<p>One of the largest and most complete fossils of a dinosaur species is expected to fetch a whopping amount of $6 million at the Sotheby's "Geek Week" auction this summer.</p>

<p>The "virtually complete" fossil of Stegosaurus stands tall at 11ft (3.4 metres) with a length of more than 20ft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nicknamed "Apex", it is 30 per cent larger than "Sophie", the previous record holder stegosaurus specimen&nbsp;which was on display in London’s Natural History Museum.</p>

<p>Apex is being termed as an "incredibly important milestone" achieved in the world of fossils, said Cassandra Hatton, the global head of science at Sotheby’s.</p>

<p>“Stegosaurus is one of the most universally recognisable dinosaur species, whose unmistakable silhouette has been a source of fascination and wonder for generations," said Hatton.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-brazil-beaches-be-privatised-new-proposal-sparks-row-727016">Will Brazil beaches be privatised? New proposal led by ex-prez Bolsonaro's son sparks row</a></p>

<p>Apex's discovery is of a huge magnitude, believes Hatton. The process of excavation, preparation and installation of Apex "further reinforces the enduring appeal of stegosaurus and its vaunted status in popular culture," said Hatton.</p>

<p>With an auction estimate of $4-$6 million, Apex may become one of the most valuable dinosaur fossils ever sold at auction. The record is held by Stan,&nbsp;a T rex skeleton auctioned off by Christie’s for $31.8 million in 2020.</p>

<p>Apex was discovered by Jason Cooper, a commercial palaeontologist, who&nbsp;found the remains of the dinosaur species in the&nbsp;Morrison Formation, in Moffat County, Colorado, near&nbsp;the town of Dinosaur, in May 2022.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/crazy-surprise-asteroid-dinky-is-not-binary-but-a-group-of-3-space-rocks-nasas-lucy-probe-finds-726940">Crazy surprise! Asteroid 'Dinky' is not binary but a group of 3 space rocks, NASA's Lucy probe finds</a></p>

<p>Sotheby's had "collaborated closely" with Copper to "document the entire process, from discovery and excavation to restoration, preparation, and mounting”, as per the fine arts company to ensure that the documentation and sale were “handled with the highest standards and transparency”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apex will be on exhibition at Sotheby’s galleries in New York before the sale in July.</p>

<p>The Stegosaurus is the best-known member of the armoured dinosaurs (Thyreophorans), characterised by the distinctive shape and arrangement of dermal armour on its back that extends from the neck to the tail.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


One of the largest and most complete fossils of a dinosaur species is expected to fetch a whopping amount of $6 million at the Sotheby's "Geek Week" auction this summer.

One of the largest and most complete fossils of a dinosaur species is expected to fetch a whopping amount of $6 million at the Sotheby's "Geek Week" auction this summer. The "virtually complete" fossil of Stegosaurus stands tall at 11ft (3.4 metres) with a length of more than 20ft. Nicknamed "Apex", it is 30 per cent larger than "Sophie", the previous record holder stegosaurus specimen which was on display in London’s Natural History Museum. Apex is being termed as an "incredibly important milestone" achieved in the world of fossils, said Cassandra Hatton, the global head of science at Sotheby’s. “Stegosaurus is one of the most universally recognisable dinosaur species, whose unmistakable silhouette has been a source of fascination and wonder for generations," said Hatton. Also Read | Will Brazil beaches be privatised? New proposal led by ex-prez Bolsonaro's son sparks row Apex's discovery is of a huge magnitude, believes Hatton. The process of excavation, preparation and installation of Apex "further reinforces the enduring appeal of stegosaurus and its vaunted status in popular culture," said Hatton. With an auction estimate of $4-$6 million, Apex may become one of the most valuable dinosaur fossils ever sold at auction. The record is held by Stan, a T rex skeleton auctioned off by Christie’s for $31.8 million in 2020. Apex was discovered by Jason Cooper, a commercial palaeontologist, who found the remains of the dinosaur species in the Morrison Formation, in Moffat County, Colorado, near the town of Dinosaur, in May 2022. Also Read | Crazy surprise! Asteroid 'Dinky' is not binary but a group of 3 space rocks, NASA's Lucy probe finds Sotheby's had "collaborated closely" with Copper to "document the entire process, from discovery and excavation to restoration, preparation, and mounting”, as per the fine arts company to ensure that the documentation and sale were “handled with the highest standards and transparency”. Apex will be on exhibition at Sotheby’s galleries in New York before the sale in July. The Stegosaurus is the best-known member of the armoured dinosaurs (Thyreophorans), characterised by the distinctive shape and arrangement of dermal armour on its back that extends from the neck to the tail. (With inputs from agencies)

Stegosaurus fossil named 'Apex' may fetch $6 million at Sotheby’s Geek Week auction

<p>"Estrela de FURA 55.22", the largest and most valuable ruby to ever appear at auction, was sold for a whopping $34.8 million, setting a new record at Sotheby's New York on Monday (June 8). "Estrela de Fura 55.22" means Star of Fura in Portuguese.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incredible gemstone was offered at a starting price of $21 million, and it was sold for $30 million plus fees and commissions to an anonymous telephone buyer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The stunning gemstone was cut from a 101-carat rough stone discovered in July last year at the Montepeuz ruby mine in Mozambique, which is operated by the Fura Gems company.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The official website of Sotheby's shared details about FURA Gems, a company which started its journey in Mozambique in 2017 and currently holds nine ruby mining licenses in the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/pencil-purported-to-have-belonged-to-hitler-to-be-auctioned-next-month-report-597721">Pencil given to Hitler by partner could fetch nearly $99,000 in auction: Report</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The auction site stated that FURA is the fastest-growing coloured gemstone mining company in the world and is committed to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. It has sister emerald and sapphire mines in Colombia and Australia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Miners in Montepuez discovered the remarkable ruby last year, which was transparent and stunningly vivid rough. It weighed a staggering 101 carats. It was dubbed "Estrela de FURA" (or Star of FURA in Portuguese).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Estrela de FURA was unveiled in Dubai in September 2022 and grabbed worldwide attention as the largest gem-quality ruby ever discovered.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tipu-sultans-iconic-sword-sold-for-a-whopping-174-million-at-london-auction-596181">Tipu Sultan’s iconic sword sold&nbsp;for a whopping&nbsp;$17.4 million&nbsp;at London auction</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Uni Kim, who is a jewellery specialist at Sotheby's Hong Kong, said, "It is from Mozambique, which is also one of the new and more popular origins that we see for rubies, apart from the more traditional and the classic Burmese pieces."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is one of the biggest and largest gem-quality ruby that we have ever seen. The colour and the saturation, the clarity together with you know everything that comes together with the ruby, it's just a very fantastic and beautiful piece (sic)," Kim said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Previously, the world record for a ruby sold at auction was set in May 2015 by a 25.59-carat Burmese stone called "Sunrise Ruby". It had fetched $30.3 million at Sotheby's in Geneva.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Watch belonging to China's last emperor fetches $5 million in auction&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>‘The Eternal Pink’</strong></h2>

<p>Sotheby's also sold "The Eternal Pink," a rare 10.57-carat diamond from a mine in Botswana, for the same price of $34.8 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That set a record per carat of $3.29 million for a stone of its colour. The most expensive pink diamond sold to date was the $71.2 million paid for the 59.60-carat "Pink Star" in Hong Kong in 2017.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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"Estrela de FURA 55.22", the largest and most valuable ruby to ever appear at auction, was sold for a whopping $34.8 million, setting a new record at Sotheby's New York on Monday (June 8).

