Collectible Investments: Opportunities to grow your portfolio…

Unlike vintage wine, classical art and centuries-old antiques that can cost an arm and leg to invest in, alternative collectables such as whiskys, sneakers and the burgeoning NFTs are easier (and relatively less expensive) to enter into the market and starting investing in now for higher returns in the future. Here are six types worth considering…

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Whisky
In over an eight-year period, the value of single malt whisky has risen by 361.09% in value with particular interest in rare and special edition collections. Last October the oldest Japanese whisky Yamazaki-55 fetched a whopping HK$6.2 million while a collection of six-special edition Macallan single malt whiskys went under the hammer for an astounding HK$20.65 million, proving to be a lucrative investment.
Chinese antiques
Chinese antiques such as rare porcelains, jades, sculptures, bronzes and traditional works of art and calligraphy spanning 4,000 years reflect a rare part of Chinese history and heritage that is highly valued for its provenance and the fact that many of these artefacts were produced by high-ranking officials or housed within Chinese imperial quarters. Sotheby’s alone held a total of 23 live and online auctions across 3 continents for Chinese Art which altogether realised over US$193 million last year. With sales of Chinese art and antiques surging over the last decade, investments in Chinese traditional art and antiques have proven to be of high value and worth in the marketplace.
Vintage handbags
Vintage handbags, dating over 20 years back, are known to fetch a sum on auction blocks. According to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, handbags performed better than art two years ago, profiting with 13% gain in overall returns. World renowned luxury houses such as Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are known to have produced limited and highly exclusive hand bag models, such as Hermès Birkin, Chanel Flap Bag and Louis Vuitton Neverfull, often going under the gavel for hundred thousands and even millions (USD).
Comic books
Once deemed as a pastime for the pre-pubescent, comic books — particularly rare first editions — have burgeoned into an unexpected investment opportunity in the last year or two. Their investment value have seen jaw-dropping returns such is the case of the record-breaking DC Comics Superman-debuting Action Comics #1 from 1938 which sold for a staggering HK$25 million, while the original artwork of the fifth instalment of the Tintin series from 1936, The Blue Lotus, fetched a whopping HK$31.75 million.
Sneakers
When it comes to the hypebeast culture — specifically sneakers —the truth of the matter is that although these footwear, at face value, don’t hold much value in themselves, their demand in the market have driven its worth through the roof. Rare or limited edition sneakers commonly resell for over 50 times its original cost. A case in point is the latest sale of a Yeezy at Sotheby’s, the original Nike Air Yeezy 1 that was worn by the artist Kanye West himself during his performance at the 50th Grammy Awards which sold for a jaw-dropping US$1.8 million, and this is just one example of many sneaker editions that have made headlines in the past.
NFTs
Non-fungible tokens are unique and new to the world of investment yet it is the talk of the town. One-of-a-kind and irreplaceable certifications of authenticity of any digital work from musical albums to digital art have proven to be worth millions at auctions as seen by the ground-breaking sales of two digital works in two different areas of the creative industry. Digital artist Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5,000 Days collection of illustrations went under the gavel for nearly US$70 million at Christie’s, while American producer and DJ 3LAU’s Ultraviolet music album fetched an astonishing US$11.7 million, and it is not likely to stop there.

Monumental collectibles that recently hit top bids

The last few months have witnessed some monumental items hit top bids, from an astronomical moon memento to a vintage Bugatti to a cryptocurrency musical album, these are the latest collectibles to have gone under the gavel and collected large sums.

A meteoric success that landed astronomical bids
Promising the moon might be the last desperate recourse for ill-starred romantics, but it may no longer be an aspiration beyond the reach of everyone. As proof of this, one of the star performers at a recent online auction conducted by Christie’s New York was a lunar meteorite that made its way to the Deep Impact: Martian, Lunar and Other Rare Meteorites sale.

