Christie’s auction of items from Elton John’s collection kicked off on Wednesday with a special sale dedicated to his art, his luxury goods and, of course, his fabulously eccentric outfits. Across the auction’s 49 lots, all of which sold, some $8 million in sales was brought in.
It is merely the first auction in a series of sales of Johns’s collection that continues through February 28, however.
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The auction started with a bang as the first four lots soared past their estimates. A pair of silver leather platform boots adorned with red leather letters E and J fetched an astonishing $94,500—nearly 19 times its low estimate of $5,000. Additionally, a signature pair of prescription sunglasses by Sir Winston Eyeware (ca. 1975) commanded $22,680, a staggering 11 times the low estimate.
The highlight of the evening was Banksy’s Flower Thrower Triptych (2017). The triptych sold for an $1.93 million, comfortably exceeding its high estimate of $1.5 million and setting the tone for the rest of the auction. Another standout lot was Sir Elton John’s cherished 1990 Bentley Continental, which saw spirited bidding from 24 participants, ultimately selling for $441,000 to a phone bidder—a remarkable result, considering its low estimate of $25,000.
The auction also witnessed strong results for three wristwatches. A Rolex Daytona with a leopard-print dial achieved $176,400, setting a new world auction record for the model. Meanwhile, a limited-edition Cartier “Crash” watch sold for $277,200, nearly four times its low estimate, and a signed Cartier Paris Tank Normale fetched $176,400, almost nine times its low estimate—a testament to the draw of celebrity provenance.
Tash Perrin, deputy chairman of Christie’s Americas, expressed her excitement about the auction’s success, noting the incredible energy both in the room and online. The series of auctions will continue with two day sales, on February 22 and 23, and online sales through February 28.
Source: artnews.com