"Estrela de FURA 55.22", the largest and most valuable ruby to ever appear at auction, was sold for a whopping $34.8 million, setting a new record at Sotheby's New York on Monday (June 8). "Estrela de Fura 55.22" means Star of Fura in Portuguese. The incredible gemstone was offered at a starting price of $21 million, and it was sold for $30 million plus fees and commissions to an anonymous telephone buyer. The stunning gemstone was cut from a 101-carat rough stone discovered in July last year at the Montepeuz ruby mine in Mozambique, which is operated by the Fura Gems company. The official website of Sotheby's shared details about FURA Gems, a company which started its journey in Mozambique in 2017 and currently holds nine ruby mining licenses in the country. Also read: Pencil given to Hitler by partner could fetch nearly $99,000 in auction: Report The auction site stated that FURA is the fastest-growing coloured gemstone mining company in the world and is committed to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. It has sister emerald and sapphire mines in Colombia and Australia. Miners in Montepuez discovered the remarkable ruby last year, which was transparent and stunningly vivid rough. It weighed a staggering 101 carats. It was dubbed "Estrela de FURA" (or Star of FURA in Portuguese). The Estrela de FURA was unveiled in Dubai in September 2022 and grabbed worldwide attention as the largest gem-quality ruby ever discovered. Also read: Tipu Sultan’s iconic sword sold for a whopping $17.4 million at London auction As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Uni Kim, who is a jewellery specialist at Sotheby's Hong Kong, said, "It is from Mozambique, which is also one of the new and more popular origins that we see for rubies, apart from the more traditional and the classic Burmese pieces." "It is one of the biggest and largest gem-quality ruby that we have ever seen. The colour and the saturation, the clarity together with you know everything that comes together with the ruby, it's just a very fantastic and beautiful piece (sic)," Kim said. Previously, the world record for a ruby sold at auction was set in May 2015 by a 25.59-carat Burmese stone called "Sunrise Ruby". It had fetched $30.3 million at Sotheby's in Geneva. WATCH | Watch belonging to China's last emperor fetches $5 million in auction × ‘The Eternal Pink’ Sotheby's also sold "The Eternal Pink," a rare 10.57-carat diamond from a mine in Botswana, for the same price of $34.8 million. That set a record per carat of $3.29 million for a stone of its colour. The most expensive pink diamond sold to date was the $71.2 million paid for the 59.60-carat "Pink Star" in Hong Kong in 2017. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Estrela de Fura': World's largest ruby sells at auction for record $34.8 million

<p>The oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible more than 1,000 years old was sold for a whopping $38.1 million in New York on Wednesday (May 17). With a pre-sale estimate of between $30 million and $50 million, the document was auctioned for the first time in more than 30 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sotheby's said that the sale has set a record for the most valuable manuscript ever sold at auction. The Codex Sassoon dates to the late ninth to early 10th century. The hammer was reportedly dropped after a four-minute bidding war between two bidders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ambassador Alfred H. Moses of Washington, DC and the Moses family purchased the Codex Sassoon on behalf of the American Friends of ANU and donated it to the ANU Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On its website, Sotheby's stated that the Bible is one of the world's "greatest treasures" and holds powerful resonance for the three monotheistic religions and their billions of adherents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sotheby's, which is a multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City, noted that the price of the auction has surpassed the 1994 sale of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester manuscript, which achieved $30.8 million. So far, the most expensive historical document remains one of the first prints of the US Constitution, which was sold for $43 million in November 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sotheby's said that the sacred words of the bible have been studied, contemplated, and analysed for thousands of years. The Hebrew Bible is made up of twenty-four books that are separated into three sections: the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings. These texts are known as the Old Testament by Christians, and they are included in the canons of the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches. It has been copied, printed, and translated into scores of languages the world over.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Who was David Solomon Sassoon?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>News agency Reuters reported that the Codex Sassoon is named for the previous owner, David Solomon Sassoon, who purchased the Bible in 1929 and amassed one of the twentieth century's most significant private collections of Judaica and Hebraica manuscripts. According to Sotheby's, Sassoon was a prominent scholar and bibliophile.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an interview with Reuters earlier this year, Sotheby's book and manuscript department's senior consultant of Judaica and Hebraica said: "This manuscript, Codex Sassoon, written around the year 900, contains all the books of the Hebrew Bible in one single format. It is the earliest time that we have an almost complete manuscript of the Hebrew Bible."&nbsp;</p>

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The oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible more than 1,000 years old was sold for a whopping $38.1 million in New York on Wednesday (May 17). With a pre-sale estimate of between $30 million and $50 million, the document was auctioned for the first time in more than 30 years.

The oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible more than 1,000 years old was sold for a whopping $38.1 million in New York on Wednesday (May 17). With a pre-sale estimate of between $30 million and $50 million, the document was auctioned for the first time in more than 30 years. Sotheby's said that the sale has set a record for the most valuable manuscript ever sold at auction. The Codex Sassoon dates to the late ninth to early 10th century. The hammer was reportedly dropped after a four-minute bidding war between two bidders. Ambassador Alfred H. Moses of Washington, DC and the Moses family purchased the Codex Sassoon on behalf of the American Friends of ANU and donated it to the ANU Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, Israel. On its website, Sotheby's stated that the Bible is one of the world's "greatest treasures" and holds powerful resonance for the three monotheistic religions and their billions of adherents. Sotheby's, which is a multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City, noted that the price of the auction has surpassed the 1994 sale of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester manuscript, which achieved $30.8 million. So far, the most expensive historical document remains one of the first prints of the US Constitution, which was sold for $43 million in November 2021. Sotheby's said that the sacred words of the bible have been studied, contemplated, and analysed for thousands of years. The Hebrew Bible is made up of twenty-four books that are separated into three sections: the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings. These texts are known as the Old Testament by Christians, and they are included in the canons of the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches. It has been copied, printed, and translated into scores of languages the world over. Who was David Solomon Sassoon? News agency Reuters reported that the Codex Sassoon is named for the previous owner, David Solomon Sassoon, who purchased the Bible in 1929 and amassed one of the twentieth century's most significant private collections of Judaica and Hebraica manuscripts. According to Sotheby's, Sassoon was a prominent scholar and bibliophile. In an interview with Reuters earlier this year, Sotheby's book and manuscript department's senior consultant of Judaica and Hebraica said: "This manuscript, Codex Sassoon, written around the year 900, contains all the books of the Hebrew Bible in one single format. It is the earliest time that we have an almost complete manuscript of the Hebrew Bible." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World's oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible sells for $38.1 million

<p>The Ferrari driven to five race victories by Michael Schumacher during his World Championship-winning 2003 Formula 1 season is being auctioned next week in Geneva, auction house Sotheby's said on Friday.</p>

<p>The red "Chassis 229" Ferrari raced by German world champion driver Schumacher nine times could fetch up to $9.4 million, according to the sellers.</p>

<p>"It's ... special because this car is one of the only four cars with more than four wins in the Ferrari history and especially with one of the most skilled driver of his generation, Michael Schumacher," said Vincent Luzuy, executive assistant to the director of RM Sotheby's sales.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/extremely-rare-18-carat-pink-diamond-sold-for-285-million-532545">Extremely rare 18-carat pear-shaped pink diamond sold for $28.5 million at auction</a></strong></p>

<p>He said the target market were race course buyers, since the car is "track-ready", as well as art collectors.</p>

<p>Sotheby's is also presenting eight rare "Fancy Blue" diamonds valued at more than $70 million. This colour is the highest possible colour grading for blue diamonds and is awarded to no more than 1 per cent&nbsp;of blue diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America, Sotheby's said.</p>

<p>"It is extremely rare and to have a collection of eight it is super exciting," said jewellery specialist at Sotheby's Geneva, Marie-Cécile Cisamolo. The diamonds will be offered at auction in Geneva, New York and Hong Kong and the first one will be offered in the Swiss city on Nov. 9.</p>

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The Ferrari driven to five race victories by Michael Schumacher during his World Championship-winning 2003 Formula 1 season is being auctioned next week in Geneva, auction house Sotheby's said on Friday.

