Not all masterpieces are exhibited in the museums of the world. Some of them belong to private art collectors, one of the most expensive and exclusive ‘hobbies’, reserved only to billionaires. Check the list of eye-popping amounts that are paid for these items...
Most expensive book: First Book Printed In America, Bay Psalms Book
A book of psalms which is amongst the first books ever printed in America is on its way to become the most expensive book ever sold. The book in question is one of the 1,700 copies printed in the year 1640 by the Pilgrims who had come from England and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Only 11 copies of the edition is known to have survived till today. Sotheby’s US arm is bringing the rare book for auction and the pre-sale estimates have put the value of the book at £20 million (Rs2,077,140,000). The last time a copy from the same edition had come on the market was way back in 1947.
Most expensive Banksy art
Keep It Spotless is the most expensive Banksy art ever sold. Made in 2007, it was sold during a Sotheby’s Charity auction in New York in December 2008 for a record price of $1.87 million (Rs1,15,678,200). The 81 1/4 in x 120 1/8 in canvas was originally a Damien Hirst painting which was defaced by Banksy. The image on the canvas is of Los Angeles hotel maid named Leanne who is pulling up Hirst’s piece to expose a framed window. The canvas is signed and dated on the reverse.
Most Expensive Letter: Francis
Crick DNA Molecule
Sixty years ago, Francis Crick and James Watson heralded a revolution in the world of genetics by discovering the structure of DNA molecule in 1953. Weeks before announcing the discovery, Francis Crick wrote a letter to his 12-year-old son, Michael explaining his Nobel Prize winning discovery. That very letter has fetched $6 million (Rs371,670,000) at a Christie’s auction in New York. This is the highest amount ever fetched by a letter. The total includes $5.3 million winning bid plus buyer’s premium. The final bid is three times the pre-auction estimate of $2 million. The letter was bought by an anonymous bidder over the phone.
Most expensive artwork
Cézanne’s 1890s painting of two working-class men from his family’s estate was bought by the Qatari royal family for $250 million (Rs15,485,000,000) — more than double the previous auction record. Although the sale took place in 2011, the details of the secret deal only emerged in February 2012. The painting had previously belonged to Greek shipping magnate George Embiricos and the four other Cézanne paintings in the post-Impressionist series are held by the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Courtauld Institute in London and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.
Most expensive drawing sketch
Raphael, who along with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo formed the traditional trinity of the High Renaissance period has created a new record. Sotheby’s had recently organised a sale of ‘Old Master & British Paintings’ which also featured one of Raphael’s drawings, the 16th century ‘Head of an Apostle’ which is a study for Raphael’s last painting Transfiguration. The art work fetched a record $47.9 million (Rs2,967,165,500). Raphael died way back in 1520 rather prematurely at the age of 37 but had already produced a large portfolio of great work that is valued centuries later. The drawing has been done in black chalk and measures roughly 15 inches by 11 inches.
—Compiled by Boski Gupta
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