Out of the Ordinary auction in London sees enthusiastic bidding in packed saleroom
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Monday, December 9, 2024


Out of the Ordinary auction in London sees enthusiastic bidding in packed saleroom
A member of staff poses with a robot called 'Cygan' at Christie's auction house in central London. Made in 1957, it was one of the most sophisticated robots of its time with an ability to accept spoken commands and respond to light rays. Forming part of the 'Out of the Ordinary' sale on September 5, 2013. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT.



LONDON.- Christie's Out of the Ordinary auction on 5 September 2013 celebrated the end of a month-long exhibition showcasing a host of eclectic items spanning all eras from the prehistoric natural world to the surreal realm of science fiction. Bidders competed fiercely for over 150 intriguing items, many of which were offered at auction for the first time. After much anticipation from collectors and visitors to the public exhibition, the sale realised a total of £1,283,775.

The top lot in the sale was the skull of a Triceratops, which sold for £193,875. Excavated from private land, this extraordinary beast with its three-horned head is one of the most famous species of dinosaur. One of the last survivors before the fatal mass-extinction triggered by an asteroid 65 million years ago, these 30-foot long herbivores lived with the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The horns and recognisable bony frill were probably used as defense against this fearsome foe. The example featured in the sale took around 3000 man hours to excavate.

Charlotte Young, Head of Sale, commented: “This one-off sale was very well received, with strong attendance in the saleroom and energetic bidding from buyers in the room, on the phones and via the internet. The extended public exhibition attracted thousands of visitors throughout the month of August, many of whom had never before been to Christie’s and whom we hope to welcome again in the future. We were pleased to see activity from new buyers as well as known collectors, bringing the sale total to over £1.2 million. It has been a great pleasure to curate a sale with so many unusual and visually striking items. We look forward to the next specialist themed sale, the Art of Food and Drink in January 2014.”

Further highlights included:

·`Architettura', a striking wood and metal trumeau with lithographic and transfer printed decoration, designed by Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988) & Gio Ponti (1891-1979) realised £91,875 against a pre-sale estimate of £40,000 to 60,000. Fornasetti's artistic friendship with Gio Ponti yielded numerous spectacular collaborations by the time the original 1951 prototype of this cabinet, now in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, was created.

· An elephant bird egg from Madagascar, pre-17th Century, sold for £67,875. The Elephant Bird was thought to be the giant flying beast known as the Roc (or Ruhk) in the tales of Sinbad and accounts of Marco Polo's voyages. The bird grew to around 10 or 11 feet in height and whilst probably unable to devour an elephant, as the Roc was reputed to do, it certainly was the largest bird ever to have lived. It was estimated to weigh up to 1100lbs (the largest ostriches might grow to 8 feet in height and weigh 300lbs).The birds are thought to have gone extinct between the 14th and 17th centuries.

· Maya, an exquisite painting of a girl in a curiosity shop by Hiroshi Furuyoshi (Japanese, b.1959) sold for over ten times the pre-sale estimate, realising £52,275 against a pre-sale estimate of £3,000-5,000.

· Cygan, a giant robot made in 1957 and a veritable celebrity of the 1950s and 60s made £17,500, selling to a private buyer in the UK, after competitive bidding in the saleroom and on the phones. It was one of the most sophisticated robots of its time with an ability to accept spoken commands and respond to light rays. When presented at London Olympia in 1958 Cygan amazed crowds, walking around the auditorium and even showing off some dance moves.

· A slice of fruit cake from Queen Elizabeth II's Wedding in 1947 realised £1,750.










Today's News

September 6, 2013

Exhibition shows works created on the route of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

Major exhibition of recent paintings by Cecily Brown opens at Gagosian in Beverly Hills

Women of the pleasure quarters: A Japanese painted screen on view at the British Museum

Gut feeling: Richard III had intestinal worms according to University of Cambridge researchers

Premier selection of galleries to participate in Art Basel's 12th edition in Miami Beach

Wright's lifestyle auction, Living Contemporary, mixes modern and contemporary art with 20th century

Orange County Museum of Art Director and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Szakacs resigns

Mexican artist Bosco Sodi's first solo United Kingdom exhibition opens at Pace

13th century samurai swords could sell for $200,000 or more at Bonhams New York

Out of the Ordinary auction in London sees enthusiastic bidding in packed saleroom

Group exhibition of artists represented by Bernarducci Meisel Gallery included in Photorealism in the Digital Age

Wadsworth Atheneum presents its first collection-based photography exhibition in nearly a decade

In final round, David Chipperfield Architects selected to renovate Haus der Kunst in Munich

Royal Institute of British Architects Manser Medal for best new home: Shortlist announced

New exhibition at Kemper at the Crossroads explores graffiti and its influence on Contemporary art

Hassinger & Clark: Boxes, Combs and Constellations opens at University of Delaware Museums

Kunsthaus Zürich presents solo exhibition by Lonnie van Brummelen & Siebren de Haan

Peabody Essex Museum appoints new Curator of Chinese and East Asian Art

Martin Eder's first exhibition in Zurich opens at Hauser & Wirth




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful