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<div>The world is undeniably in a state of Covid-19 chaos, with growing unemployment, a spiraling death rate, and no vaccine on the immediate horizon all contributing to depressed economies across the globe, with the retail industry particularly hard-hit by ongoing lockdowns and social distancing measures.</div>
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<div><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53257" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8.jpg" alt="Only Watch Charity Auction" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-8-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>&nbsp;</div>
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But while retailers across the world shutter their doors or open them only to serve a disappointing trickle of customers, auction houses have become virtual one-stop shopping destinations for people buying luxury goods across all categories, thanks to Zoom previews, online video condition reports, and easy online bidding. One particularly hot category is luxury watches – an industry that in 2018 was valued at some US$6.93 billion – and an equally hot destination is Hong Kong.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53261" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12.jpg" alt="Time to shine Hong Kong's incomparable luxury watch auction scene gafencu magazine watches (12)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-12-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
In truth, Asia’s World City has long held pole position as the world’s biggest luxury watch market, despite boasting just seven million souls. Indeed, the SAR’s insatiable appetite for high-end timepieces has seen the city beat out the USA, Germany and even Switzerland – home of many haute horology labels – to achieve its market leader status.&nbsp;
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53251" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2.jpg" alt="Time to shine Hong Kong's incomparable luxury watch auction scene gafencu magazine watches (3)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-2-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Hong Kong’s love affair with timepieces stretches back to the 16th century, when Jesuit missionaries first introduced such chronological accessories to the region. Across the intervening centuries, it has in turns been a manufacturer and exporter of watch parts, a hub for watch assembly factories, and finally, at the dawn of the 21st century, as a shopping destination for discerning timepiece enthusiasts.&nbsp;
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53259" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10.jpg" alt="Time to shine Hong Kong's incomparable luxury watch auction scene gafencu magazine watches (10)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-10-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
The past decade has also seen the SAR transform into a huge auction hotspot for the&nbsp;sale of rare luxury timepieces, with leading auction houses like Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Bonhams and Antiquorum all hosting multi-million-dollar auctions in the city. What has resulted is a slew of ultra exclusive – sometimes even unique – watches going under the gavel for astronomical prices and setting new records.&nbsp;
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<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53263" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches.jpg" alt="Time to shine Hong Kong's incomparable luxury watch auction scene gafencu magazine watches" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
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In July alone, Sotheby’s Hong Kong sold a&nbsp;Rolex Daytona “John Player Special” Ref. 6264&nbsp;for more than US$1.5 million, a record price for that model, and Christie’s sold a rare&nbsp;Patek Philippe Ref. 5033&nbsp;minute repeater for US$1.95 million. In June, Phillips, in association with Bacs &amp; Russo, drew US$3.6 million for a&nbsp;Patek Philippe Ref. 1518&nbsp;from the collection of watch industry titan, Jean-Claude Biver. Sotheby’s further made headlines that same month by breaking a record it held since 2018 for most expensive modern Rolex ever sold. The lot was a platinum&nbsp;Rolex Daytona ‘Zenith’&nbsp;– a one-off creation featuring a Lapiz Lazuli dial – which went under the hammer at HK$25.3 million, five times its estimate.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53258" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9.jpg" alt="Only Watch Charity Auction" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-9-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Christie’s Hong Kong’s decision to differentiate it from the rest of the pack by offering it with its very own “The Masterpiece” sale led to a momentous occasion that birthed a&nbsp;new holder for the most expensive wristwatch ever sold in Asia at the auction house&#8217;s Autumn Auctions 2019,&nbsp;where the very first day of proceedings saw a rare 66-year-old pink gold 1953&nbsp;Patek Philippe Ref. 2523&nbsp;wristwatch getting sold for HK$70.2m,&nbsp; smashing last year’s record for the most expensive wristwatch sold at auction in Asia.
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&#8220;Hong Kong has been the world’s biggest watch market for over a decade”
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<div>Despite the coronavirus pandemic – as well as stiff competition from other auction hotspots like Geneva, New York and London – Hong Kong’s reputation for being a true haute horology hub shows no signs of abating. Take, for instance, the November 30 “Ruby Collection” auction, a Hong Kong sale of Patek Philippes from an esteemed single-owner private collection, highlighted by a pair of possibly unique (no one has ever seen them before) models: a perpetual calendar and minute repeater/tourbillon, both with ruby hour markers and estimated to sell for less than US$1 million each. The collection also includes astronomical watches, including the ultra-complicated&nbsp;Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002, with 12 complications, estimated to fetch from US$1 million to US$1.5 million.&nbsp;</div>
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<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53254" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5.jpg" alt="Time to shine Hong Kong's incomparable luxury watch auction scene gafencu magazine watches (5)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Time-to-shine-Hong-Kongs-incomparable-luxury-watch-auction-scene-gafencu-magazine-watches-5-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></div>
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With countless luxury watch auction records set in the past year in Hong Kong, and with so many upcoming events to further enhance its reputation, it seems that neither its recent troubles or the coronavirus pandemic can even dent Asia’s World City’s reputation as one of the go-to auction hubs for discerning watch collectors seeking rare, otherwise unfindable statement timepieces of yesteryears.&nbsp;
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Time to shine Hong Kong's incomparable luxury watch auction scene gafencu magazine watches feature