Weighing a mere 123.9g and measuring 43mm in diameter, it was initially estimated to raise some HK$200,000 at auction. However, it finally went under the gavel for HK$3.97million. Designated as NMW 12691, the moon rock in question was the stand-out item among an impressive 250kg trove of space debris that was uncovered two years ago, prior to it being sculpted into a moon-resembling sphere. With only 750kg of lunar meteorites known to exist on Earth, its rarity alone makes it something very special. Value for money or lunar lunacy? The jury’s still out.

A stellar Botticelli
Taking retail therapy pretty much to the max, one particularly monied and mysterious collector spent some US$114.5 million on a fine selection of high-end artworks at Sotheby’s Master Paintings and Sculpture Sale, with their total expenditure accounting for about 80 percent of the day’s sales. Among the highlights of their haul was one very special piece – the Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel (dating back to around 1480 AD) by Sandro Botticelli, the celebrated Florentine painter.

The 15th-century 23in x 15in tempera-on-poplar panel masterpiece, which was one of the acknowledged highlights of the live-streamed auction, has rarely come up for sale. Indeed, it was last sold at auction in December 1982, when it changed hands for some US$1.1 million. Its recent reappearance not only caught the imagination of almost every prospective virtual bidder, but also went on to be the highwater mark of the event, ultimately commanding a price of US$92.2 million. This eminently immense winning bid sees it ranked as the second-most-expensive Old Master painting ever to be sold at auction, surpassed only by Italian maestro Leonardo da Vinvi’s Salvator Mundi (circa 1500).

A Gallic symbol: Pride of French Motoring
Bugatti, the rightly-renowned luxury French automobile manufacturer is justly synonymous with the world’s most sophisticated and high-performance sports cars. The brand has also long taken a lead in terms of chassis design, earning a cult-following among keen collectors, many of whom are only too willing to invest sizable sums in securing the marque’s most memorable models.

A case in point is Bonham’s Legends of The Road auction, which featured a rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S that fetched HK$40.1 million as part of a London-hosted online sale. Off the market for a considerable period, this exceptional vintage motor vehicle only returned to the spotlight after being in a private collection for some 50 years. It was, however, presented in almost pristine condition, with the original black paintwork of its chassis, along with its spotless cream leather interior and coachwork all but spotlessly preserved.Thought to be one of only three special lightweight models produced for the 1936 Grand Prix Season, it was famed for being the fastest road car of its day.

Token Bid
Cryptocurrency, that much fabled virtual coinage, has exploded in virtually every area of life, from payments and fund transfers to humanitarian-minded technological developments. So, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the worlds of digital music and cryptocurrency have now collided. In fact, many in the underground and virtual music space have long had a declared interest in this innovative technology, but none to the same extent as Justin David Blau, the producer, DJ and cryptocurrency enthusiast better known as DJ 3LAU.

In what has been billed as ground-breaking moment for the joint evolution of music and technology, Blau – in partnership with Origin, a San Francisco-based blockchain platform – launched a unique auction to commemorate the third anniversary of Ultraviolet, one of his most ground-breaking albums.The world’s first tokenised musical product, it set a new record for a single NFT (non-fungible cryptographic token) auction when a 10-minute bidding war saw the special limited edition album sell for a jaw-dropping US$11.7 million after 33 would-be owners had battled it out. The winner now has the opportunity to collaborate with the DJ on a new single.

Home Run Hitters: Rare and outstanding collectibles that recently went under the hammer

An elegant emerald exceeds the estimate

A truly Superb Emerald and Diamond Ring – originally from the impeccably provenanced collection of Cecile Zilkha, the jewellery connoisseur and high-profile socialite wife of Ezra Zilkha, the renowned US financier and philanthropist – recently found its way to Sotheby’s New York. Immediately recognising both its value and its significance, it was swiftly incorporated into the auctioneer’s Magnificent Jewels sale, whereupon it changed hands for a stunning HK$28.4 million, more than three times the prior highest estimate.

At least part of its appeal lay in its long association with Zilkha, a high-society hostess legendary for laying on soirées that welcomed such 20th-century luminaries as Ronald Reagan, David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Margaret Thatcher and Barbara Walters. On every occasion, she never failed to impress, frequently deploying her magnificent wardrobe and jewellery collection to beguiling effect. The ring, bearing Cartier’s personal imprint – features a square emerald-cut Colombian emerald weighing 21.86 carats. Enclosed with it was an official letter testifying that “a natural emerald from Colombia of this size and quality can be considered rare and exceptional.”

