The Vivid Yellow to lead New York gem auction…..
Christie’s New York will host a jewellery and gem auction in October, headed by a 32.77 carat vivid fancy yellow diamond estimated to sell for more than $6 million (£3.6 million).
The Vivid Yellow, as it has been named, is a rare highly saturated fancy vivid yellow diamond of 32.77 carats, as the star lot of the October 18 sale called Magnificent Jewels.
The yellow hue of this large pear-shaped diamond is so intense that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) ranks it amongst the rarest of gemstones in its class. The stone is expected to achieve in excess of US$6 million, and could sell in the saleroom for as much as $8 million (£4.8 million).
Rahul Kadakia, head of jewellery for Christie’s America said: “The Vivid Yellow literally blazes with colour, unlike any yellow diamond I’ve ever seen.
“In the world of diamonds, a naturally coloured stone of this incredible colour and size represents a freak occurrence -- an extremely rare geological phenomenon. The appearance of this extraordinary gemstone on the market truly represents a once in a lifetime opportunity for top jewellery collectors.”
In its grading report for the stone, the GIA classifies The Vivid Yellow as fancy vivid – the highest saturation one can find in a coloured diamond. Only about one in 10 million diamonds possesses a colour pure enough to qualify as fancy vivid.
The unmounted diamond, which is about the size and shape of a guitar pick, will be the star lot of Christie’s first major jewellery sale of the autumn auction season, to take place October 18.
The stone has the potential to surpass the per-carat price of US$203,000 (£124,000) achieved for The Golden Drop, a pear-shaped yellow diamond of 18.49 carats sold in June 1990 at Christie’s London. Christie’s has arranged a global preview tour of The Vivid Yellow diamond prior to its sale at Christie’s New York in October. The diamond will be on view at Christie’s London on August 30 and 31.
Source: www.professionaljeweller.com
1899 Vintage Electric Car Sells For Record-Breaking $550,000 In Auction…
If you had over half-a-million dollars to spend on an electric car, which car -- or cars -- would you buy?
For $550,000 -- that’s about the same price as the gas-guzzling rocket ship that is the 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 race car - you could buy 7 Tesla Model S Signature Series Sedans.
Or you could buy yourself and twelve lucky friends a fully tricked-out 2012 Nissan Leaf.
But for one lucky collector, $550,000 is the amount paid for an 1899 Columbia Electric Landaulet, the highest price ever paid at auction for a vintage electric car.
Smashing the estimate set by prestigious RM Auctions, this 112 year-old electric car is believed to be the sole surviving example of its type, with a three-position top allowing it to be used year-round.
It is even reputed a similar electric car from Columbia Electric performed throughout New York City’s famous blizzard of 1899.
There’s no satellite navigation, no radio and certainly no smartphone applications, but the Mark XXXV Columbia Electric Landaulet features not one but two direct-drive direct current motors from Edison, solid front and rear axles with full-elliptic leaf springs, and two-wheel mechanical brakes.
By 1902 the Columbia AutomobileCompany of Hartford, Connecticut offered a staggering 22 electric and 3 gasoline vehicles. By 1913, when the Columbia car ceased to be made, over 27,000 gasoline and electric cars had been built.
One of the oldest examples of an electric car we’ve ever seen, this example was rediscovered in 1976 on the former estate of a wealthy plantation owner in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Columbia Electric Laundaulet wasn’t the only prestigious car commanding impressive price-tags at the annual RM auction. Other cars sold on the first day of the auction included a 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio, commanding a $693,000 winning bid, a 1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta, selling for $1.485 million, and a Porsche 911 used by Hollywood legend Steve McQueen in the film Le Mans, which fetched an astonishing $1.375 million.
Source: www.greencarreports.com
Richard Gere to sell guitar collection at auction
Richard Gere may be best known for his acting career but he is also an accomplished musician who has amassed an extensive guitar collection that will be sold at auction in October, Christie's said on Wednesday.
The star of "Pretty Woman," "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "Chicago," has spent the last 20 years accumulating the collection.
It includes brands such as C.F. Martin, Gibson and Fender and instruments once owned by blues guitarist Albert King, Jamaican reggae musician Peter Tosh and acclaimed American guitar maker James D'Aquisto.
"What transpired over a lifetime is an almost encyclopedic representation of American guitar making," said Kerry Keane, the head of Christie's musical instruments department.
"This is an exciting opportunity for collectors and fans alike to take advantage of Mr. Gere's unrecognized talent for creating a cohesive collection."
The auction in New York on October 11 will contain 110 lots worth approximately $1 million. A 1958 solid-body Gibson Flying V electric guitar once owned by King is expected to sell in the saleroom for up to $90,000.
Another top item is a 1931 C.F. Martin D-28, one of the most coveted Martin designs, which has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.
Gere's collection resulted from a lifelong love of music that began with the trumpet before he taught himself the guitar and piano.
"They have been my true friends through the best and worst of times. I never planned to put together a collection. I just bought ones that I liked, the ones that sounded good and played well," Gere said in a statement.
"Some are very special. Although it's more than a little painful to let them go, each one has been played, loved and appreciated - and will be again."