Time to shine: Hong Kong’s incomparable luxury watch auction scene

An 11th-century Nepalese Buddhist figure that was initially purchased by a lucky collector for just US$1,000, sold at the recent Bonhams Images of Devotion auction for a staggering HK$2.75 million – 350 times its initial price. But surprisingly, this wasn’t to be the event’s star performer. That particular accolade went to A Schist Figure of Buddha, a beautiful third-century relic crafted from schist, a coarse-grained, layered metamorphic rock.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50335" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar.jpg" alt="Buddhist relic fetches top dollar" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-fetches-top-dollar-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
The almost pristinely preserved statue, which stands 122cm tall, was crafted in the ancient region of Gandhāra, now known as Peshawar, a part of modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thanks to its unique location at the crossroads between East and West, Gandhāran artisans were renowned for creating Asian religious icons in an unusual Greco-Roman style.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50336" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic.jpg" alt="Buddhist relic" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Buddhist-relic-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
It is precisely this unique influence that informs A Schist Figure of Buddha and sets it apart from the more typical statues of Buddha found across Asia. Add to this the fact that it also stands as a testament to the early spread of Buddhist art, and its final hammer price – a whopping HK$9.17 million – seems more than justified.

Lost Art: Rare Buddhist relic fetches top dollar at auction

Movie-minded auction-goers wouldn’t want to miss one of Bonhams London’s sales later this month (December 11), especially if they want to secure some truly stellar movie memorabilia. Up for grabs is no less than a 62-lot archive featuring many of the personal notebooks, sketches and drawings that once belonged to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/01/john-mollo-obituary">John Mollo</a>, the Oscar-winning British costume designer whose&nbsp;Star Wars sketches laid the foundation for the&nbsp;distinctive look of the best-known characters in the&nbsp;<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/star-wars-gadgets/">Star Wars’ universe</a>.
<figure id="attachment_41316" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-41316" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-41316 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darth-min.jpg" alt="Early Star Wars sketches sold at recent Bonhams auction" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darth-min.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darth-min-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darth-min-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darth-min-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darth-min-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-41316" class="wp-caption-text">Early Star Wars sketches to sell at upcoming Bonhams auction</figcaption></figure>
Perhaps the most coveted item among this veritable treasure trove is Mollo’s personal sketchbook, which covered the period April 1975 to July 1976 and features many the initial sketches of the costumes ultimately destined for such Star Wars stalwarts as Darth Vader, Han Solo, Chewbacca and, of course, the franchise’s ever-iconic stormtroopers. Alongside these provisional sketches are scribbled details of costume budgets, brainstorming sessions and notes from meeting with Star Wars creator George Lucas 
Putting this lot into due perspective, Katherine Schofield, Head of Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams, said: “Without a doubt, John Mollo created costumes that elevated many characters to cult cinematic status. These sketchbooks are a unique part of cinema history – in my experience nothing like this has ever been seen at auction before.”