The Ferrari driven to five race victories by Michael Schumacher during his World Championship-winning 2003 Formula 1 season is being auctioned next week in Geneva, auction house Sotheby's said on Friday. The red "Chassis 229" Ferrari raced by German world champion driver Schumacher nine times could fetch up to $9.4 million, according to the sellers. "It's ... special because this car is one of the only four cars with more than four wins in the Ferrari history and especially with one of the most skilled driver of his generation, Michael Schumacher," said Vincent Luzuy, executive assistant to the director of RM Sotheby's sales. Also read | Extremely rare 18-carat pear-shaped pink diamond sold for $28.5 million at auction He said the target market were race course buyers, since the car is "track-ready", as well as art collectors. Sotheby's is also presenting eight rare "Fancy Blue" diamonds valued at more than $70 million. This colour is the highest possible colour grading for blue diamonds and is awarded to no more than 1 per cent of blue diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America, Sotheby's said. "It is extremely rare and to have a collection of eight it is super exciting," said jewellery specialist at Sotheby's Geneva, Marie-Cécile Cisamolo. The diamonds will be offered at auction in Geneva, New York and Hong Kong and the first one will be offered in the Swiss city on Nov. 9. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Michael Schumacher's winning Ferrari up for auction in Geneva

The fossil skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex relative that roamed the Earth about 76 million years ago has been sold for $6.1 million at the Sotheby's Natural History sale in New York. How is this auction different from the usual ones? Well, you get to name the dinosaur if you bid the highest !

One of the most valuable Dinosaurs sold at Sotheby's auction

<p>Sotheby's, which is one of the world's largest brokers of collectibles, announced on Thursday that the first skeleton of a Gorgosaurus dinosaur to go under the hammer sold for $6.1 million at an auction in New York.</p>

<p>The specimen, which was expected to fetch between $5 million and $8 million, is 22 feet long and 10 feet tall (three meters).</p>

<p>After the auction, Sotheby's said in a statement that "The result places the Gorgosaurus among the most valuable dinosaurs ever sold at auction, and establishes a new benchmark for a Gorgosaurus skeleton."</p>

<p>Gorgosaurus, which is a distant relative of the infamous and deadly Tyrannosaurus rex, had&nbsp;small two-fingered front limbs,&nbsp;a mouth full of curved serrated teeth, and a large head.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/meraxes-gigas-scientists-discover-new-giant-dinosaur-predator-with-tiny-arms-495612" hreflang="en">Meraxes gigas: Scientists discover new giant dinosaur predator with tiny arms</a></strong></p>

<p>With a stronger bite of around 42,000 newtons, paleontologists say it was fiercer and faster than the T-Rex.</p>

<p>The skeleton, which was discovered in Montana four years ago, can end up overseas as the United States does not restrict the sale or export of fossils.</p>

<p>According to Sotheby's, "Today's Gorgosaurus came to auction without a name, providing the buyer the exclusive opportunity to name the dinosaur."</p>

<p>Found approximately 77 million years ago, Gorgosaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous Period.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since it sold Sue the T-Rex in 1997 for $8.36 million, the sale marked the first time that Sotheby's had auctioned a full dinosaur skeleton.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Sotheby's, which is one of the world's largest brokers of collectibles, announced on Thursday that the first skeleton of a Gorgosaurus dinosaur to go under the hammer sold for $6.

Sotheby's, which is one of the world's largest brokers of collectibles, announced on Thursday that the first skeleton of a Gorgosaurus dinosaur to go under the hammer sold for $6.1 million at an auction in New York. The specimen, which was expected to fetch between $5 million and $8 million, is 22 feet long and 10 feet tall (three meters). After the auction, Sotheby's said in a statement that "The result places the Gorgosaurus among the most valuable dinosaurs ever sold at auction, and establishes a new benchmark for a Gorgosaurus skeleton." Gorgosaurus, which is a distant relative of the infamous and deadly Tyrannosaurus rex, had small two-fingered front limbs, a mouth full of curved serrated teeth, and a large head. Also read | Meraxes gigas: Scientists discover new giant dinosaur predator with tiny arms With a stronger bite of around 42,000 newtons, paleontologists say it was fiercer and faster than the T-Rex. The skeleton, which was discovered in Montana four years ago, can end up overseas as the United States does not restrict the sale or export of fossils. According to Sotheby's, "Today's Gorgosaurus came to auction without a name, providing the buyer the exclusive opportunity to name the dinosaur." Found approximately 77 million years ago, Gorgosaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous Period. Since it sold Sue the T-Rex in 1997 for $8.36 million, the sale marked the first time that Sotheby's had auctioned a full dinosaur skeleton. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

First skeleton of Gorgosaurus dinosaur to go under hammer sells for over $6 million

<p>In a record-breaking auction, American astronaut Buzz Aldrin's in-flight jacket that he wore on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission has sold for&nbsp;a record-breaking $2.8 million.</p>

<p>The jacket, which was a part of the “Buzz Aldrin: American Icon” sale in an auction held by Sotheby’s New York, was expected to fetch $1 to $2 million.</p>

<p>Displaying Aldrin’s name tag on the left breast above the Apollo 11 mission emblem and the American flag on the left shoulder, when the jacket was introduced during the auction, several interested candidates made their bids for it but eventually, a bidder on the phone won the coveted jacket.</p>

<p>According to Sotheby’s, the jacket is made of a fire-resistant material known as Beta cloth that was incorporated into spacesuits in response to the fire that killed three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 in 1967.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Sotheby’s Global Head of Science and Popular Culture, Cassandra Hatton told news agency Reuters that “This is an incredibly rare thing. That makes this the only flown garment from the Apollo 11 mission that is available to be purchased.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The auction, which also included letters from the legendary astronaut’s life, is celebrating his life and career. Aldrin and his mission commander Neil Armstrong, who were a part of the crew of the Lunar Module Eagle, were the first two people to land on the Moon.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Featuring Space-Flown Artifacts from Gemini XII and Apollo 11 Missions, it will soon open bids for a pen that the Apollo 11 crew used to repair a broken circuit breaker switch.</p>

<p>"Of any space auction, at Sotheby’s or anywhere else, this is the best collection period," Hatton said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is directly from Buzz (Aldrin). The provenance is absolutely stellar if you'll excuse the pun. I can say with no hesitation that it is the best space exploration sale to have ever happened, and there will not be another that will be better than this.”</p>

<p>Sotheby’s also held a separate sale titled “Meteorites: Select Specimens from the Moon, Mars, Vesta and More” that featured a rock ejected off the lunar surface following an asteroid impact.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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In a record-breaking auction, American astronaut Buzz Aldrin's in-flight jacket that he wore on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission has sold for a record-breaking $2.8 million.

In a record-breaking auction, American astronaut Buzz Aldrin's in-flight jacket that he wore on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission has sold for a record-breaking $2.8 million. The jacket, which was a part of the “Buzz Aldrin: American Icon” sale in an auction held by Sotheby’s New York, was expected to fetch $1 to $2 million. Displaying Aldrin’s name tag on the left breast above the Apollo 11 mission emblem and the American flag on the left shoulder, when the jacket was introduced during the auction, several interested candidates made their bids for it but eventually, a bidder on the phone won the coveted jacket. According to Sotheby’s, the jacket is made of a fire-resistant material known as Beta cloth that was incorporated into spacesuits in response to the fire that killed three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 in 1967. × Sotheby’s Global Head of Science and Popular Culture, Cassandra Hatton told news agency Reuters that “This is an incredibly rare thing. That makes this the only flown garment from the Apollo 11 mission that is available to be purchased.” The auction, which also included letters from the legendary astronaut’s life, is celebrating his life and career. Aldrin and his mission commander Neil Armstrong, who were a part of the crew of the Lunar Module Eagle, were the first two people to land on the Moon. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sotheby's (@sothebys) Featuring Space-Flown Artifacts from Gemini XII and Apollo 11 Missions, it will soon open bids for a pen that the Apollo 11 crew used to repair a broken circuit breaker switch. "Of any space auction, at Sotheby’s or anywhere else, this is the best collection period," Hatton said. "This is directly from Buzz (Aldrin). The provenance is absolutely stellar if you'll excuse the pun. I can say with no hesitation that it is the best space exploration sale to have ever happened, and there will not be another that will be better than this.” Sotheby’s also held a separate sale titled “Meteorites: Select Specimens from the Moon, Mars, Vesta and More” that featured a rock ejected off the lunar surface following an asteroid impact. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Buzz Aldrin's in-flight jacket worn during Apollo 11 mission sold for record-breaking $2.8 million at auction

