The stone was named the Martian Pink.

11.85ct D VVS1 Potential Round Brilliant-Cut Diamond Ring, by Harry Winston Estimate: HK$13,500,000-20,000,000 US$1,700,000-2,500,000 © Christie's Images Limited 2012. (Click to enlarge).

It is one of only two known significantly sized round pink diamonds in the world.  The 23.60 carat Williamson Pink was presented to Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her wedding in 1947. The Martian Pink shows no trace of secondary colour, making it very rare. Most natural pink diamonds exhibited a colour modifier like purple, orange or grey.  It is offered alongside an elegant 11.85-carat D VVS1 potentially flawless round brilliant-cut diamond of D colour.