Star Wars Sketches: Darth drafts to go under the gavel on 11 December

<figure id="attachment_39737" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39737" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-39737 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million.jpg" alt="Clock designed by Thomas Tompion sells for HK$2.6 million" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Clock-designed-by-Thomas-Tompion-sells-for-HK2.6-million-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39737" class="wp-caption-text">Historic clock designed by Thomas Tompion sold for HK$2.6 million at a recent Bonhams auction</figcaption></figure>
As true watch collectors would surely vouch, any clock made by Thomas Tompion, the renowned 16th century British timepiece technician, merits a place in the all-time great league of classic chronometers. Favoured by British royalty from Charles II to Queen Anne, Tompion is credited as being among the first watchmakers to introduce precision technology to the industry. It’s no wonder then, that his clocks command astronomical prices when they go under the gavel.
The most recent such piece to pique the hunger of haute horologists was a particularly fine late-17th century specimen – an ebony-veneered quarter-repeating table-clock, which sold for nearly HK$2.6 million at a recent Bonhams London auction. Featuring a gilted-brass body, three separate dials and a mounted quarter-repeat system, the skills of the master watchmaker were evident in every detail. Proving its provenance beyond any doubt was a give-away engraving reading: “Thomas Tompion LONDINI Fecit”. Surely no forger would be smart enough to include such a detail.

Historic Horology: Thomas Tompion timepiece clocks in at HK$2.6 million

Good news for whisky connoisseurs! The annual Bonhams Whisky Sale is taking place in Hong Kong on 17 August. Daniel Lam, Head of Fine Wine and Whisky in Hong Kong, says: “[This] is a wonderful opportunity to acquire the finest of Japanese whiskies and some of the most sought-after names in Scotch whisky such as Macallan, Port Ellen and Ardbeg.” A rare first edition of Yamazaki 50 years-old leads the Bonhams Whisky Sale. We round up some of the highlights from the sale:
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38159" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3.jpg" alt="Bonhams Whisky Sale" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-3-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
A Yamazaki 50 years-old, estimated at HK$1,800,000-2,400,000, which was matured in casks made from Japanese oak before being released in 2005. Only 50 bottles have ever been produced, making it one of the scarcest of Japanese whiskies.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38160" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2.jpg" alt="Bonhams Whisky Sale" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
A bottle of Hibiki-Arita 35 years-old, estimated at HK$100,000-140,000, which was produced to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Japan’s traditional porcelain production. Only 150 bottles were ever released.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38161" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1.jpg" alt="Bonhams Whisky Sale" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-2-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Karuizawa Sumo Trio distilled in 1981, 1982 and 1983, estimated at HK$90,000-120,000, which were framed in a crafted humidor designed by Japanese woodblock illustrator Hachisuka Kuniaki. Only 340 sets were ever produced.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38162" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1.jpg" alt="Bonhams Whisky Sale" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-1-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
A bottle of 37 years-old Macallan Fine &amp; Rare 1937, the second-oldest whisky from the Macallan Fine &amp; Rare Series, estimated to fetch HK$ 260,000-320,000.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38163" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4.jpg" alt="Bonhams Whisky Sale" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/700x466-4-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
A vertical collection of annual releases from Port Ellen, an extremely sought-after lost distillery from Scotland. 17 bottles – from 2001 to 2017 – will be auctioned off for an estimated price of HK$280,000-360,000.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

The Bonhams Whisky Sale returns to Hong Kong with liquid gems from across the globe