Tintin creator never goes out of fashion

Few authors / illustrators attract the same longstanding and universal affection as Hergé, the creative tour-de-force behind The Adventures of Tintin. Indeed, acclaim for his narrative innovation and pioneering graphic style remains undimmed. Particularly, one of his admired and best-loved works – The Blue Lotus (Le Lotus Bleu) – dates back to 1936, with its recent presentation for auction, something of a cause célèbre for Tintinophiles the world over.

As a sign of the prestige accorded to this singular adventure, its original artwork went for a whopping HK$31.75 million as part of The Universe of the Creator of Tintin sale organised by Artcurial, a specialist Parisian auction house. Along the way, it set a new world record for an original comic strip artwork sold at auction.

DaVinci doppelganger proves a big draw

Salvator Mundi, an iconic work of Leonardo DaVinci, the rightly-celebrated Italian Renaissance artist, is unquestionably one of the most valuable cultural touchstones of all time, unsurprisingly holding the world record as the most expensive painting to ever to be sold at public auction. Lesser known, but still hugely valuable, is an earlier take on the same Saviour of the World theme, which was completed by another venerable Italian master some 10 years prior to Leonardo creating his own masterpiece.

The work of Florence-born Domenico Ghirlandaio, one of the leading lights of the highly-influential 15th-century Florentine Renaissance movement, the work was long thought missing, although it was eventually recovered and offered for sale as part of Christie’s recent online Old Masters Evening Auction. A tempera and oil on panel work measuring 33.3cm x 23.7cm, it shares the Salvator Mundi title and fetched a total of HK$23.1 million when it went under the gavel. The artwork in question is seen as a high-water mark among the oeuvre of the artist who, in his time, ranked favourably alongside such truly classic greats as Sandro Botticelli, Andrea del Verrocchio and the Pollaiolo brothers.

Venerable baseball card still a big hitter

Excitement reached something of a fevered pitch among keen collectors and canny investors alike when the news broke that the world’s most highly valued baseball card was once again to be auctioned. As an event, it certainly didn’t disappoint, exciting a keen bidding war between baseball fans and baseball card collectors.

The card in question – a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle – was graded Mint 9 (making it almost perfect) by the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), the industry’s authentication / valuation body. Given its provenance and condition, then, it was no surprise that it ultimately sold for HK$40 million to Rob Gough, an avid collector, actor and entrepreneur, who had dreamt of owning that very card as a child, going on to describe it as “the Mona Lisa of sports cards”.

The sale marked a high point even among the recent run of sales of sports trading cards that has seen such items firmly established as million-dollar collectibles. Last October, for instance, the Mile High Card Company sold a T206 Honus Wagner for HK$25.2 million and most recently, one of the six other 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards known to exist also went for a mega HK$40 million when up for sale at the PWCC Marketplace in January this year.

Exceptionally rare and magnificently adorning collectibles

Commanding the auction block at major auction houses around the globe from a Van Gogh masterpiece to a traditional Qianlong furniture to the oldest-ever Macallan collection, these are the collectibles that went under the hammer at outst

Green piece

Admirable Emerald Acquired

Gems to seek out and keep, emeralds have long been among the world’s most valued precious stones. In their time, such jewels have beguiled the likes of Queen Cleopatra and the Duchess of Cambridge, while both the Ancient Egyptians and Aztecs believed them to have otherworldly qualities. The continuing popularity of emeralds were certainly proved at the recent Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction, where the Boghossian Emerald and Diamond Double Rivière sold for HK$54.3 million.

This stunning piece was a product of a combination of their rare talents between the high-end Genevan jewellery house, Boghossian and legendary designer, Edmond Chin. This captivating necklace, which incorporates 28 eight cushion and octagonal-cut emeralds, twenty-two oval and rectangular-cut diamonds, and a range of vari-cut diamonds and fancy-cut jadeite. Boasting a gold interior, its dual-hued appeal is undeniable.

