at France24 .com

By William News Wires REUTERS

Edward Munch’s famous painting “The Scream” fetched $120 million at Sotheby’s in New York Wednesday, making it the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction. The bidder was not identified. – Edvard Munch’s masterpiece “The Scream,” one of the world’s most recognizable works of art, sold for $120 million at Sotheby’s on Wednesday, setting a new record as the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction.

Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern art auction featured top works by Picasso, Dali and Miro, but Munch’s vibrant work from 1895 was the star attraction in a salesroom packed with art collectors, dealers and media.

The vibrant pastel was conservatively estimated to sell for about $80 million, but two determined bidders competing via telephone emerged from an initial group of seven, driving the final price to $107 million, or $119,922,500 including commission, over the course of a nearly 15-minute bidding war.

The winning bid was taken by a Sotheby’s executive, and the bidder was not identified.

One of four versions by the Scandinavian painter, sold by Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, “The Scream” easily eclipsed the old auction record held by Picasso’s “Nude, green leaves and bust,” which sold for $106.5 million at Christie’s two years ago. The sales room at Sotheby’s erupted in applause and cheering when the hammer came down. Several Sotheby’s officials said the sale marked the high point of their careers.

“It’s worth every penny that the collector paid,” said Tobias Meyer, who served as auctioneer and called it “one of the great icons” of fine art.

In recent decades “The Scream,” which depicts a figure with hands pressed to head against a backdrop of swirling colors, has become a ubiquitous image, appropriated for everything from coffee mugs to editorial cartoons. For many mainstream art lovers, it is perhaps second in familiarity only to the “Mona Lisa,” and is among the best-known works of art still in private hands.

Sotheby’s New York head of Impressionist and Modern art Simon Shaw called it “one of the visual keys to modern consciousness,” adding that it was “perhaps the greatest single draw I’ve seen in my career” at the auction house.

80 percent of lots find buyers

Three other images of “The Scream,” including two which were stolen and later recovered, are in museums in Norway.

Overall, the sale brought in $330.6 million, against an estimate of about $245 million to $325 million, and 80 percent of the 76 lots on offer found buyers.

The total was Sotheby’s highest-ever for an Impressionist and Modern auction, beating the old mark of $286 million, which had stood since 1990. It was also the auction house’s second-best evening in its history.

Other highlights included Picasso’s “Femme assise dans un fauteuil,” which sold for $29.2 million; Miro’s “Tete humaine” went for $14.86 million; and Dali’s “Printemps necrophilique,” which fetched $16.3 million, or about 50 percent more than the pre-sale estimate.

Works by Max Ernst, Tamara de Lempicka, Constantin Brancusi and Paul Gauguin all achieved strong prices, many far exceeding their high estimates.

The collection of financier Ted Forstmann took in $83 million, meeting expectations, although works by Chaim Soutine that were considered highlights failed to make their estimates.

But in the end it was all about the Munch. Olsen, who attended the sale, said afterward he hoped the stunning results would help drive interest in Munch’s work, and added that the artist “will be a continuing force in my life.”

Speaking to its enduring topical nature and present-day relevance, Olsen said “The image of ‘The Scream’ could make more of us fathom the magnitude of the consequences of our continuing emissions of greenhouse gases.”

“For me, (it) shows the horrifying moment when man realizes his impact on nature and the irreversible changes that he has initiated, making the planet increasingly uninhabitable.”

bonus video : by BBC

  

By DAILY MAIL

It has been on and off the market for years. And now the mansion Michael Jackson was renting for $100,000-a-month when he died has been put up for sale once again.  The house, which has seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and a seven-car garage all sprawled over 17,200 square feet comes with an asking price of $23.9million.

It was listed for a higher price of $29million when it was put on the market in August 2010. However it is understood to have remained empty since the superstar’s death in June 2009. Despite this it may be lived in soon as it has reported by TMZ that a ‘major celebrity’ is due to look around the property tomorrow.

And the website also alleges that the realtor will only show the property to people who are pre-qualified, which means it has been verified that they have enough money to purchase the pricey home. As well as the expansive grounds and spacious rooms, the mansion boasts a movie theatre and swimming pool.