Gere said proceeds of the auction will go to support humanitarian causes around the world.
Source: www.reuters.com
Rare antique gun sold for £19,200…
A prototype over and under gun by London-maker Boss and Co, dating from 1909, sold for 19,200 pounds
A rare antique gun has been sold for nearly £20,000.
The prototype over and under gun by London-maker Boss & Co, dating from 1909, sold for £19,200 at a sale at the Gleneagles Hotel - almost £10,000 more than its estimate.
An 1895 hammer ejector gun by James Purdey & Sons that once belonged to Lord Ripon, the Earl de Grey - who is widely considered to be the greatest shot of all time - was bought by a private buyer from Australia for £18,000, and his walking cane sold for £2,040.
The guns were sold as part of an auction of rare and vintage sporting guns by Gavin Gardiner Ltd in association with auction house Sotheby's.
In total the auction made £328,662.
Auctioneer Gavin Gardiner said: "I was delighted with such a strong turnout in (the) auction.
"The saleroom was packed and there was record number of telephone bids.
"The market remains buoyant for fine English and Scottish guns."
Source : Herald Scotland Website
Entire costume worn by John Wayne in True Grit set to fetch $160,000 at auction…
It is the ultimate fancy dress outfit.
The entire costume worn by John Wayne in his most famous western role is being auctioned off by his family and is expected to go for US$164,000 (£100,000).
True Grit's anti-hero Rooster Cogburn's cowboy hat, shirt, waistcoat, jacket, trousers, boots and iconic eye patch will be sold in Los Angeles in October.
Wayne - known as The Duke - kept the costumes he wore in the 1969 film and its 1975 sequel.
He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the movie - an adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name - in which he played a U.S. Marshall.
Wayne's trademark black felt hat is expected to fetch $49,000 (£30,000) alone.
The Duke's eye: The famous eye patch worn by Wayne's character Rooster Cogburn in the 1969 film and 1975 sequel
These boots were made for viewing: Wayne's cowboy boots and leather waistcoat will make the ultimate fancy dress outfit for a lucky fan
Two of his tan-coloured stockade jackets, complete with mud and scuff marks from filming, are set to go for a combined $33,000 (£20,000).
His cowboy boots, that are damaged and cracked from wading through streams on set, are said to be worth $11,500 (£7,000).
Wayne's family are auctioning 400 items, including his Golden Globe, which has an estimated value of $82,000 (£50,000).
His son Ethan Wayne, 49, said the family felt that it was the right time for genuine fans to get their hands on the memorabilia.
Pricey: Wayne's Golden Globe for Best Actor for True Grit, is expected to fetch $82,000 (£50,000)
'My father's fans were very important to him. He was open and accessible to them, and making these items accessible to the public is something that feels right.
'Museums have large collections of my father's personal property and our family has had a chance to select and keep items sentimental to us.
'There is no need to keep this memorabilia locked away when it can be enjoyed by his fans.'
Fans of the cowboy film genre are said to be hugely excited about the sale.
Wayne's clothing from the films Sands of Iwo Jima and The Green Berets.
Hats off: This trademark black felt hat is expected to reach $49,000 (£30,000) at an auction in Los Angeles in October
And 50 movie scripts are included in the sale, complete with Wayne's handwritten notes made while he was learning lines.
They are from films including True Grit, The Green Berets, Stagecoach, Rio Lobo, Hellfighters and The Sons of Katie Elder.
His family are also selling his driving licence, passport and his personal correspondence with U.S. Presidents and Hollywood's biggest stars.
Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions, said the collection 'is a time capsule of classic Hollywood and US history that has remained carefully preserved by his family since John Wayne died.'
He added: 'We anticipate attracting a wide range of people to the auction, from serious collectors and loyal fans to movie fans and the simply curious.'
Wayne died from stomach cancer in 1979 aged 72.
Original Queen Mary steamer sells at auction
A 1930s steam ship that gave its name to the ocean liner Queen Mary is being auctioned by an Isle of Wight company.
The turbine steamer was built on the Clyde in 1933 but its owners later relinquished its name to Cunard.
Cunard's famous Queen Mary went on to sail the Southampton-New York route and the steamer became TS Queen Mary 2.
Richard Lane, of Capital Marine Services in Shanklin, said: "We hope the new owner wants to continue with that maritime heritage."
The steamer, which was retired in 1977, is currently moored in Tilbury Docks, London.
It is believed to be the only surviving example of the Clyde turbine steamer class of vessels.
The online auction has a guide price of £150,000 to £200,000.
Source: BBC News Website
Tyrone missionary’s Chinese medal to be auctioned
A medal awarded to a courageous Presbyterian missionary is to be auctioned in Hong Kong later this week.
The silver-gilt and enamel Order of the Striped Tiger decoration was awarded to Dr Frederick O'Neill for his work as chaplain to the Chinese Labour Corps in France during World War I.
Dr O'Neill, a native of Dungannon, County Tyrone, was 27 when he was sent by the Irish Presbyterian Church to Manchuria in north-east China in 1897.
He and his wife, also a Presbyterian missionary, were to survive several periods of conflict during their stay in the country.
