The world’s most wanted at auction
From sneakers to Stratocasters, here are some of the most eye-catching – and surprising – auction sale results of 2019
2 minutes to read
1. A unique Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime became the most expensive watch to sell at auction when it achieved SFr31 million at Christie's Geneva during the ONLY WATCH charity auction in November.
2. This Thomas Tompion clock made in 1693 for King William and Queen Mary of England broke the record for the London based maker when it was sold by Bonhams in June for £1.9 million.
3. A new world record for a bottle of whisky was set in October when Sotheby’s sold this bottle of The Macallan Fine & Rare 60-Year-Old 1926 for £1.5 million in London.
4. “The Black Strat” Fender Stratocaster played by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour on the iconic Dark Side of the Moon album sold at Christie's for almost US$4 million against a high estimate of US$150,000.
5. A 1972 Nike Waffle Racing Flat “Moon Shoe” bought by the collector Miles Nadal for US$437,500 – a new world record for sneakers – sold by Sotheby’s and Stadium Goods in New York in July.
6. A 1927 sapphire and diamond bracelet by Cartier sold by Sotheby’s Geneva in November for SFr6.1 million – one of the highest prices ever paid for a bracelet at auction.
7. A matte white Hermès Himalaya Birkin Niloticus Crocodile 30 with 18 carat white gold and diamond hardware, auctioned by Christie’s for HK$2 million.
8. Constant Change by Tony Cragg set an artist record when it sold for just shy of £850,000 at Bonhams' Post-War and Contemporary sale in October.
9. Rabbit, a 1986 stainless steel sculpture by Jeff Koons, broke the auction record for any work by a living artist when it was sold by Christie’s New York for just over US$91 million in May.
10. Bonhams set a record for a Hanyu Ichiru Malt Full Card Series when it sold this collection for HK$7.2 million at its Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky sale in August.
11. A 1994 McLaren F1 LM spec supercar set a record for the model when it was auctioned by RM Sotheby’s at the Monterey sales in August 2019 for US$19.8 million.