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painting

Bob Ross Paintings Sell For Over $600,000 To Help Fund Public Television Stations 

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Three paintings done by famous public television artist and personality Bob Ross have been sold this week for over $600,000 at auction. These paintings are the first of a collection of 30 works done by Ross that are being sold to benefit and fund public television stations that have recently been impacted by cuts in federal funding. 

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The live auction took place at Bonhams in Los Angeles. Auctioneer Aaron Bastian evoked a positive spirit while discussing the cause and legacy that Ross left after passing away in 1995. 

“For a good cause – and you get the painting, Bob would remind you that this is your world, and you can do anything you want.”

“Winter’s Peace,” which Ross painted in a 1993 episode of his public television show “The Joy of Painting,” sold for $318,000 to a bidder on the phone. 

Another painting done during a 1993 episode called “Home in the Valley,” went for $229,100. A third, “Cliffside,” sold for $114,800.

The final prices included a charge given to the auction house which is added to the final bid known as the buyer’s premium. Bids for all three paintings went past what was estimated pre-auction. All the paintings were estimated to auction for around $50,000. 

For the rest of the paintings that will be auctioned, it’s scheduled that three more of them will be bid on at Bonhams in Marlborough, Massachusetts on January 27th with others in New York and London. 

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Profits from all of the auctions of Ross’ paintings are pledged to go to stations that use content from the distributor American Public Television. 

Bob Ross was a major figure in public television during the 1980s and ‘90s. He was known for his warm and inviting personality and calm demeanor as he taught the nation how to paint wondrous landscapes themselves. 

These auctions will help stations that are in need of licensing fees to continue to show classic shows including Ross’, as well as “America’s Test Kitchen,” “Julia Child’s French Chef Classics,” and “This Old House.” 

Stations located in smaller and more rural areas throughout America are finding it particularly difficult to gain funding. Public television programs have been a staple in American culture and education for decades, so it’s important to keep them alive. 

Joan Kowalsi, president of Bob Ross Inc., spoke on the importance of these stations and programs. 

“The stations have been the getaway for generations of viewers to discover not just Bob’s gentle teaching, but the transformative power of the arts.”

The Trump Administration has led Congress in eliminating $1.1 billion in funding allocated to public broadcasting, which has now left only 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations.

painting

Picasso Painting Unseen For 80 Years Revealed At Paris Auction House 

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A newly discovered painting of the French photographer and painter Dora Maar done by Pablo Picasso has been unveiled after remaining unseen for 80 years. The painting was completed during the German occupation of Paris in July 1943. 

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‘Bust of a Woman in a Flowery Hat’ was finished towards the end of Picasso and Maar’s nine-year relationship. It’s described as showing Maar in a softer, more colorful light when compared to other portraits Picasso painted of her. 

One of the most famous paintings of Maar by Picasso is the ‘Portrait of Dora Maar and Dora Maar au Chat.’ Maar, however, has stated that: “All of his portraits of me are lies. They’re all Picassos. Not one is Dora Maar.”

Picasso and Maar met at the end of 1935 when she was taking photographs to promote Jean Renoir’s film The Crime of Monsieur Lange. At the time they met, Picasso was in a relationship with Marie-Thérèse Walter, and the two shared a daughter Maya. 

In the newly rediscovered work, Maar’s face is fragmented, but painted in bright colors without perspective. Maar appears anguished and on the point of weeping. At the time the work was created, Maar had learned Picasso, who was 61, was intending on leaving her for 21-year-old artist Françoise Gilot. 

The portrait was only displayed a few times at the time of its completion outside Picasso’s Paris atelier in the Rue des Grands Augustins. When Paris was liberated in August 1944, the painting remained in a private collection after being purchased. 

The painting’s existence was known from a black and white photograph taken after it was sold and featured in an art catalogue. The seller inherited the painting from a grandparent who was an unnamed French collector. 

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When the Nazis occupied Paris during World War II, Picasso’s work was considered to be “degenerate.” This led to multiple raids on his atelier and threats of banning exhibitions of his paintings. 

Maar died in Paris in 1997 at 89, and is known for being Picasso’s muse in addition to his subject and lover. Independently, she was a surrealist photographer whose style had a major influence on Picasso’s work throughout their relationship. 

The auction house Lucien Paris has estimated the oil painting to be worth £6.9m (around $9.3 million), but they’re expecting it to sell for more. The house kept the painting’s existence a secret before they revealed it to the press this week. 

Auctioneer Christophe Lucien stated that this is a “significant discovery,” describing the work as a masterpiece and rare example of how Picasso’s work acted as a light during the darkest of days throughout the occupation, the Guardian reported. 

“It is not only a milestone in the history of art but also in the private life of Picasso,” Lucien said.