<p>An original copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio, the first published collection of his plays, is set to be auctioned next month in New York at Sotheby's. It is often referred to as the most important book in English literature. Reports suggested that the&nbsp;First Folio is expected to fetch $2.5m at the auction.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The First Folio was published in 1623, almost seven years after Shakespeare's death. It is a collection of 36 plays written by him. It is understood that in the absence of the First Folio, some of his most famous works would have been lost.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is said that eighteen of the plays in the First Folio are not known to have been previously printed, such as 'The Tempest', 'Twelfth Night' and 'Measure for Measure' and more.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Sotheby's, out of the 750 copies, only less than a third are still accounted for. The auction house added that less than 20 are privately owned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by media outlets, Gabriel Heaton, the specialist and director of the books departments, said: "Shakespeare First Folio is without question, the most important publication in the history of English literature."</p>

<p>"Without this book, no Macbeth, no Twelfth Night, no Winter's Tale. About half of Shakespeare's plays were first published in this volume," Heaton added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Richard Austin, Sotheby’s global head of books and manuscripts said, "The appearance of a Shakespeare First Folio on the market is always a major event, with so few copies remaining in private hands."&nbsp;</p>

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An original copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio, the first published collection of his plays, is set to be auctioned next month in New York at Sotheby's. It is often referred to as the most important book in English literature.

An original copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio, the first published collection of his plays, is set to be auctioned next month in New York at Sotheby's. It is often referred to as the most important book in English literature. Reports suggested that the First Folio is expected to fetch $2.5m at the auction. The First Folio was published in 1623, almost seven years after Shakespeare's death. It is a collection of 36 plays written by him. It is understood that in the absence of the First Folio, some of his most famous works would have been lost. It is said that eighteen of the plays in the First Folio are not known to have been previously printed, such as 'The Tempest', 'Twelfth Night' and 'Measure for Measure' and more. According to Sotheby's, out of the 750 copies, only less than a third are still accounted for. The auction house added that less than 20 are privately owned. As quoted by media outlets, Gabriel Heaton, the specialist and director of the books departments, said: "Shakespeare First Folio is without question, the most important publication in the history of English literature." "Without this book, no Macbeth, no Twelfth Night, no Winter's Tale. About half of Shakespeare's plays were first published in this volume," Heaton added. Richard Austin, Sotheby’s global head of books and manuscripts said, "The appearance of a Shakespeare First Folio on the market is always a major event, with so few copies remaining in private hands." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Shakespeare's First Folio to go under the hammer, expected to fetch $2.5m

<p>If you are a gem lover, it is alright to be envious as the world's largest blue diamond to come for auction has been sold. &nbsp;</p>

<p>What may also interest you is that the 15.10-carat diamond was bought for $57.5 million on Wednesday. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This one-of-a-kind diamond is also called "The De Beers Cullinan Blue". It was auctioned at Sotheby's in Hong Kong. It was expected to sell for about $48 million.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/150-skulls-found-in-mexican-cave-turn-out-to-be-remains-of-sacrificial-victims-from-ad-900-474700" hreflang="en">A crime scene? 150 skulls found in Mexican cave turn out to be remains of sacrificial victims from AD 900</a></strong></p>

<p>An anonymous buyer bought the gem via phone.&nbsp;Before it was sold, the auction also witnessed an eight-minute bidding war between four potential buyers. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The diamond has originated from Cullinan mine in South Africa and was obtained in 2021, the press release from Sotheby's said. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Japanese man who married a fictional character, now struggles to form a bond</strong></p>

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<p>In a statement, Sotheby's said, "Blue diamonds of this importance are exceptionally rare, with only five examples over 10 carats ever having come to auction, none of which have exceeded 15 carats, making the appearance of this flawless gem a landmark event in itself." &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is truly a once-in-a-generation stone, and quite simply the greatest blue diamond of its size I have ever seen," said Patti Wong, chairman, Sotheby's Asia. &nbsp;</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


If you are a gem lover, it is alright to be envious as the world's largest blue diamond to come for auction has been sold. What may also interest you is that the 15.

If you are a gem lover, it is alright to be envious as the world's largest blue diamond to come for auction has been sold. What may also interest you is that the 15.10-carat diamond was bought for $57.5 million on Wednesday. This one-of-a-kind diamond is also called "The De Beers Cullinan Blue". It was auctioned at Sotheby's in Hong Kong. It was expected to sell for about $48 million. Also Read: A crime scene? 150 skulls found in Mexican cave turn out to be remains of sacrificial victims from AD 900 An anonymous buyer bought the gem via phone. Before it was sold, the auction also witnessed an eight-minute bidding war between four potential buyers. The diamond has originated from Cullinan mine in South Africa and was obtained in 2021, the press release from Sotheby's said. Watch: Japanese man who married a fictional character, now struggles to form a bond × In a statement, Sotheby's said, "Blue diamonds of this importance are exceptionally rare, with only five examples over 10 carats ever having come to auction, none of which have exceeded 15 carats, making the appearance of this flawless gem a landmark event in itself." "It is truly a once-in-a-generation stone, and quite simply the greatest blue diamond of its size I have ever seen," said Patti Wong, chairman, Sotheby's Asia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

'The De Beers Cullinan Blue': World's largest blue diamond goes under hammer, sells for $57.5 million

<p>The first non-fungible token (NFT) ever created,&nbsp;the origin of a craze that is sweeping the art market,&nbsp;has gone on sale at Sotheby's.</p>

<p>"Quantum" is an octagon-shaped animation by New York artist Kevin McCoy.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/artist-paks-creations-fetch-168-million-in-first-nft-sale-at-sothebys-377689">Artist Pak's creations fetch $16.8 million in first NFT sale at Sotheby's</a></strong></p>

<p>It became the first work to be associated with an NFT-type certificate of ownership in May 2014, three years before the term NFT was coined.</p>

<p>An NFT is a digital object such as a drawing, animation, piece of music, photo, or video with a certificate of authenticity created by blockchain technology. &nbsp;It cannot be forged or otherwise manipulated.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/edward-snowdens-nft-artwork-sells-for-over-54-mn-378159">Edward Snowden's NFT artwork sells for over $5.4 mn</a></strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sotheby's has no pre-sale estimate for "Quantum", which had already reached $140,000 on Friday, a day after it went on sale. The sale ends on June 10.</p>

<p>"In 10 years looking back, if in fact these are to grow, this piece can represent and symbolize the start of something that is quite revolutionary and very impactful," said Max Moore, vice president of contemporary art at Sotheby's in New York.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/twitter-ceo-jack-dorseys-first-tweet-sold-for-29-million-as-nft-372474">Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's first Tweet sold for $2.9 million as NFT</a></strong></p>

<p>NFT exchanges happen in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin on specialist sites. Traditional auction houses are seeking to capitalize on the new phenomenon.</p>

<p>"I fell in love with Bitcoin in early 2013 and just got really interested in that world," said McCoy, a 54-year-old multimedia artist.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/nfts-are-neither-miracles-nor-scams-374760">NFTs are neither miracles nor scams</a></strong></p>

<p>He is a pioneer of NFTs that currently generate several hundred million dollars in transactions every month.</p>

<p>McCoy even helped design his own platform for the exchange of certified digital objects: Monograph, which is no longer active.</p>

<p>"There was a lot of misunderstanding at the time," McCoy recalled, saying the mainstream art world struggled to understand the cryptocurrency world, which had itself had little appreciation of art.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nft-digital-artwork-by-humanoid-robot-sophia-to-go-on-auction-in-a-worlds-first-372309/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>He says the craze is only just beginning but refuses to consider how huge it may become.</p>

<p>"The Sotheby's thing is... a big test to see what happens as far as that goes. Honestly, I don't have any expectations," McCoy added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bid-for-first-tweet-of-twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey-reaches-usd-25-million-368677">Bid for first tweet of Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey reaches USD 2.5 million</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The NFT boom is being fueled by&nbsp;early investors in cryptocurrencies who became millionaires.</p>

<p>In March, Christie's sold an NFT for $69.3 million.</p>

<p>Sotheby's &nbsp;held its first NFT auction in April. During the "Quantum" sale it is also selling a virtual character called Alice who will be able to interact with her future owner using artificial intelligence.</p>


The first non-fungible token (NFT) ever created, the origin of a craze that is sweeping the art market, has gone on sale at Sotheby's. "Quantum" is an octagon-shaped animation by New York artist Kevin McCoy.

