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Wednesday, December 4, 2024 |
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World's largest truffle sells for $61,250 at auction; Far less than the 1 million expected |
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The largest white truffle in the world is on display at Sotheby's New York on December 5, 2014. The truffle was found last week in the Umbrian region of Italy weighing 4.16 pounds or 1.89 kilos. It is nearly twice the size of the existing record holder, which was sold for $417,200 in 2010. Sothebys will offer this truffle on December 6 and with expected to start at $50,000. AFP PHOTO / Timothy A CLARY.
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NEW YORK (AFP).- Consider it a bargain: The world's largest white truffle sold at auction Saturday for $61,250 -- far less than the cool $1 million its owner reportedly had hoped for.
The White Alba's Truffle weighed 4.16 pounds (1.89 kilos) when unearthed last week in the Umbrian region of Italy, making it by far the largest ever found.
Sotheby's said it was purchased by a gourmand from Taiwan, who had placed his winning bid by telephone.
Bidding started at $50,000 for the record-breaking fungus.
It was owned by the Balestra Family of Sabatino Truffles, whose CEO told the New Haven Register newspaper this week that he hoped it would fetch seven figures.
"I told everybody I wanted a million dollars," said Federico Balestra telling the newspaper that a Sabatino employee in Italy "was hunting truffles for us and found the truffle for us."
Balestra added that the massive fungus -- slightly smaller than an American football -- was large enough "to feed a party for 300-400 truffle dinners."
Long after the dinner plates are cleared away, the Balestra truffle was expected to enjoy immortality as an entry in next year's edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
News reports said this new record holder was about twice the size of the previous champion.
Nevertheless, the dethroned white truffle fetched far more when it was sold in 2010 -- some $417,200, according to Sotheby's,
The auction house said the Balestra family plans to donate proceeds from the auction to a number of charitable organizations, including Citymeals-on-Wheels, a local group to feed the hungry, and the Children's Glaucoma Foundation.
© 1994-2014 Agence France-Presse
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Today's News
December 8, 2014
Musée d'Orsay announces campaign to restore Gustave Courbet's 'The Painter's Studio'
In a dramatic operation on the cliffs of the Judean Desert: Antiquities robbers caught red-handed
Exhibition organized by Artcurial in Milan presents ten iconic works by Marc Chagall
Exhibition of works sold by the Germans at the Lucerne auction in 1939 opens in Liege
Exhibition sheds new light on key moments in the history of impressionism
Forty-five outstanding American landscape paintings from the 19th century on view at LACMA
National Portrait Gallery announces major Audrey Hepburn photography exhibition in 2015
Princess Diana gowns go under hammer for a total of nearly half a million dollars
World's largest truffle sells for $61,250 at auction; Far less than the 1 million expected
Landmark exhibition explores images of Virgin Mary by renowned Renaissance and Baroque artists
Tiancheng sells magnificent natural jadeite pendent necklace and matching ring for US$11,800,000
Exhibition proposes new and inventive ways to address increasing inequality of urban development
Rarely-exhibited 18-century tapestries on view while Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art completes renovation
Japanese artist Takahiro Iwasaki unveils the latest epic work in his Reflection Model series
Clark Art Institute wins 2014 Apollo Award for Museum Opening of the Year
Hans van der Meer creates a photographic record of the border area between Belgium and the Netherlands
First Seattle Art Fair to feature approximately 40 leading local, regional, and international art galleries
Star-studded property on the auction block from Gregory Peck, Sammy Cahn & Michael Curtiz
Bonhams' Modern British, Irish and East Anglian Art Sale makes over £325,000
Exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art explores the story of Vitra
First solo UK exhibition of Kikuji Kawada's 'The Last Cosmology' series on view at Michael Hoppen Gallery
Art Miami announces the launch of Art Miami New York to take place May 14-17, 2015
Bridgette Mayer Gallery opens new exhibition, 'Sirens,' a solo show by Stuart Netsky
Tightened, As If by Pliers: Group exhibition opens at the Knockdown Center in Queens
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