“It is a refreshing portrait of Dora Maar; exceptional and full of emotion. Discovering it is a big moment in our lives as experts.”

The painting will be sold by Lucien Paris on October 24th and will be on display for three days before the sale.

hermes

Jane Birkin’s Original Hermès Bag Sells At Auction For $10 Million 

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The first ever Birkin bag created by Hermès for British actor and singer Jane Birkin was recently sold for $10 million (€8.6 million), becoming the most expensive handbag to be sold at auction. 

Before the iconic Hermès bag became the face of luxury, it was used by Jane everyday from 1985 to 1994. This month, her bag was sold by auction house Sotheby’s in an online sale of notable luxury fashion including pieces designed by Alexander McQueen and Christian Dior. 

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When CNN reached out to the auction house they declined to give an estimate of the original Birkin before the auction took place, but advanced bidding already broke records reaching roughly $1,155,000 (€1 million). The audience at the auction was engaged and shocked as the price continuously increased. 

The bidding lasted around 10 minutes among nine collectors. According to a press release from Sotheby’s, the auction ended with a private collector from Japan winning the bag. 

Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and accessories stated that this “historic sale is an important milestone” when it comes to the history of fashion. 

“It is a startling demonstration of the power of a legend and its capacity to ignite the passion and desire of collectors seeking exceptional items with unique provenance,” she said in the press release. 

“The sale of the Original Birkin is also, ultimately, a celebration of the enduring spirit and appeal of its muse, Jane Birkin.”

Birkin bags have long held the record for being the most expensive handbags sold at an auction. In 2022, Sotheby’s sold a white-diamond-studded Diamond Himalaya Birkin for over $450,000. In 2021, Christie’s sold a crocodile-skin version for around $390,000. 

The previous record for most expensive handbag sold was a diamond and crocodile Kelly Birkin bag for $513,040. 

Jane Birkin initially sold her bag in 1994 to benefit AIDS research, and since that point it’s changed hands multiple times. It made public appearances in exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The last time it was up for auction was 25 years ago by someone who went by Catherine B to Sotheby’s.

At the time, Catherine B said that the sale made her “relive [her] own bidding battle, and how raw and indescribable the feeling of winning over the wonderful bag was.”

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Jane Birkin passed away in 2023 when she was 76-years-old. At the time, she joked to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that people would remember her the most for her style and for sporting one of the most recognizable and expensive accessories on the market today. 

“Bless me, when I’m dead … people will possibly only talk about the bag.”

Sotheby’s stated that the original Birkin has multiple distinctions that separates it from later versions that we more commonly know today. The handbag’s size, metal rings, hardware, and shoulder strap were never replicated, and the front flap features Jane’s initials “J.B.” 

Sotheby’s also said that since Jane liked to keep her nails neatly trimmed, a pair of silver nail clippers were attached to the shoulder strap. The bag also shows marks of its extensive use from Jane with discoloration from two stickers she adorned on it. 

Birkin bags in today’s modern era of luxury fashion are treated as investments to keep in pristine condition to accumulate more value. However, the origins of the bag were meant to offer practicality in a luxury market. 

In 1984, Jane was sitting next to former Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight from Paris to London. As a mother of three, Jane told the chairman that she couldn’t fine a purse that was spacious enough to suit all of her needs, and instead opted to carry around a large wicker basket, according to Sotheby’s. 

In a future interview, Jane recalled how she wanted a bag that was “half the size of a suitcase. “He said, ‘Well, draw it for me,’ and so I drew it on one of those sick bags — the vomit bags — in the airplane,” she said.

In 1985, Hermès delivered the original bag, and ended up gifting her four more throughout her life. 

“It is incredible to think that a bag initially designed by Hermès as a practical accessory for Jane Birkin, has become the most desirable bag in history and will most likely continue to be so for many years to come,” said Halimi in a press release ahead of the auction.

auction

Clara Peeters, The Forgotten 17th Century Artist Whose Painting Could Now Sell For Over $700,000 

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A painting of a basket of flowers from the early 17th-century is about to be sold at an auction in December. The untitled work is by Clara Peeters, a Flemish painter who was written out of art history for centuries. 

The flower still life itself has not been seen in public for over 100 years, and has never appeared in any art or art history books. Overall, very little is known about Peeters life. 

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The painting is a beautiful realistic work showing roses, carnations, tulips, and many other flowers in a wicker basket sitting on a ledge. It also features a little butterfly and cricket within the foreground. 

According to Chloe Stead, of Sotheby’s which is selling the painting, Peeters painting is done on copper, giving the piece an “enamel-like luster.”

Stead believes the painting could be sold at around £500,000 to £700,000 (more than $700,000 USD). 