The first non-fungible token (NFT) ever created, the origin of a craze that is sweeping the art market, has gone on sale at Sotheby's. "Quantum" is an octagon-shaped animation by New York artist Kevin McCoy. Also Read | Artist Pak's creations fetch $16.8 million in first NFT sale at Sotheby's It became the first work to be associated with an NFT-type certificate of ownership in May 2014, three years before the term NFT was coined. An NFT is a digital object such as a drawing, animation, piece of music, photo, or video with a certificate of authenticity created by blockchain technology. It cannot be forged or otherwise manipulated. Also Read | Edward Snowden's NFT artwork sells for over $5.4 mn Sotheby's has no pre-sale estimate for "Quantum", which had already reached $140,000 on Friday, a day after it went on sale. The sale ends on June 10. "In 10 years looking back, if in fact these are to grow, this piece can represent and symbolize the start of something that is quite revolutionary and very impactful," said Max Moore, vice president of contemporary art at Sotheby's in New York. Also Read | Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's first Tweet sold for $2.9 million as NFT NFT exchanges happen in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin on specialist sites. Traditional auction houses are seeking to capitalize on the new phenomenon. "I fell in love with Bitcoin in early 2013 and just got really interested in that world," said McCoy, a 54-year-old multimedia artist. Also Read | NFTs are neither miracles nor scams He is a pioneer of NFTs that currently generate several hundred million dollars in transactions every month. McCoy even helped design his own platform for the exchange of certified digital objects: Monograph, which is no longer active. "There was a lot of misunderstanding at the time," McCoy recalled, saying the mainstream art world struggled to understand the cryptocurrency world, which had itself had little appreciation of art. He says the craze is only just beginning but refuses to consider how huge it may become. "The Sotheby's thing is... a big test to see what happens as far as that goes. Honestly, I don't have any expectations," McCoy added. Also Read | Bid for first tweet of Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey reaches USD 2.5 million The NFT boom is being fueled by early investors in cryptocurrencies who became millionaires. In March, Christie's sold an NFT for $69.3 million. Sotheby's held its first NFT auction in April. During the "Quantum" sale it is also selling a virtual character called Alice who will be able to interact with her future owner using artificial intelligence.

Sotheby's sells first NFT that sparked a craze

<p>A pair of red sneakers worn by NBA champion&nbsp;Michael&nbsp;Jordan&nbsp;in 1984-85 at the start of his Chicago Bulls career is estimated to fetch 100,000-150,000 Swiss francs ($109,278-$163,916) at an online auction next month, Sotheby's said on Wednesday.</p>

<p>But bids could soar as collectors of the "Air&nbsp;Jordan&nbsp;1," the star lot among 13 pairs from former NBA stars, search rare finds at its first Swiss auction entirely devoted to sneakers, billed "Gamers Only."</p>

<p>Game-worn sneakers from&nbsp;Jordan's rookie season,&nbsp;identical but bearing his autograph, fetched a record $560,000 (463,380 pounds) in an online auction, Sotheby's said.</p>

<p>"You can see there is a little bit of wear from the game on the shoes, which really adds to the character and the story of this beautiful and iconic pair," said Josh Pullan, managing director of Sotheby's global luxury division.</p>

<p>The leather and rubber shoes, sizes 13 and 13.5, were designed by Nike's creative director Peter Moore, Sotheby's said.</p>

<p>Jordan&nbsp;played 13 seasons with the Bulls, winning six championships, and is currently the owner of the Charlotte Hornets.</p>

<p>The Geneva auction includes basketball shoes worn by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, Stephen Curry, and Scottie Pippen.</p>

<p>Pullan, noting that its other sales include Cartier gems, Rolex Pearlmaster, and Hermes handbags, said: "I think people, irrespective of whether it is sneakers or more traditional collecting categories, look for the craftsmanship, the design and the story, the provenance of those pieces."</p>

<p>He said the sneakers market was something new, finding its way in all continents and attracts a new generation of collectors.</p>

<p>"I think it's really something that struck a chord with a generation, with an audience, and that is really irrespective of the different country," he said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A pair of red sneakers worn by NBA champion Michael Jordan in 1984-85 at the start of his Chicago Bulls career is estimated to fetch 100,000-150,000 Swiss francs ($109,278-$163,916) at an online auction next month, Sotheby's said on Wednesday.

A pair of red sneakers worn by NBA champion Michael Jordan in 1984-85 at the start of his Chicago Bulls career is estimated to fetch 100,000-150,000 Swiss francs ($109,278-$163,916) at an online auction next month, Sotheby's said on Wednesday. But bids could soar as collectors of the "Air Jordan 1," the star lot among 13 pairs from former NBA stars, search rare finds at its first Swiss auction entirely devoted to sneakers, billed "Gamers Only." Game-worn sneakers from Jordan's rookie season, identical but bearing his autograph, fetched a record $560,000 (463,380 pounds) in an online auction, Sotheby's said. "You can see there is a little bit of wear from the game on the shoes, which really adds to the character and the story of this beautiful and iconic pair," said Josh Pullan, managing director of Sotheby's global luxury division. The leather and rubber shoes, sizes 13 and 13.5, were designed by Nike's creative director Peter Moore, Sotheby's said. Jordan played 13 seasons with the Bulls, winning six championships, and is currently the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. The Geneva auction includes basketball shoes worn by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, Stephen Curry, and Scottie Pippen. Pullan, noting that its other sales include Cartier gems, Rolex Pearlmaster, and Hermes handbags, said: "I think people, irrespective of whether it is sneakers or more traditional collecting categories, look for the craftsmanship, the design and the story, the provenance of those pieces." He said the sneakers market was something new, finding its way in all continents and attracts a new generation of collectors. "I think it's really something that struck a chord with a generation, with an audience, and that is really irrespective of the different country," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Collectible sneakers: Pair worn by Michael Jordan up for auction

<p>Sotheby's hosted its first sale of art supported by NFTs, the trendy authentication technology, by artist Pak, with the works bringing in $16.8 million, the auction house said Wednesday.</p>

<p>Sotheby's foray into&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;selling comes just a little more than one month after the sale of the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;of the work "Everydays: The First 5,000 Days" by digital artist Beeple for $69.3 million at rival Christie's.</p>

<p>NFT&nbsp;stands for non-fungible token, an authentication certificate meant to ensure that ownership of digital work,&nbsp;animations, videos, photos or music, for example, cannot be forged or otherwise manipulated.</p>

<p>Sotheby's first&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;sale featured an entirely different format than the video sale hosted by Christie's.</p>

<p>An unlimited number of animated illustration files created by Pak, called "Cube," were listed on the specialised platform Nifty Gateway as part of "The Fungible" collection.</p>

<p>Some 23,598 of these animations,&nbsp;which rotate to appear to show a 360-degree view of a translucent and white cube on a black background, were purchased over a three-day period beginning Monday for a total of $14 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The artist wanted to question ideas of value and rarity by not limiting sales of the cube art files, and according to Sotheby's some 3,080 collectors have already purchased their own versions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pak also sold two unique works, including one made up by a single pixel, which was bought for $1.36 million by digital collector Eric Young. The other was another rotating geometric shape which sold for $1.44 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The person who purchased the most of the unlimited "Cube" works would also receive ownership of a unique piece called "The Cube",&nbsp;a more detailed animated illustration of a rotating six-sided shape,&nbsp;as a bonus.</p>

<p>The sales offer a peek into the strength of the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;market, which generates more than $10 million worth of sales every day on digital platforms such as Nifty Gateway or OpenSea.</p>

<p>According to the site NonFungible.com, $2 billion has already changed hands through the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;market in the first part of 2021 alone.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Sotheby's hosted its first sale of art supported by NFTs, the trendy authentication technology, by artist Pak, with the works bringing in $16.8 million, the auction house said Wednesday.

