This is Beirut - Auction

'El Sueño': Frida Kahlo Sets Historic Auction Record With Iconic Painting

This is Beirut, 21/11 12:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Painting Frida Kahlo Auction Art Culture NYC

A self-portrait by legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo sold for $54.66 million in New York on Thursday, setting a new record for the price of a painting by a woman, the auction house Sotheby's said. The sale of Kahlo's 1940 artwork, titled El sueño (La cama) — which translates to The Dream (The Bed) — breaks the previous record in this ...

Something for Moi? Miss Piggy’s Shoes Go Under the Hammer

This is Beirut, 20/11 15:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Entairtainment Auction Muppets US Culture Jim Henson

Some of Jim Henson's most memorable creations go under the hammer in California next week, with the first US auction of puppets and memorabilia from the late entertainer's decades-long career. Highlights include a pair of shoes worn by the domineering Miss Piggy in a "Muppets" movie, as well as puppets from "Fraggle Rock" and characters from the ...

Klimt Portrait Achieves Historic Price in Record-Breaking Auction

This is Beirut, 19/11 19:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Klimt Painting Culture Art NYC Auction

A portrait by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt fetched $236.4 million in New York on Tuesday, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. Six bidders battled for 20 minutes over the Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, which Klimt painted between 1914 and 1916. The piece depicts the daughter of Klimt's main patron dressed in a white ...

Napoleon’s Diamond Brooch to Shine at Sotheby’s Geneva Auction

This is Beirut, 07/11 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Jewelry Auction Napoleon History Switzerland Culture

Spectacular diamonds valued at tens of millions of dollars will go under the hammer in Geneva next week, alongside a brooch seized from Napoleon as he fled the Battle of Waterloo. The unique brooch laden with old mine-cut diamonds, which has been valued at $150,000 to $250,000, will be the star piece at Sotheby's annual Royal & Noble Jewels sale ...

Jane Birkin's Hermes “Birkin Voyageur” Handbag Up for Auction in Abu Dhabi

This is Beirut, 22/10 10:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Birkin Bag Hermes Auction Luxury Abu Dhabi Culture

A Hermes handbag once belonging to Jane Birkin will be auctioned in Abu Dhabi on December 5, following the record-breaking sale of the original for over $10 million, Sotheby's said Tuesday. Nicknamed the "Birkin Voyageur", the estimated value of the late actor's black leather bag hovers between $230,000 and $430,000. Gifted to Birkin by Hermes ...

Picasso’s Hidden Portrait of Dora Maar to Go Under the Hammer in Paris

This is Beirut, 18/09 12:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Painting Auction Picasso Drouot France Culture

A previously unknown portrait by Pablo Picasso of one his lovers was unveiled at a Paris auction house on Thursday after being put up for sale by its owners. Entitled Bust of a woman with a flowery hat, it depicts Dora Maar, a French photographer, painter and poet who was Picasso's best-known muse. Painted with oil, the colorful work measuring ...

France Launches Appeal to Acquire Proust’s ‘Madeleine’ Writings

This is Beirut, 17/09 18:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Literature Auction Proust France History Culture

France's National Library launched a public appeal for donations on Wednesday to acquire hundreds of unpublished documents belonging to Marcel Proust, including some showing how the famed writer settled on one of his most famous lines. Some of the roughly 900 documents were put up for show by the auction house Sotheby's on Wednesday morning and ...

Darth Vader’s Star Wars Lightsaber Goes to Auction

This is Beirut, 07/08 12:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Movies Star Wars Auction Britain United States Culture

Darth Vader's lightsaber, used to chop off Luke Skywalker's hand in Star Wars classic The Empire Strikes Back, went on display in London on Wednesday, ahead of its US sale next month. The prop has been described as the "Holy Grail" for Star Wars fans, with millions prepared to end up like Skywalker and give their right arm to own the iconic ...

Pop Memorabilia: Glittery Michael Jackson Sock Fetches $8,822 at French Auction

This is Beirut, 30/07 22:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Music Michael Jackson Auction Legend France Culture

A single glittery sock that late pop superstar Michael Jackson wore during a concert in France in the 1990s sold for more than $8,000 on Wednesday, a French auctioneer said. A technician found the used sock discarded near Jackson's dressing room after the concert in the southern city of Nimes in July 1997, auctioneer Aurore Illy told AFP. The ...

Historic 1931 Gandhi Oil Painting Fetches £152,800 at London Auction

This is Beirut, 18/07 10:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Painting Mahatma Gandhi India Auction London Culture

A rare painting of Mahatma Gandhi, believed to be the only oil portrait that the Indian independence leader ever sat for, has sold at auction in the UK for £152,800 ($205,000). The 1931 painting by British-American artist Clare Leighton fetched more than twice the estimated price when the auction closed on Tuesday in London, Bonhams auction ...

Karl Lagerfeld’s Private French Villa Heads to Public Auction

This is Beirut, 28/06 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Karl Lagerfeld Auction Fashion Culture Art France

Hidden from view, once a creative sanctuary and reception venue, a former residence of iconic German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld is headed for public auction this Tuesday under France’s notarial system. Purchased by Lagerfeld in 2010, the “Domaine de Voisins,” located in Louveciennes (Yvelines), was dubbed his villa outside Paris. The ...

Napoleon Collection Auction Fetches Over $10M in Paris

This is Beirut, 26/06 12:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

History Napoleon Auction Sotheby's France Culture

A massive trove of artwork and curios linked to Napoleon Bonaparte, including one of his iconic bicorne hats, has sold for more than $10 million in Paris, an auction house said. Sotheby's said it had originally estimated the more than 110 items of Napoleonic memorabilia that it sold on Wednesday at around $7 million. Famous paintings of the ...

Auction