Mansion: The property is on the market for a cool $23.9million

Huge grounds: The property is sprawled over 17,200 square feet of land

The 50-year-old singer died of a Propofol overdose in June 2009 in the house in Holmby Hills, which is in upmarket Bel Air, Los Angeles.

The asking price for the house, which is owned by Ed Hardy CEO Hubert Guez, has been slashed several times

It was put up for sale back in 2008 for a whopping $38million.

After Guez initially tried to rent the property for $300,000 a month, and failed, he decided to put the house up for sale at the reduced price to offload it.

Amenities: The mansion also boasts a vintage style movie theatre

For sale: The Bel Air home has been on and off the market for years

Jackson had rented the house from Guez while he rehearsed for ‘This is It’ at the Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles.

He had been living there with his three children, Prince Michael, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, eight.

The superstar’s final concert tour which he referred to as his ‘final curtain call’ and was due to start at London’s O2 arena only weeks after the singer died.

Lots of room: The house has seven bedrooms and 13 bathrooms

Empty: The house is understood to have not been lived in since the singer’s death in June 2009

On June 25th 2009 paramedics were called to the house on Carolwood Drive after Michael had been found in bed and unresponsive.

He was taken to the UCLA medical centre where attempts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead.

For more information on the property visit Zillow.com.

Showing interest: It has been reported that a ‘major celebrity’ is due to look around the property

Falling in price: The property was listed at $29million in 2010 but the asking price has dropped more than $5million

  

It was just a year before when we first launched this magazine starting like “Dear Readers let us wish You a Happy Valentine’s Day, especially for You who have reason to do, and hope all of You have one.” You have of course, the best of our wishes for the day. In this year we have Your kind feedback and Your lovely support. You like it and we still continue.

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image: Porsche Design Group

by Travis Okulski at Business Insider

High rise condos in South Florida have been the epitome of exclusivity and luxury for years.

But now, one complex is aiming to take that to a whole new level.

According to the Miami Herald, the recently approved 57-story Porsche Design Tower will feature glass elevators that whisk residents and their cars straight to their front door. It will cost an estimated $560 million to build.

It sounds simple enough: pull in, turn off the car, and a robotic arm will lift the car, put it on an elevator, and automatically take it to the front door of the unit, no valet required.

The condos are expected to be between 3,800 to 9,500 square feet in size with prices up to $9 million. Larger units will receive four parking spaces while the smaller ones will have room for just two luxury cars.

These condos are also being designed with large windows in the living room to allow the gearhead residents to keep a doting eye on their prized possessions.

In order to keep it unique, there are plans to only have one of these buildings in South Florida, but there are plans to expand around the world. Parking attendants in the Miami area can breathe a sigh of relief.

video bonus : 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet

  

by Hall TV

The Principality of Monaco. The home of so many things – extravagance, super yachts, Grand Prix races, Celebrities – this principality is the most famous of them all. In true style and in key to its glitzy personality this programme is drenched in more luxury than any of our others! Be prepared to fly around on a private helicopter, take a Rolls Royce Phantom to go window shopping, go on board a privately owned 212 ft, 80 million euro super yacht and see the cathedral where Grace Kelly was married to Prince Rainier.

  

The new issue of the Nature of Luxury is available.

Please Subscribe (Go directly to the sidebar on the right) to Receive the new issue!

the Nature of Luxury is not a typical magazine; it’s our way to better communicate with our members, customers, associates or just the fans of Luxury issues
Please also participate in our survey and discover new paths for Your luxury buyings and maybe new modes of collaboration!

You are also kindly asked to complete our Survey by clicking here

  

It is a year since an 18th-century Chinese vase was sold in London for $68 million, smashing world records.

Now dealers and auction houses in London are feverishly anticipating a slew of sales as part of Asian Art in London, a week-long event that has been attracting newly-wealthy Chinese buyers and collectors to the capital for over a decade.

Max Rutherston, Chairman of Asian Art in London, says the week of Asian art sales and exhibitions in London has been running for 13 years, and has seen a “Chinese art boom,” with collectors from mainland China and Hong Kong flocking to London to check out the array of antique wares laid out in the salesrooms and galleries.

Antique vases hailing from the much-sought-after 18th-century Qianlong period are going under the hammer at major auction houses Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonhams and on display at the commercial galleries, alongside decorative objets d’art and furnishings.

(more…)