Exceptionally rare and magnificently adorning collectibles gafencu magazine The Macallan Red Collection

Spirit of the ages

Oldest-ever Macallan Goes Under the Hammer…

For many true connoisseurs, The Macallan is one of the world’s leading producers of fine single malts. Although this venerable Scotch maker has changed hands several times throughout the course of its near 200-year history, its reputation for both consistency and quality somehow survived every transition. As a sure sign of this, prime examples of its distilling took pride of place at the recent Ultimate Whisky Collection auction staged by Sotheby’s London as among the most competed-for lots – The Macallan Red Collection. Comprising a complete set of six whiskies including The Macallan 40, The Macallan 50, The Macallan 60, The Macallan 71, 74 and an astounding The Macallan 78. The latter item was not only the oldest bottle ever released by The Macallan, it was also the oldest age statement whisky ever offered at auction.

This rare set is sure to be deemed a true classic in times to come, with its easily distinguishable, exclusive labels all featuring images commemorating the brand’s illustrious heritage. One of only two sets to be produced (the other resides in the distiller’s archive), the six-bottle collection fetched an eye-watering HK$20.65 million.

Exceptionally rare and magnificently adorning collectibles gafencu magazine van gogh Fleur Dans Un Verre,

Lost then found

Lost Van Gogh Work Makes an Impression

A fascinating irony evident in the works of Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most influential painters of all time, is the vibrance and vitality that characterises all his major pieces, elements that his own tortured and truncated life was notably devoid of. Seldom is this more apparent than in Fleur Dans Un Verre, one of a small group of floral oil paintings created in 1890 during the Dutch master painter’s Paris residency. Sadly, it was one of the last major works completed before the artist abandoned his decade-long career and, ultimately, took his own life. Contemplating this refined display of oil on canvas (measuring some 41.3cm by 33.3cm), it is impossible to reconcile the sheer joy of the work, with its vibrant hues and vivid expressionism, with what is known of the artist’s state at the time..

Such conjecture aside, the work also boasts a singular provenance. Passed from private collector to private collector, it toured the world several times over before famously being stolen and vanishing for several years. Once recovered, it eventually found its way to Sotheby’s in New York, where it formed part of the auctioneer’s recent Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale, selling for a more than respectable US$16 million.

Old times table

Classic Furniture from Qianlong Ago…

As an essential part of the daily life of well-to-do Chinese folk of times classic, the traditional furniture of the Ming and Qing periods, in particular, harks back tellingly to the everyday routines its long-dead owners. A clear case in point is the rare and magnificent ancient Chinese Carved Zitan Hexagonal Table (from the Qianlong period), which was one of most admired lots at Christie’s Inspiring the Mind – The Life of a Scholar-Official auction, where it finally went under the hammer for an impressive HK$20.7 million.

Fashioned from zitan, a particularly fine and rare hardwood timber, this striking hexagonal table – a complicated structure requiring superior artistic skills to execute – possibly saw service in one of the emperor’s own palaces or temples. In terms of design, its tabletop features six sides above a shallow waist and is decorated throughout with floral carvings and scroll-form vines. There is also a ‘secret’ drawer featuring a metal ring at its heart, a hint that not only was this item of furniture created and carved by master carpenters, but one that was built to meet the specific requirements of some nobleman of the time who was not over-trusting of his compatriots and peers.

Montblanc presents the ideal gifts for your loved ones this Christmas

Looking to jazz up your Christmas with a slew of ideal gifts for your nearest and dearest is Montblanc’s latest products. Comprising new special-edition fountain pens and the company’s first wireless smart headphones, the Germany luxury brand continues its ongoing mission to create the most luxurious of accessories through fine craftsmanship, designs that are sure to find favour with any discerning urbanite.