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-36559" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1.jpg" alt="Einstein's violin" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/700x466-18-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Apart from single-mindedly working out how the universe works, it seems that Albert Einstein wasn’t averse to banging out a Mozart sonata on the fiddle whenever inspiration eluded him. Recently, some 63 years after the eccentric genius died, the very violin with which he wooed his Mrs – she was well partial to a bit of Wolfgang Amadeus apparently – came up for auction at Bonhams in New York. It eventually sold for US$516,500, five times more than the original estimate.
Given the staggering sum it went for, it’s perhaps not surprising that the violin – which Albert himself referred to as “Lina” – has outdone <a href="https://newatlas.com/scientific-auctions-einstein-jobs-apple-wozniak-blue-box/52552/">his telescope (previously sold for US$432,500)</a> and his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/watches/einstein-albert-6012466-details.aspx?from=searchresults&amp;pos=37&amp;intObjectID=6012466&amp;sid=">pocket watch (US$352,054</a>) to become the most valuable item of Einstein memorabilia ever sold (other than his scientific documents).
The violin was made by Oscar Steger, a cabinetmaker and a member of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and gifted to Einstein in 1933. It bears the inscription “the Worlds [sic] Greatest Scientist Profesior [sic]” and was said to travel everywhere that Albert went.

E=MusiC²: Einstein’s favourite fiddle goes under the gavel

Two extremely rare vintage Macallan bottles – originally auctioned back in the 1980s – have reappeared on the market after three-decade interval. They will now headline the Bonhams’ Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky sale in Hong Kong later this month.
<figure id="attachment_35608" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35608" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-35608" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Sir-Peter-Blake-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle.jpg" alt="" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Sir-Peter-Blake-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Sir-Peter-Blake-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Sir-Peter-Blake-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Sir-Peter-Blake-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Sir-Peter-Blake-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35608" class="wp-caption-text">Macallan-1926-60 year old Sir Peter Blake © Bonhams © Mark French Photography (HK$3,600,000-4,600,000 per bottle)</figcaption></figure>
Encased in specially commissioned cabinets (or ‘Tantaluses’), the 60 Years Old 1926 vintages – a Peter Blake Label and an Adami Label – together make up a hyper- exclusive limited edition of just 24 bottles (12 of each) and are estimated to fetch between US$460,000 – 586,000 apiece. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Commenting on their value, Daniel Lam, Head of Fine Wine and Whisky at Bonhams Hong Kong, said: “These bottles are incredibly rare. The exceptional calibre of the whisky, combined with artwork from two of the towering figures of 20th century pop art – Peter Blake and Valerio Adami – represent a unique marriage of excellence. The sale is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for collectors to acquire this Holy Grail of the Macallan world.”
<figure id="attachment_35609" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35609" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-35609" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Valerio-Adami-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle.jpg" alt="" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Valerio-Adami-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Valerio-Adami-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Valerio-Adami-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Valerio-Adami-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Macallan-1926-60-year-old-Valerio-Adami-©-Bonhams-©-Mark-French-Photography-HK3600000-4600000-per-bottle-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35609" class="wp-caption-text">Macallan-1926-60 year old Valerio Adami © Bonhams © Mark French Photography (HK$3,600,000-4,600,000 per bottle)</figcaption></figure>
For the initiated, Sir Peter Blake and Valerio Adami are among the true pioneers of 20th century pop art. While Blake shot to fame as the designer of the famous Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band Beatles’ cover (yes, the same one that was voted the no.1 album cover of all times by Rolling Stone magazine), Valerio Adami was an Italian artist feted for his comic art style.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay 
Image courtesy: Bonhams Hong Kong