Sotheby's hosted its first sale of art supported by NFTs, the trendy authentication technology, by artist Pak, with the works bringing in $16.8 million, the auction house said Wednesday. Sotheby's foray into NFT selling comes just a little more than one month after the sale of the NFT of the work "Everydays: The First 5,000 Days" by digital artist Beeple for $69.3 million at rival Christie's. NFT stands for non-fungible token, an authentication certificate meant to ensure that ownership of digital work, animations, videos, photos or music, for example, cannot be forged or otherwise manipulated. Sotheby's first NFT sale featured an entirely different format than the video sale hosted by Christie's. An unlimited number of animated illustration files created by Pak, called "Cube," were listed on the specialised platform Nifty Gateway as part of "The Fungible" collection. Some 23,598 of these animations, which rotate to appear to show a 360-degree view of a translucent and white cube on a black background, were purchased over a three-day period beginning Monday for a total of $14 million. The artist wanted to question ideas of value and rarity by not limiting sales of the cube art files, and according to Sotheby's some 3,080 collectors have already purchased their own versions. Pak also sold two unique works, including one made up by a single pixel, which was bought for $1.36 million by digital collector Eric Young. The other was another rotating geometric shape which sold for $1.44 million. The person who purchased the most of the unlimited "Cube" works would also receive ownership of a unique piece called "The Cube", a more detailed animated illustration of a rotating six-sided shape, as a bonus. The sales offer a peek into the strength of the NFT market, which generates more than $10 million worth of sales every day on digital platforms such as Nifty Gateway or OpenSea. According to the site NonFungible.com, $2 billion has already changed hands through the NFT market in the first part of 2021 alone. (With inputs from agencies)

Artist Pak's creations fetch $16.8 million in first NFT sale at Sotheby's

<p>A small porcelain bowl purchased in a yard sale at $35 in Connecticut, has turned out to be a rare 15th-century Chinese artifact worth between $300,000 to $500,000.</p>

<p>The white bowl adorned with cobalt blue paintings of flowers and other designs is about 6 inches (16cm) in diameter. It is about to be auctioned at&nbsp;Sotheby’s.</p>

<p>An antiques enthusiast came across the piece and thought it could be something special when browsing a yard sale in the New Haven area last year, according to Sotheby’s.</p>

<p>The piece, one of only seven such bowls known to exist in the world, will be up for auction in New York on 17 March as part of Sotheby’s Auction of Important Chinese Art.</p>

<p>The buyer, whom is not being named, paid the $35 asking price and later emailed information and photos to Sotheby’s asking for an evaluation. The auction house’s experts on Chinese ceramics and art, Angela McAteer and Hang Yin, get many such emails every week, but this was one of the kind they dream about.</p>

<p>“It was immediately apparent to both of us that we were looking at something really very, very special,” said McAteer, Sotheby’s senior vice-president and the head of its Chinese works of art department. “The style of painting, the shape of the bowl, even just the color of the blue is quite characteristic of that early, early 15th-century period of porcelain.”</p>

<p>They confirmed it was from the 1400s when they were able to look at it in person.</p>

<p>There are no scientific tests, only the trained eyes and hands of specialists. The bowl was very smooth to the touch, its glaze was silky and the color and designs are distinctive of the period.</p>

<p>“All the characteristics and hallmarks are there that identify it as a product of the early Ming period,” McAteer said.</p>

<p>McAteer and Yin determined the bowl dates back to the early 1400s during the reign of the Yongle emperor, the third ruler of the Ming dynasty, and was made for the Yongle court. The Yongle court was known to have ushered in a new style to the porcelain kilns in the city of Jingdezhen, and the bowl is a quintessential Yongle product, according to Sotheby’s.</p>

<p>The bowl was made in the shape of a lotus bud or chicken heart. Inside, it is decorated with a medallion at the bottom and a quatrefoil motif surrounded by flowers. The outside includes four blossoms of lotus, peony, chrysanthemum and pomegranate flower. There are also intricate patterns at the top of both the outside and inside.</p>

<p>McAteer said only six other such bowls are known to exist, and most of them are in museums. No others are in the United States. There are two at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, two at museums in London and one in the National Museum of Iran in Tehran, according to Sotheby’s.</p>

<p>How the bowl ended up at a Connecticut yard sale remains a mystery. McAteer said it’s possible it was passed down through generations of the same family who did not know how unique it was.</p>

<p>“It’s always quite astounding to think that it kind of still happens, that these treasures can be discovered,“ McAteer said. “It’s always really exciting for us as specialists when something we didn’t even know existed here appears seemingly out of nowhere.”</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


A small porcelain bowl purchased in a yard sale at $35 in Connecticut, has turned out to be a rare 15th-century Chinese artifact worth between $300,000 to $500,000.

A small porcelain bowl purchased in a yard sale at $35 in Connecticut, has turned out to be a rare 15th-century Chinese artifact worth between $300,000 to $500,000. The white bowl adorned with cobalt blue paintings of flowers and other designs is about 6 inches (16cm) in diameter. It is about to be auctioned at Sotheby’s. An antiques enthusiast came across the piece and thought it could be something special when browsing a yard sale in the New Haven area last year, according to Sotheby’s. The piece, one of only seven such bowls known to exist in the world, will be up for auction in New York on 17 March as part of Sotheby’s Auction of Important Chinese Art. The buyer, whom is not being named, paid the $35 asking price and later emailed information and photos to Sotheby’s asking for an evaluation. The auction house’s experts on Chinese ceramics and art, Angela McAteer and Hang Yin, get many such emails every week, but this was one of the kind they dream about. “It was immediately apparent to both of us that we were looking at something really very, very special,” said McAteer, Sotheby’s senior vice-president and the head of its Chinese works of art department. “The style of painting, the shape of the bowl, even just the color of the blue is quite characteristic of that early, early 15th-century period of porcelain.” They confirmed it was from the 1400s when they were able to look at it in person. There are no scientific tests, only the trained eyes and hands of specialists. The bowl was very smooth to the touch, its glaze was silky and the color and designs are distinctive of the period. “All the characteristics and hallmarks are there that identify it as a product of the early Ming period,” McAteer said. McAteer and Yin determined the bowl dates back to the early 1400s during the reign of the Yongle emperor, the third ruler of the Ming dynasty, and was made for the Yongle court. The Yongle court was known to have ushered in a new style to the porcelain kilns in the city of Jingdezhen, and the bowl is a quintessential Yongle product, according to Sotheby’s. The bowl was made in the shape of a lotus bud or chicken heart. Inside, it is decorated with a medallion at the bottom and a quatrefoil motif surrounded by flowers. The outside includes four blossoms of lotus, peony, chrysanthemum and pomegranate flower. There are also intricate patterns at the top of both the outside and inside. McAteer said only six other such bowls are known to exist, and most of them are in museums. No others are in the United States. There are two at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, two at museums in London and one in the National Museum of Iran in Tehran, according to Sotheby’s. How the bowl ended up at a Connecticut yard sale remains a mystery. McAteer said it’s possible it was passed down through generations of the same family who did not know how unique it was. “It’s always quite astounding to think that it kind of still happens, that these treasures can be discovered,“ McAteer said. “It’s always really exciting for us as specialists when something we didn’t even know existed here appears seemingly out of nowhere.”