Meisterstück Le Petit Prince and Planet

For a truly special present for the writer in your life, Montblanc presents two collections of writing instruments that pay tribute to cultural icons. First up is The Planet, the third and final addition to the Meisterstück Le Petit Prince collection, a three-part edition inspired by one of the most widely read works of literature around the world, Le Petit Prince. The Planet is an ode to the novel’s beloved little prince’s home planet, B612, and represents the values of taking care of our home. The HK$16,200 Meisterstück Le Petit Prince Solitaire fountain pen, meanwhile, comes fitted with an 18K champagne-tone gold-coated nib bedecked with a dazzling ruby. To complete the writing experience, the luxury brand has also introduced a stationery notebook in matching burgundy calfskin leather covered in embossed stars and gold foil details, paired with a rose-perfumed ink.

Montblanc Muses: Marilyn Monroe

Montblanc has also debuted the Muses collection featuring a beautiful fountain pen attributed to the charismatic cultural icon, Marilyn Monroe. As the American actress remains an inspiration to modern women, her distinctive style is embodied in the beautifully crafted writing instrument, Muses Marilyn Monroe. For instance, the shape of the pen is inspired by her iconic four-inch heels, while the red colour of the precious cap and barrel is reminiscent of her signature red lipstick. Priced at HK$7,200, this elegant writing implement makes for a sophisticated gift to any contemporary woman.

Montblanc Headphones

With an eye to treating the discerning on-the-go audiophile this Christmas, the high-end German luxury accessories label has also introduced its first Smart Headphones. A wireless over-ear headphones that convenient folds into a compact accessory, its other merit-worthy attributes include active noise cancelling technology, an ergonomic design for optimal comfort, and in-built Google assistant capabilities for a more personalised on-the-go experience. Available in three different hues – black leather with chrome metal finishes, brown leather with gold-coloured metal finishes and light grey leather with polished metal finishes – the HK$5,000 Montblanc Smart Headphones is the perfect audio companion whether you’re on the move or relaxing at home.

Gifting Made Easy: Gafencu’s 2020 Christmas Gift Guide

With Christmas just around the corner and the requisite gift-giving season soon to be upon us, have you ticked off all the items on your shopping list? If not, don’t worry, because the Gafencu team has curated an expansive Christmas gift guide with fantastic gift ideas for your loved ones. Read on to discover more…

For the sophisticated writer

Meisterstück Le Petit Prince & The Planet and Marilyn Monroe by Montblanc

For the writer in your life, Montblanc has added its third and final Meisterstück Le Petit Prince writing instrument to its collection, a three-part series inspired by one of the most read works of literature beloved by adults and children alike, Le Petit Prince. The German luxury goods manufacturer also has introduced a new Montblanc Muses Edition inspired by the forever iconic cultural icon, Marilyn Monroe.

For the watch lover

Rolex Sea-dweller

One of this year’s must-have item to include onto every watch aficionado’s Christmas shopping list is the Rolex Sea-Dweller. An ultra-resistant divers’ watches engineered for deep-sea exploration, the 60-minute graduated, unidirectional rotatable bezel enables divers to precisely and safely monitor their dive and decompression times. Designed to endure depths of up to 4,000 feet, this impressive for self-winding timepiece is a legend among dive watches and reflects the Swiss watchmaker’s decades of collaboration with diving professionals.

For the jewellery lover

Cartier’s [Sur] Naturel collection

For high-end jewellery maison Cartier, the creation of exceptional savoir-fair is in the connection between creativity and technique, as evidenced in its latest [Sur] Naturel Collection. Taking inspiration from nature and the supernatural, the Hemis necklace – one of the highlights of this new line – is the French luxury brand’s reinterpretation of panther fur around a lattice in kunzite, opals and diamonds. An alluring mastery of gem-setting and jewellery making indeed.

For the massage aficionado

uDream massage chair from OSIM

Spoil a loved one with some much-needed relaxation right in the comforts of their own home with the uDream massage chair by OSIM. With the design inspired by the metamorphosis of a butterfly, users will come out of this ‘cocoon’ with revitalised and rejuvenated. With its 5-sense stress relief programmes aim to relieve the tired body and mind, the massage chair monitors body tension through biosensors and a tracking feature accessible via uDream App records the long-term trend of body tension. The chair also features a light installation that emulates the colours of the northern lights. Built-in with speakers and an aromatherapy device, this chair will truly bring cheer this festive season.

