Christie’s ‘Sale of the Century’ started off with the online auction of the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller. This online sale has aroused much attention as fierce bidding continues. The prices of some items have even exceeded their estimates by many times. Amongst these items, the Rockefeller Money Clip’s bidding price is already at US$28,000, over 30 times its estimate of US$800- 1,200.
Currently, the top lot of the online sale is the Patek Philippe gold openface five-minute repeater pocket watch by Tiffany & Co. It was signed with Tiffany & Co. and has an estimate of US$4,000-6,000. However, after 41 bids, its bidding price has risen to US$35,000, making it the item with the highest bidding price at the moment.
As we gather information for this online sale, ‘Three Figures’ by the visual artist Marie-Thérése Givaudan has made its way to the top second position in the sale. Her work ‘La mal-aimée’ was sold for £3,250 in Sotheby’s 2011 sale. The estimate for ‘Three Figures’ is US$4,000-6,000 while its bidding price now is US$32,000 after 40 bids.
The leading lot of this online sale- the Rockefeller Money Clip, is currently bidding at US$28,000. The 14k gold money clip has ‘L.S.R. 1954’ engraved on its back side and has an estimate of US$800-1,200. After 54 bids, its price is at US$28,000, 35 times of the estimate. Yet, the high bidding price is not a surprise as it was designed with an openwork gold plaque depicting Rockefeller Center.
The dark horse of the sale is American artist Rider Ureña’s ‘Contra Corriente’. It ranks 4th in the sale with an estimate of US$400-600 and a current bidding price of US$24,000, over 60 times of its estimate. Ureña was born in 1972 and his works are mostly abstract.
Apart from the items in the top 3, the bidding prices of many other items have already gone beyond their estimates. For instance, this Victorian silver and enamel diminutive playing card case and playing cards made in 1900 has over 32 bids and is currently bidding at US$4,800.
Another item bidding many times of its estimate would be these Tiffany & Co. sterling silver and enamel cufflinks. Its current bidding price is US$9,000, 90 times its estimate of US$100- 200.
The online sale is going to end at midnight on 9th May (GMT-4). The upcoming rounds of sales will only be increasingly competitive. The Value will continue to provide the latest updates for you as the sales continue.
Top lots from the Rockefeller Online Sale
Patek Phillipe retailed by Tiffany & Co., gold openface five-minute repeater pocket watch
Lot: 1131
Signature: Tiffany & Co.
Estimate: US$4,000- 6,000
Current bid: US$35,000
Marie-Thérése Givaudan (b. 1925) ‘Three figures’
Lot: 1548
Estimate: US$4,000- 6,000
Current bid: US$32,000
The Rockefeller Money Clip
Lot: 1129
Estimate: US$800- 1,200
Current bid: US$28,000
Rider Ureña （b. 1972 ) ‘Contra Corriente’
Lot: 1553
Estimate: US$400- 600
Current bid: US$24,000
Other items exceeding their estimate prices
A Victorian silver and enamel diminutive playing card case and playing cards
Lot: 1143
Estimate: US$100- 200
Current bid: US$4,800
Tiffany & Co. sterling silver and enamel cufflinks
Lot: 1119
Signed by: Tiffany & Co.
Estimate: US$100- 200
Current bid: US$9,000
Sale Details
Auction House: Christie’s New York
Sale: The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller: Online Sale
Auction:
2018/5/1 - 9｜Lot 1101- 1304
2018/5/1 - 10｜Lot 1305- 1513
2018/5/1 - 11｜Lot 1514- 1768