David Bowie art collection worth over $41m at auction

AFP, LONDON: A London auction of music legend David Bowie’s art collection has ended with sales totalling almost œ33 million ($41.5 million), after exhibits of the works drew record crowds, Sotheby’s said Saturday.
Every item in the collection, which included over 130 works of modern and contemporary British art, was sold in a series of sales as buyers’ enthusiasm for the late musician’s collection exceeded expectations.
Exhibitions of the works in London attracted some 51,470 visitors, the highest attendance for any pre-sale exhibition in the British capital, the auction house said.
The auctions themselves were attended by 1,750 bidders, with over 1,000 more bidding on line.
“David Bowie’s personal art collection captured the imagination of the tens of thousands who visited our exhibitions and the thousands who took part in the sales,” said Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe.
The collection offered “a fresh insight into the creative mind of one of the greatest cultural figures of our time,” he added. Sales of works by Damien Hirst, Henry Moore and Marcel Duchamp among others totalled œ32.9 million ($41.5 million, 38.3 million euros), Sotheby’s said.
The highest-selling item in Bowie’s collection, the graffiti-inspired “Air Power” canvas by Basquiat, sold for œ7.09 million.It had been expected to fetch between œ2.5 and œ3.5 million.

 

David Bowie art collection worth over $41m at auction

AFP, LONDON: A London auction of music legend David Bowies art collection has ended with sales totalling almost 33 million ($41.5 million), after exhibits of the works drew record crowds, Sothebys said Saturday. Every item in the collection, which included over 130 works of modern and contemporary British art, was sold in a series of sales as buyers enthusiasm for the late musicians collection exceeded expectations. Exhibitions of the works in London attracted some 51,470 visitors, the highest attendance for any pre-sale exhibition in the British capital, the auction house said. The auctions themselves were attended by 1,750 bidders, with over 1,000 more bidding on line. David Bowies personal art collection captured the imagination of the tens of thousands who visited our exhibitions and the thousands who took part in the sales, said Oliver Barker, chairman of Sothebys Europe. The collection offered a fresh insight into the creative mind of one of the greatest cultural figures of our time, he added. Sales of works by Damien Hirst, Henry Moore and Marcel Duchamp among others totalled 32.9 million ($41.5 million, 38.3 million euros), Sothebys said. The highest-selling item in Bowies collection, the graffiti-inspired Air Power canvas by Basquiat, sold for 7.09 million.It had been expected to fetch between 2.5 and 3.5 million.