Royal chick

Chick
Made for Queen Alexandra

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Henrik Emanuel Wigström (1862-1923) of Fabergé created this sweet little chalcedony chick in 1907. The eyes are set with cabochon rubies and she stands on chased red gold feet.

This was part of the famed Sandringham Commission wherein King Edward VII asked Fabergé to create a host of little, precious animals to add to Queen Alexandra’s growing menagerie of expensive barnyard friends. 


Source

A stunning piggy bank

Who wouldn't want this Harry Allen Golden Piggy Bank?

It's only $200.00


Buy it HERE

How much do you love pugs?

These 18th-century ormolu Meissen pugs used to belong to Patricia Kluge. They were auctioned by Sotheby's in 2010. The sale price was anticipated to be $25K-$35K.

What would you have paid for these 18th-century ormolu Meissen pugs?

What do you think they actually sold for?

$86,500!!!!!!

Would you rather

Take the puppy

or

Take the purse?

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) Source

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