For the oenophile

Orchidée decanter by Lalique

Raise the Christmas spirits of that special wine lover in your life with the Orchidée decanter by Lalique. Designed with wine collectors and connoisseurs in mind, its form is designed to enhance the flavours of the finest vintages. Made from French handcrafted crystal, a set of crystal orchid flowers bloom atop the stopper of the satin-finished carafe add a touch of luxury for the discerning vino lover.

For the music enthusiast

Beosound A1 2nd Gen speakers by Bang & Olfsen

A compact music box for any music enthusiast is the upgraded Beosound A1 2nd Gen by luxury audio technology company, Bang & Olfsen. The CNY special-edition item comes with a darker, more polished maroon exterior than its predecessors, replete with and leather straps. The portable speakers plays up to 18 hours on a full charge, and is truly one for the audiophile on the go. If that weren’t enough, it also boasts speakerphone functionality and a fully waterproof design that is also dust- and sand-resistant.

For the budding interior decorator

Bombom Sofas by Roche Bobois

For ample comfort and a touch of art, the Bombom Collection from French furniture brand, Roche Bobois in collaboration with Portugese designer Joana Vasconcelos, known for her large-scale quirky and flamboyant art installations, offers a flagship collection of sofas in vividly contrasting shapes and colours to decorate your living space. Designed to be part of a modular system, each piece is available in small, medium and large sizes, and can be merged with other pieces and flexibly rearranged in various forms to suit your comfort.

A taste for the extraordinary: Rare valuables that fetched record prices at major fall auctions

Extremely rare and extraordinary valuables, including a Qing dynasty moon flask and an exquisite French wine collection of tycoon Joseph Lau, drew a strong response from collectors and fetched record prices at auctions held in Fall by Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

A rare rose moonflask

A Qing dynasty antique draws top bids.

Among finest art pieces to hit the auction block in recent memory, the rare and exceptional small pink-ground Famille Rose Moonflask fetched a price of HK$4 million at Christie’s Pavilion Sale Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, surpassing by a significant margin its HK$3.5 million pre-sale estimate.

The rare antique has enjoyed a long provenance, underscored by its iron-red four-character seal mark signed by the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796) during the Qing dynasty, who was reputedly one of China’s foremost art collectors. The six-inch-tall flask is a truly finely-potted item. Its incised rose pink ground is decorated with floral scrolls, known as “flower brocade design”, which is said to be unique to the reign of the sixth Qing emperor. While many earlier designs were simply painted on a white background, the moon flask’s floral designs were set against a soft rose-pink background.

Another impressive item that highlighted that same auction was a pair of green-enamelled and iron red-decorated Peach Blossom Jardinieres a piece dating back to Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1661-1722). The rare item was sold for HK$2.1 million, more than eight times the pre-sale estimate.

A flawless diamond

A rare jewel breaks online auction

In a series of exceptional jewellery sales this fall, international auction house Sotheby’s amassed an impressive HK$426 million in revenue, boosted in no small measure by the disposal of the highly-sought-after 102.39-carat D colour Flawless Oval Diamond, which went under the hammer for an astounding HK$121.6 million at its Hong Kong Jewellery Autumn Sales on October 7.

The first world-class diamond ever to be auctioned without any reserve price, the rare gemstone fuelled a frenetic and exciting flurry of bids that rapidly zoomed up to gargantuan final price. It broke also the HK$85 million record previously for the most expensive jewellery auctioned online. The winning bidder was a Japanese national who quickly nicknamed the jewel as “Maiko Star” after his second daughter. Last summer, another Japanese man bought an 88.22-carat oval diamond for US$13.8 million, naming it “Manami Star” for his two girls.

Two days after the sale of the 102.39-carat diamond, the auction house sold an Imperial Green Jadeite Bead and Diamond Necklace for a price of HK$63 million. That particular transaction also helped bring Sotheby’s total jewellery sales revenue for the season to an impressive tally of HK$426 million.