Bowl purchased in yard sale at $35 turns out to be rare Chinese artifact

<p>A triptych of a Mediterranean shipwreck donated by British street artist Banksy raised nearly $3 million on Tuesday at a Sotheby's auction held to raise funds for a Palestinian hospital in the West Bank.</p>

<p>The trio of highly stylised paintings by the mysterious artist shows orange life vests and an oar washed up on a rocky shore.</p>

<p>They first appeared in the Walled Off Hotel that Banksy helped set up in the Israeli-occupied city of Bethlehem in 2017.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-arrests-six-over-banksy-artwork-stolen-from-bataclan-309045">France arrests six over Banksy artwork stolen from Bataclan</a></strong></p>

<p>The "Mediterranean Sea View 2017" was seen as Bansky's stern judgement on Europe's hesitant response to the migrant crisis that peaked some five years ago.</p>

<p>Tens of thousands are thought to have died as European countries on the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas turned away people fleeing violent conflicts across North Africa and the Middle East.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/banksy-paints-mural-on-tube-to-encourage-people-to-wear-masks-313386">Banksy paints mural on Tube to encourage people to wear masks</a></strong></p>

<p>"This work juxtaposes an historic fine art genre with grim contemporaneity," Sotheby's said in its sales listing for the work.</p>

<p>"Though posing as eighteenth or nineteenth-century paintings of the 'Natural Sublime', the present work undermines and subverts the viewer's expectations to broach a difficult contemporary issue."</p>

<p>It officially raised $2.9 million or&nbsp;2.5 million euros, well shy of the record £9.9 million set for a Banksy in October when his "Devolved Parliament" painting went under the hammer in the middle of Britain's Brexit struggle with the EU.</p>

<p>Banksy donated the triptych to raise money for a new stroke unit and to buy children's rehabilitation equipment at the Bethlehem hospital.</p>

<p>"We're often led to believe migration is a drain on the country's resources, but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian immigrant," he said in a rare public comment on the piece.</p>

<p>"Apple is the world's most profitable company... and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs".</p>

<p>Banksy depicted Jobs in a work entitled "The Son of a Migrant from Syria" that showed him carrying a knapsack and an Apple computer.</p>

<p>The sale came in the middle of a broader virtual auction Sotheby's was staging from its London gallery entitled "Rembrandt to Richter Evening Sale".</p>

<p>One of only three self-portraits by Rembrandt still in private hands sold for £14.5 million, a record for one of the Dutch master's famous depictions of himself.</p>


A triptych of a Mediterranean shipwreck donated by British street artist Banksy raised nearly $3 million on Tuesday at a Sotheby's auction held to raise funds for a Palestinian hospital in the West Bank.

A triptych of a Mediterranean shipwreck donated by British street artist Banksy raised nearly $3 million on Tuesday at a Sotheby's auction held to raise funds for a Palestinian hospital in the West Bank. The trio of highly stylised paintings by the mysterious artist shows orange life vests and an oar washed up on a rocky shore. They first appeared in the Walled Off Hotel that Banksy helped set up in the Israeli-occupied city of Bethlehem in 2017. Also read: France arrests six over Banksy artwork stolen from Bataclan The "Mediterranean Sea View 2017" was seen as Bansky's stern judgement on Europe's hesitant response to the migrant crisis that peaked some five years ago. Tens of thousands are thought to have died as European countries on the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas turned away people fleeing violent conflicts across North Africa and the Middle East. Also read: Banksy paints mural on Tube to encourage people to wear masks "This work juxtaposes an historic fine art genre with grim contemporaneity," Sotheby's said in its sales listing for the work. "Though posing as eighteenth or nineteenth-century paintings of the 'Natural Sublime', the present work undermines and subverts the viewer's expectations to broach a difficult contemporary issue." It officially raised $2.9 million or 2.5 million euros, well shy of the record £9.9 million set for a Banksy in October when his "Devolved Parliament" painting went under the hammer in the middle of Britain's Brexit struggle with the EU. Banksy donated the triptych to raise money for a new stroke unit and to buy children's rehabilitation equipment at the Bethlehem hospital. "We're often led to believe migration is a drain on the country's resources, but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian immigrant," he said in a rare public comment on the piece. "Apple is the world's most profitable company... and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs". Banksy depicted Jobs in a work entitled "The Son of a Migrant from Syria" that showed him carrying a knapsack and an Apple computer. The sale came in the middle of a broader virtual auction Sotheby's was staging from its London gallery entitled "Rembrandt to Richter Evening Sale". One of only three self-portraits by Rembrandt still in private hands sold for £14.5 million, a record for one of the Dutch master's famous depictions of himself.

Banksy altered sea view triptych fetches $2.9 million at auction

<p>The only documented moon rocks still in private hands sold on Thursday at Sotheby's New York auction house for $850,000.</p>

<p>The sale - including all sorts of objects and items pertaining to outer space - took place a month before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission to send men around the Moon for the first time, and Sotheby's took advantage of the anniversary to offer about 300 collectors' items related to assorted space missions.</p>

<p>The moon rocks - tiny fragments, actually, had been valued between $700,000 and $1 million, and ultimately went for $855,000 after adding taxes and commissions.</p>

<p>The three tiny lunar stones were obtained during the unmanned Russian Luna-16 mission to the Moon in 1970.</p>

<p>The rocks were initially the property of Nina Ivanovna Koroleva, the video of the director of the Soviet Union's space program, Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, who received them as a gift from the USSR in recognition of the contribution of her deceased husband.</p>

<p>They were previously sold at a Sotheby's auction in 1993, the first time in history that any extraterrestrial item had been offered to the public.</p>

<p>Also going on the auction block at the unusual sale on Thursday was a Gemini space suit prepared for NASA between 1963 and 1965 for US astronaut Pete Conrad, which sold for $162,500.</p>

<p>Sotheby's also auctioned off was the painting "The Final Impossibility: Man's Tracks on the Moon," painted in 1969 by US artist Norman Rockwell and sold for $87,500.</p>

<p>Numerous models of spacecraft, clocks and maps were also sold, along with the autographs of well-known astronauts and cosmonauts - including the Soviet Union's Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space - as well as photographs taken of the Moon during space missions and the flags of various nations taken on those missions.</p>


The only documented moon rocks still in private hands sold on Thursday at Sotheby's New York auction house for $850,000. The sale - including all sorts of objects and items pertaining to outer space - took place a month before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission to send men around the Moon for the first time, and Sotheby's took advantage of the anniversary to offer about 300 collectors' items related to assorted space missions.

The only documented moon rocks still in private hands sold on Thursday at Sotheby's New York auction house for $850,000. The sale - including all sorts of objects and items pertaining to outer space - took place a month before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission to send men around the Moon for the first time, and Sotheby's took advantage of the anniversary to offer about 300 collectors' items related to assorted space missions. The moon rocks - tiny fragments, actually, had been valued between $700,000 and $1 million, and ultimately went for $855,000 after adding taxes and commissions. The three tiny lunar stones were obtained during the unmanned Russian Luna-16 mission to the Moon in 1970. The rocks were initially the property of Nina Ivanovna Koroleva, the video of the director of the Soviet Union's space program, Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, who received them as a gift from the USSR in recognition of the contribution of her deceased husband. They were previously sold at a Sotheby's auction in 1993, the first time in history that any extraterrestrial item had been offered to the public. Also going on the auction block at the unusual sale on Thursday was a Gemini space suit prepared for NASA between 1963 and 1965 for US astronaut Pete Conrad, which sold for $162,500. Sotheby's also auctioned off was the painting "The Final Impossibility: Man's Tracks on the Moon," painted in 1969 by US artist Norman Rockwell and sold for $87,500. Numerous models of spacecraft, clocks and maps were also sold, along with the autographs of well-known astronauts and cosmonauts - including the Soviet Union's Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space - as well as photographs taken of the Moon during space missions and the flags of various nations taken on those missions.