One of his descendants provided some details of the missionary's career in pre-Communist China.
He revealed that Dr O'Neill, a fluent Chinese speaker, went unmolested in 1900 during the Boxer Revolution which opposed foreign imperialism and Christianity.
Condemned to death
His house was wrecked but later a Chinese dictionary was returned to him.
In 1904 during the Russo-Japanese war, he assumed Chinese garb of blue cotton although he had blue eyes and did not expect to pass as Chinese.
At one stage he was condemned to death by the Russians.
In 1917 he was attached by the YMCA to the Chinese Labour Corps, whose members were recruited by the British government and sent to France to support troops by carrying out manual labour tasks.
It was on his return to China after the war that he was awarded the Order of the Striped Tiger.
Dr O'Neill was based in Fakumen, a town of about 15,000 people among foothills about two days walk from Mukden, the chief city of Manchuria.
Arrested by Japanese
When the invading Japanese army reached Manchuria in 1931, he was permitted to carry on with his work for some years, ministering to an area roughly equal in size to Northern Ireland.
Each journey around his "parish" was carried out on foot and took about one month.
Relatives believe that the school and church established by Dr O'Neill still exist.
He and his wife, however, were arrested by the Japanese in 1941, taken to Japan and interned in Kobe.
The following year, they were freed and allowed to return home as part of an exchange of religious and diplomatic prisoners.
Dr O'Neill retired to east Belfast where he died, aged 82, in 1952.
His Order of the Striped Tiger decoration will be auctioned in Hong Kong on Thursday by numismatist specialists Baldwins.
It is estimated to fetch US $5,000-$6,000 at the saleroom.
Source : BBC News Website
Signed Beatles single Please Please Me to be auctioned
A signed copy of the Beatles' hit single Please Please Me is expected to sell at a Liverpool auction over the weekend for up to £7,000.
The seven-inch record, signed on both sides by John, Paul, George and Ringo, will be sold at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts on Saturday.
Other lots in the annual Beatles Convention sale include photographs of the Fab Four at the Sunderland Empire.
A cap belonging to John Lennon is expected to fetch up to £4,000.
'Lots of excitement'
Among other unusual items is a compulsory purchase order issued for the Cavern Club before it was filled in with concrete in the early 1970s, and a piece of its stage which is estimated to reach up to £1,800.
The 322-lot auction also features a telegram addressed to "Mr G Starkey" sent by comedy film star Peter Sellers to Ringo Starr on August 21 1968 ahead of a visit to his home.
Stephen Bailey, manager of the Liverpool Beatles Shop, which is staging the sale, said: "The memorabilia has just kept coming in and there's a lot of excitement building.
"We have several signed singles this year and they always attract a lot of interest from fans and collectors.
"But it's always the more unusual items which capture the imagination of the buyers."
Source : BBC News Website
Hugh Laurie – Hugh Laurie & Bomer Donate Tv Props To Charity Auction
House star Hugh Laurie and White Collar actor Matt Bomer are among the celebrities who have donated signed items from their hit shows to a charity auction.
Bosses at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation have launched the online sale in honour of next month's (Sep11) Primetime Emmy Awards.
Items in the auction include a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes signed by Covert Affairs star Piper Perabo, an oversized tennis ball from House signed by Laurie, and a tour of the Young and the Restless set by actress Kate Linder.
Among the other prizes are a hat from White Collar autographed by Bomer and Vip seating at tapings of several U.S. shows, such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Academy Executive Director Norma Provencio Pichardo says, "The auction is an incredible opportunity for TV fans to bid on once-in-a-lifetime experiences and memorabilia, while supporting an important cause. We are so grateful for the television community's generous donations of incredible items that attract the funds necessary to help support the mission of the Foundation."
Source: www.contactmusic.com
Why Madonna’s Happy Birthday is also a happy day for collectors
We look at how Madonna Ciccone has firmly established herself in the canon of great pop artists...
She's sold 300 million records worldwide and, despite turning 53-years-old on August 16th, she shows no signs of slowing down.
Once-upon-a-time, you'd have been forgiven for dismissing Madonna Ciccone's pop career as a flash in the pan - particularly during the ultra-competitive 1980s.
Yet the Queen of Pop, as she is now universally known, has successfully seen off the competition from successive generations.
She's today not only in the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists list, but is also one of the most successful solo artists in the history of the Billboard chart.
In other words, while the longevity and prospects of her fellow pop princesses Lady Gaga and Rihanna are open to debate, Madonna's legacy is now firmly established.
From a collector's point of view, Ms Ciccone's establishment in the pop canon means that her memorabilia will surely grow in value in the future.
In fact, for evidence of Madonna's success you only need to look at the current markets...
The average value of a Madonna signed photo went up by £895 to £950 in the past year. That's a rise of 6.15%, which certainly beats any savings account.
And, if you're budget is higher than £950, the Ms Ciccone's career has more than its share of iconic past highlights to delve into (pictured above).
At Paul Fraser Collectibles, we're confident that historic Madonna items like this basque from her legendary 1990 "Blonde Ambition" tour could one day be as valued on the markets as Michael Jackson's valuable rhinestone gloves are today.