Rare Vintage Macallan Bottles: Spirits of the Age from Pop Art Greats

<figure id="attachment_31513" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31513" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-31513" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3.jpg" alt="The original poster of Forbidden Planet starring Robby the Robot" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-3-3-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31513" class="wp-caption-text">The original poster of Forbidden Planet starring Robby the Robot</figcaption></figure>
Move over, R2-D2. There’s a bigger, badder bot in town. Robby the Robot – a movie prop from the 1956 film Forbidden Planet – outperformed its Star Wars counterpart, at least in the cash-grabbing category. Collectors were stunned when an R2-D2 model sold for about US$2.8 million (HK$ 21.9 million) last year, but Robby came along and raised the bar, going for a record US$5.3 million at Bonhams’ recent Out of This World auction in New York.
<figure id="attachment_31511" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31511" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-31511" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/466x700-2.jpg" alt="Robby movie prop" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/466x700-2.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/466x700-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/466x700-2-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/466x700-2-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/466x700-2-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31511" class="wp-caption-text">Robby the Robot is a prop of towering proportions</figcaption></figure>
Why the discrepancy? At seven feet tall, Robby’s basketball player proportions might offer some clue. Add to that the fact that this fully-functional suit – whose head, torso and legs can be dismantled – came with its Jeep, controls and the original MGM packing crates. Although it’s been more than 60 years since Forbidden Planet debuted, Robby the Robot still holds cult status among sci-fi fans. In an attempt by MGM Studios to get the most bang for their buck, Robby has also featured in The Twilight Zone, The Addams Family and other films.
Robby’s previous owner, filmmaker and collector, William Malone, who brought the robot to auction, said, “I’m astounded by the result, but also sad to part with him. However, it’s time Robby finds a place where he can be displayed, and with someone who can look after him. Of course, he will leave an empty spot in my house—and in my heart.”
<figure id="attachment_31515" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31515" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-31515" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1.jpg" alt="movie props" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-7-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31515" class="wp-caption-text">The Maltese Falcon (to the left) and Marilyn Monroe&#8217;s dress (to the right) have been previous record holders in the non-automotive section.</figcaption></figure>
Robby’s sale secured its status as the most expensive movie prop ever sold at auction, beating previous record holders including the falcon statue from The Maltese Falcon, the Batmobile and the dress made famous by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven-Year Itch.
The craze for collecting movie props reached a peak in 2013, when Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Department made history in New York, selling the Maltese Falcon statue from the noir classic of the same name for US$4 million, then a record price for a movie prop at auction (non-automotive). The 12-inch-tall Falcon was the star of the Bonhams inaugural movie props sale with partner Turner Classic Movies (TCM).
<figure id="attachment_31514" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31514" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-31514" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2.jpg" alt="Batmobile movie prop" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/700x466-6-2-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31514" class="wp-caption-text">The 1966 original Batmobile</figcaption></figure>
Automotive movie props too have grabbed a fair share of the spotlight for quite sometime. In 2010, the Aston Martin driven by James Bond (played by Sean Connery) in Goldfinger had fetched a handsome US$4.6 million. The 1966 original Batmobile again touched the record US$4.6 million when it was bought by a Phoenix-area businessman in 2013.
Dr. Catherine Williamson, Director of Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams, says, “This is the fifth year we have partnered with TCM to present auctions of movie memorabilia, and each year the demand only increases. It shows how important these props and costumes are to everyone throughout the world.”
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Top Props: Robby the Robot joins the list of most valuable movie props to be sold at auctions

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Bonhams, the privately owned British auctioneer, will put rare jewellery from renowned houses of Harry Winston and Cartier, and highly sought-after gems under the hammer on 30 November.
The Rare Jewels and Jadeite Auction will feature beautiful gems such as an 88-carat diamond (D/IF, Ex, Ex) single-stone ring, by Cartier and a pair of diamond (D/IF) pendent earrings, by Harry Winston.
One of the highlights of the auction is a rare 10.21-carat Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring, by Mouawad that will set you back a cool HK$6.8 million-8 million.
Kashmir sapphires were only mined in the late 19th century and they are deemed to be the king of all sapphires. 
Graeme Thompson, Director of Jewellery for Bonhams Asia, spoke to Gafencu about his role at the auction house, the jewellery market in Asia and the upcoming auction, among many other things.
All of the items in the auction can be viewed from 26 November at Bonhams.
Venue: Bonhams Hong Kong Gallery, Suite 2001, One Pacific Place
Date: Wednesday 30 November, 2016
Time: 3:00pm

Tag: bonhams