Beauty from the Past

Hair ornament, ca. 1904
Louis Comfort Tiffany (American, 1848–1933)
Silver, enamel, black and pink opals, demantoid garnets

Source: Louis Comfort Tiffany: Hair ornament (2002.620) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Ultimate Pampered Pooches

31-year-old Louise Harris has to be one of the craziest dog owners in the world, having spent over $160,000 in the last six years, buying jewelry and accessories for her three pets.

Harris' 3 dogs, Lola, Lulu, and Larry only wear collars and tiaras studded with rubies, emeralds and Swarovski crystals, as well as the latest designer accessories, and receive weekly massages and deep coat conditioning treatments. The dogs sleep in a $3,200 four-poster bed and are featured in a commissioned oil painting that cost $8,000. Oh, and last Christmas they received $6,500 worth of presents.

Change your name to an "L" word & maybe she'll adopt you?

(via Oddity Central and Daily Mail)

Just incase you were wondering - US$11,542,683

Sotheby's: Audubon sells for record £7.3m

LONDON 7 DECEMBER 2010 --- This evening, one of the most magnificent printed books ever produced, John James Audubon’s Birds of America, sold at Sotheby’s London for £7,321,250/ US$11,542,683, establishing a new world record for any printed book ever sold at auction. A fiery enthusiasm among four collectors bidding on the phones and in the room drove the price rapidly beyond pre-sale expectations (£4-6 million/ US$6.3-9.5 million). The book was bought by London dealer Michael Tollemache, who was bidding in the room and who described the work after the sale as “priceless”.

Source

How much?

LONDON -- Sotheby's is auctioning a rare copy of John James Audubon's "Birds of America," billed as the world's most expensive book - a treasure that could sell for 6 million pounds ($9.5 million).

One of only 100 or so remaining copies of "Birds of America," the tome will be on the block Tuesday in London alongside a first edition of Shakespeare's plays expected to fetch at least 1 million pounds ($1.6 million).

The books come from the estate of the 2nd Baron Hesketh, an aristocratic book collector who died in 1955. Another complete copy of "Birds of America" was sold by Christie's for $8.8 million in 2000, a record for a printed book at auction.

The collection of 435 hand-colored prints is made from engravings of Audubon's illustrations.

Source

A stolen rat?

Late French designer Yves Saint Laurent's two bronze sculptures went up for auction at Christie's last week. The highest bidder has been revealed: Cai Mingchao.

But Cai, who bid nearly $40 million by phone last week, has no intention of paying.

Cai is a member of China's Lost Cultural Relics Foundation, a group trying to stop the auction and reclaim the two relics, which were once housed in Beijing's Old Summer Palace.

The Chinese say the bronze rat and rabbit heads were stolen during the second Opium War in 1860 when British and French troops looted and then burned down the imperial palace.

Source

Good to know: Some people still have money

Despite the grim economic environment, the art market let out a collective sigh of relief Feb. 23 as Christie's in Paris successfully auctioned $266.7 million worth of Impressionist and modern artworks collected by the late designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Berge. The sale of nearly 700 works, estimated to bring in up to $425 million, continues through Wednesday.

A German Silver-Gilt Cup Formed as a Hunting Bear
Maker's mark of Leonhard Umbach
Augsburg, 1585-1590
Height: 6 7/8 in.; Weight: 13.70 oz.
Estimate: €80,000 to €120,000 (approx. $103,000 - $155,000)

Francois Pompon (1855-1933)
Boston Terrier or 'Toy'
Model created in 1930, cast circa 1965-1970
Black patinated bronze
Portrays Madame Georges Menier's dog, 'Toy'
11 3/4 in. x 13 1/4 in. x 5 7/8 in.
Estimate: €15,000 to €20,000 (approx. $19,000 - $26,000)

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Pet Fashion Hits Harrods

A range of designer fashion for pets will go on sale in a special collection in Harrods stores next month.

The very best doggy creations will be showcased in the Pet a Porter collection including a £2,500 diamond and sapphire encrusted Vivienne Westwood coat for the designer loving dogs.

Pampered pooches will take to the 'dogwalk' to model the latest pet fashion with a diamond studded Ben de Lisi body warmer, as well as designs by Basso and Brooke and a coat by jewelery designer Issa.

Photo: China Daily