Vintage Romanee-Conti

French fine wines lure oenophiles

A number of sensational wines from the cellar of tycoon Joseph Lau commanded premium prices during a two-day auction in Hong Kong on October 3. The fine wines extravaganza grossed HK$53 million, more than double the pre-sale estimate of HK$25.7 million. Lau’s collection enticed fellow oenophiles, all drawn by his 38-year reputation for collecting and keeping the finest French wines.

The sale was highlighted by the offer of 12 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1990 – made by one of the world’s most sought-after winemakers – which fetched a final price of HK$3.8 million.

Wine connoisseurs also displayed keen interest in iconic vinos of impeccable provenance from the Five-Star Cellar, which were highlighted by top-notch Bordeaux and Burgundy wines that were purchased on the original date of their release. They remained in professional storage in Britain until last month, when they made their way to the auction block. The collection, which was comprised of 172 items, generated a collective revenue of HK$97.8 million.

The Splash: A striking piece by David Hockney sells at Sotheby’s auction

David Hockney – a pioneering artist in the field of pop art – once said, “Everyone knows a splash can’t be frozen in time, so when you see it like that in a painting it’s even more striking than in a photograph.” Fast forward to 2020, the British artist’s work, a piece titled The Splash proved the statement true by becoming the winning piece of Sotheby‘s Contemporary Art Evening Auction in London recently.

Completed in 1966, this iconic piece was sold for £23.1 million, nearly eight times more than the price it fetched during its last trip to the auction block in 2006. The Splash is the second in the series of three masterpieces, along with Tate’s A Bigger Splash and The Little Splash that captures the action of water splashing right after a person dives into a pool.

Hockney, who moved from London to Los Angeles, was impressed by the city’s vibrant colours, bright sunshine and lifestyle, especially its plethora of private swimming pools, thus occurring in many of his works like the Picture of a Hollywood Swimming Pool that was auctioned at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction last November in New York.

In all, this Sotheby’s auction netted an impressive total sales figure of £92.5 million, with stand-out performers including Banksy’s Vote to Love, Francis Bacon’s Turning Figure and more.

Heavenly Harmony: Gorgeous jade necklace shines at auction

Say what you like, but you can seldom accuse Christie’s Hong Kong of over-hyping forthcoming sales. Its recent Magnificent Jewels Autumn Auction, for instance, did exactly what it said on the tin, with a truly spectacular selection of precious stone-encrusted items – rings, bracelets, earrings – all going under the gavel.

Every event, of course, needs a star turn and this singular sale didn’t disappoint on that front either. Despite stiff competition from several fine items, the piece that definitely topped the “oohs” and “aahs” table was, by common consent, a necklace, one exquisitely fashioned from jadeite and spinel (a prized cousin of the more highly-regarded ruby).

Admiringly known as Heavenly Harmony – a tribute to its superlative blend of exotic jewels and expert pairing – this rare piece ultimately commanded a purchase price of HK$73.5 million, some $20 million more than any other lot on offer. Described as having “the most vivid green tone,” the necklace is formed from two different rough stones, but so artfully do they segue that it is all but impossible to determine quite where one begins and the other ends.

Claude Monetised: Impressionist bridge landscape sets new auction record

Few rail commuters trundling into one of London’s busiest stations late last year would have had any notion that 5,600 kilometres away, in a far-off New York sales room, the very structure that was bearing their weight had excited an intense bidding war. To be fair, it was not the 19^th century bridge itself that was exciting collectors but rather a rare chance to own a famous Impressionist depiction of it, painted by one of the grand masters of this hugely influential movement – Claude Monet –at some point between 1899 and 1901.

The artist, temporarily residing in London, was beguiled by the structure and its interplay with the heavy urban fog of the day and it became the subject of no less than 37 of his works. Today, many fine examples of his Charing Cross Bridge series grace the walls of some of the world’s leading art repositories, with very few ever offered for sale – indeed, prior the New York auction, there had been no opportunity to purchase one for nearly 20 years, which is probably why it went for US$27.6 million, exceeding its reserve by more than $7 million.