An art auction with works by – and featuring – some of the most iconic British figures has raised more than €1 million.
The auction called British. Cool. was held at Bonhams in London last week and its most successful lot was a print from Andy Warhol’s 1975 Mick Jagger portfolio. It made €172,500 against a pre-sale estimate of about €68,000 – €91,000.
The 252-lot sale also included various pieces by other top artists like Banksy, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Peter Blake.
Co-head of the British. Cool. sale Carolin von Massenbach, explained, “From Banksy prints to Dame Vivienne Westwood fashion pieces, British. Cool. offered items from the peak of Britain’s contemporary cultural legacy”. The other co-head of the sale, Janet Hardie, added: “With an array of art, prints, fashion, photographs and popular culture memorabilia, it is no wonder British. Cool. enticed collectors across all categories. We are delighted that yet again we demonstrated that Britain’s cultural highlights certainly remain incredibly cool and current”.
Euronews Culture takes a look at some of the stand out pieces from the auction…
A print of secret artist Banksy’s 2004 work ‘Girl with Balloon’ sold for about €79,000, although it was estimated to be able to raise up to €91,000. It is one of 600 copies of the image and was accompanied by the new certificate of authenticity issued by Pest Control Office. Pieces by Banksy – who hides his identity – made up 5 out of the top ten most expensive sold lots.
A suitcase from Tracey Emin’s 2004 collaboration with French fashion house Longchamp to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the ‘Le Pliage’ bags made close to €41,000 at Bonhams. Only 200 copies of the bag were made and each features a rosette with a hand-drawn Longchamp logo and a name, handwritten by Emin, of a street, city or hotel – which, in this case, is Munich.
‘Time – Ticking Away’ by artist Ian Emes was inspired by and created for Pink Floyd’s World Tour of their landmark album The Dark Side Of The Moon. The image was also selected by the band to reproduce as a poster for their re-mastered 50th Anniversary release of the album.
Robert Freeman’s contact sheet from June 1964 shows several images of John Lennon from an out-take for the cover photograph of the Beatle’s first book In His Own Write.
This work by pop artist Sir Peter Blake was created in 2010 and is in homage to photographer Jack Pierson. It sold for nearly €24,700 making it one of the most expensive lots at the auction.
Vivienne Westwood’s pink spandex Boulle dress is from her Autumn/Winter 1991-1992 Dressing Up collection and was inspired by French cabinet maker André Charles Boulle. It was worn on the runway by supermodel Linda Evangelista.
‘Kate Moss, Exposed’ was taken by iconic photographer Mario Testino in 2008. It was gifted to the Bonhams vendor by Testino at the time of printing when the vendor was his principal printer.
This contact sheet of photographs for the cover of David Bowie’s ‘Aladdin Sane’ album is from 1973, but was printed later. It’s numbered 36/75 and signed by both the photographer Brian Duffy and his son Chris Duffy on behalf of the Duffy archive.
Source: Euro News