Moon rocks sell for $855,000 at Sotheby's New York auction house

<p>Two dazzling pink and blue pear-shaped diamonds have together sold for $57,425,000 to a private buyer at Sotheby&#39;s auction house.</p>

<p>Sotheby&#39;s said the Apollo and Artemis stones are &quot;by far the most important pair of earrings ever offered at auction&quot;.</p>

<p>They were offered to buyers separately at the auction house&#39;s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva, but were purchased by the same buyer.</p>

<p>Last month,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pink-star-diamond-fetches-record-712-million-in-auction-14170"> a 59.60-carat pink diamond sold for a record $71.2 million in Hong Kong.</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/biggest-best-diamonds-formed-deep-inside-earths-mantle-10223">Also Read:&nbsp;&#39;Biggest, best diamonds formed deep inside Earth&#39;s mantle&#39;</a></p>

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<p>Two dazzling pink and blue pear-shaped diamonds have together sold for 57,118,000 Swiss Francs ($57,425,000) to a private buyer at Sotheby&#39;s auction house (WION)</p>
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<p>(Reuters)</p>


Sotheby's said the Apollo and Artemis stones are "by far the most important pair of earrings ever offered at auction".

Two dazzling pink and blue pear-shaped diamonds have together sold for $57,425,000 to a private buyer at Sotheby's auction house. Sotheby's said the Apollo and Artemis stones are "by far the most important pair of earrings ever offered at auction". They were offered to buyers separately at the auction house's Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva, but were purchased by the same buyer. Last month, a 59.60-carat pink diamond sold for a record $71.2 million in Hong Kong. Also Read: 'Biggest, best diamonds formed deep inside Earth's mantle' Two dazzling pink and blue pear-shaped diamonds have together sold for 57,118,000 Swiss Francs ($57,425,000) to a private buyer at Sotheby's auction house (WION) × (Reuters)

Diamond earrings fetch $57 million at Sotheby?s auction

<p>Russian diamonds that reputedly helped broker peace between warring empires three centuries ago will go to the highest bidder at the Geneva jewel auctions this week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Swiss city&#39;s twice-annual sales of rare jewels are often dominated by stones the size of door-stoppers.</p>

<p>But this week, gems enriched by the weight of history will share centre-stage with those valued by their weight in carats.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Christie&#39;s begins the auction season on Tuesday at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues on Lake Geneva, where a line of Bentleys or Porches typically builds in the runup to the autumn sale.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rival Sotheby&#39;s takes its turn Wednesday across the road at the five-star Hotel Beau Rivage. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Among Sotheby&#39;s showcase offers is a parure featuring diamonds once owned by Russian empress Catherine I that were given to her by her husband, Czar Peter the Great, who led Russia until his death in 1725.</p>

<p>In 1711, Catherine was worried that a raging conflict with the Ottoman Empire posed an existential threat to Russia and ordered her husband --- in the middle of the night --- to draft a peace treaty, Sotheby&#39;s said, citing historical records.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Without telling Peter, Catherine sent the peace proposal and all the jewels she was travelling with to the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Sultan &quot;accepted these and was obviously delighted, and the truce was given and the (Russian) empire was saved&quot;, David Bennet, head of Sotheby&#39;s International Jewellery Division, told AFP.</p>

<p>The parure featuring Catherine&#39;s diamonds is expected to sell for between $3 million (2.8 million euros) and $5 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an auction heavy on Russian imperial treasures, Sotheby&#39;s is also offering a diamond necklace with a detachable clasp owned by Empress Catherine II --- Catherine the Great, who ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796. It is similarly valued at up to $5 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Coloured stones&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>For bidders enticed by size, Christie&#39;s is auctioning two enormous white diamonds weighing 52.55-carat and 50.47-carat, valued at $20-$30 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it is colour stones that have set a recent string of eye-popping records.</p>

<p>In May, Christie&#39;s set the current mark with the 14.62-carat &quot;Oppenheimer Blue&quot;, which sold for $57.54 million, including all fees and commissions.</p>

<p>That bested a record set a year ago by Sotheby&#39;s, when Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau&#39;s bought the 12.03-carat &quot;Blue Moon of Josephine&quot; for $48.4 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Those records do not appear under threat this week but Christie&#39;s is aiming to capitalise on the still-solid coloured stones market with a 9.14-carat Fancy Vivid Pink estimated to sell for $16-$18 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The rare &quot;Fancy Vivid&quot; classification is awarded by the Gemological Institute of America to signify a stone&#39;s exceptional colour and clarity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sotheby&#39;s top coloured gem going under the hammer this week is the 8.01-carat &quot;Sky Blue Diamond&quot;, with a pre-auction estimated price of $15-$25 million.</p>

<p>&quot;It really is the absolute pinnacle of rarity,&quot; Bennet told AFP, noting that nearly all blue diamonds come from just a single site, South Africa&#39;s Cullinan mine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sotheby&#39;s has estimated its 342-lot auction at a total of $100 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Christie&#39;s is offering 220 lots, with an estimated value of $80 million.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(AFP)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Swiss city's twice-annual sales of rare jewels are often dominated by stones the size of door-stoppers

Russian diamonds that reputedly helped broker peace between warring empires three centuries ago will go to the highest bidder at the Geneva jewel auctions this week. The Swiss city's twice-annual sales of rare jewels are often dominated by stones the size of door-stoppers. But this week, gems enriched by the weight of history will share centre-stage with those valued by their weight in carats. Christie's begins the auction season on Tuesday at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues on Lake Geneva, where a line of Bentleys or Porches typically builds in the runup to the autumn sale. Rival Sotheby's takes its turn Wednesday across the road at the five-star Hotel Beau Rivage. Among Sotheby's showcase offers is a parure featuring diamonds once owned by Russian empress Catherine I that were given to her by her husband, Czar Peter the Great, who led Russia until his death in 1725. In 1711, Catherine was worried that a raging conflict with the Ottoman Empire posed an existential threat to Russia and ordered her husband --- in the middle of the night --- to draft a peace treaty, Sotheby's said, citing historical records. Without telling Peter, Catherine sent the peace proposal and all the jewels she was travelling with to the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III. The Sultan "accepted these and was obviously delighted, and the truce was given and the (Russian) empire was saved", David Bennet, head of Sotheby's International Jewellery Division, told AFP. The parure featuring Catherine's diamonds is expected to sell for between $3 million (2.8 million euros) and $5 million. In an auction heavy on Russian imperial treasures, Sotheby's is also offering a diamond necklace with a detachable clasp owned by Empress Catherine II --- Catherine the Great, who ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796. It is similarly valued at up to $5 million. Coloured stones For bidders enticed by size, Christie's is auctioning two enormous white diamonds weighing 52.55-carat and 50.47-carat, valued at $20-$30 million. But it is colour stones that have set a recent string of eye-popping records. In May, Christie's set the current mark with the 14.62-carat "Oppenheimer Blue", which sold for $57.54 million, including all fees and commissions. That bested a record set a year ago by Sotheby's, when Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau's bought the 12.03-carat "Blue Moon of Josephine" for $48.4 million. Those records do not appear under threat this week but Christie's is aiming to capitalise on the still-solid coloured stones market with a 9.14-carat Fancy Vivid Pink estimated to sell for $16-$18 million. The rare "Fancy Vivid" classification is awarded by the Gemological Institute of America to signify a stone's exceptional colour and clarity. Sotheby's top coloured gem going under the hammer this week is the 8.01-carat "Sky Blue Diamond", with a pre-auction estimated price of $15-$25 million. "It really is the absolute pinnacle of rarity," Bennet told AFP, noting that nearly all blue diamonds come from just a single site, South Africa's Cullinan mine. Sotheby's has estimated its 342-lot auction at a total of $100 million. Christie's is offering 220 lots, with an estimated value of $80 million. (AFP)

Rivals Christie's, Sotheby's to showcase historic jewels at Geneva auctions