“Peeters was forgotten for such a long time. There is a remarkable lack of detail known about her life, which is tantalizing given the extraordinary quality of her paintings,” Stead said.

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According to Stead, Peeters’ paintings were previously recorded as being from outside of Antwerp, with other indications suggesting that she was a successful artist. In her lifetime, she painted around 40 works, and the still like of flowers about to be auctioned has been in a private collection in Belgium since 1928. 

“Her paintings were quite prized objects and were being passed around. Which makes it so remarkable that she – like so many of her female contemporaries – were, over the centuries thereafter, written out of art history. And only rediscovered and reassessed in the mid-late 20th century,” Stead said

The painting will be sold alongside another natural-themed still life of apricots, peaches, and plums in a porcelain bowl by artist Louise Moillon in 1634. 

Stead said: “Moillon’s paintings are sublime. She’s an expert in texture, and it’s the contrast in this painting between the cool white of the porcelain bowl and the lovely fuzzy surface of the apricots and peaches that is such a treat.

“She’s got a larger oeuvre [than Peeters] but a lot of her paintings are in private collections in France. And so she’s a name that we see less often. It’s a beautiful picture.” It has an estimate of £600,000 to £800,000.

iphone

First-generation iPhone Set to Sell for $50,000 at Auction

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An unopened, factory-sealed 2007 first-generation iPhone went up for auction on Thursday. It is estimated to be worth around $50,000.

The owner of the phone, cosmetic tattoo artist Karen Green, appeared on the daytime television program “The Doctor & The Diva” in 2019 and said she was gifted the iPhone around its release but never broke the seal. At the time, she was happy with her current device. An appraiser on the show valued the phone at $5,000 at the time.

LCG Auctions listed Green’s phone with an opening bid of $2,500. In October 2022, another first-generation iPhone was auctioned off for over $39,000. The listing says the phone is almost 16 years old.

“The phone presents magnificently, showcasing sharp corners front and back, rich color, and ‘case fresh’ features.  The labels on the reverse are pristine beneath the seal, and shelf wear is minimal.  This is the first original iPhone in acceptable condition to hit the auction block since the record-breaking sale in October.  A truly remarkable piece with great appeal to both collectors and investors alike.”

The first Apple iPhone originally sold for $599 and offered a 3.5-inch screen, 2-megapixel camera, 4GB or 8GB of storage, internet access and iTunes. There was no app store, and it could only be used on AT&T’s 2G network. Despite its limitations, it was groundbreaking and was named Time’s Invention of the Year in 2007.

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Lev Grossman, the writer of the Time magazine article that awarded the phone with that title, accurately predicted that the iPhone would continue to rise in popularity for years to come.

“The iPhone has sold enough units—more than 1.4 million at press time—that it’ll be around for a while, and with all that room to develop and its infinitely updatable, all-software interface, the iPhone is built to evolve. Look at the iPod of six years ago. That monochrome interface! That clunky touch wheel! It looks like something a caveman whittled from a piece of flint using another piece of flint. Now imagine something that’s going to make the iPhone look that primitive. You’ll have one in a few years. It’ll be very cool. And it’ll be even cheaper.”

The introduction of the iPhone and smartphones more broadly altered so many facets of modern daily life. Technology has changed how we interact with one another socially and professionally. Many companies saw their popularity decline due to the rise of smartphones; this included manufacturers of camcorders, MP3 players, flip phones, and other portable electronic devices. However, the iPhone simultaneously spawned other businesses and startups.

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At the 2007 Macworld expo, former Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs began his keynote address with the words, “We’re going to make some history together today.” Jobs promised the attendees that the new smartphone was a “revolutionary mobile phone” that would include an iPod and would be able to communicate with the internet. The ability to use a phone as a full-fledged internet browser was a game-changer.

Of all the smartphones offered today, Apple’s iPhone still holds the largest share of the market at 28.43%. Unsurprisingly, some collectors want the original iPhone that ushered in a new era of communication and discovery.

The auction will be open until February 19 for bidders.

Sealed Super Mario 64 Game Sells For Record-Breaking $1.5 Million 

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Even though Super Mario 64 is not one of the rarest or oldest video games on the market, it does hold a certain level of icon status. So much so that a factory-sealed copy of the 1996 Super Mario 64 game recently sold for $1.5 million at an auction over the weekend. While vintage video game collecting has certainly been on the rise in recent years, this marks the highest amount of money paid for a single video game in auction history. 

The factory-sealed copy received a condition grading of 9.8 out of 10, which means the game was practically undamaged. In total, it sold for $1,560,000 at the Heritage Auctions House, breaking the record for highest-selling video game at an auction. 

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Again, Super Mario 64 is not that rare when compared to other vintage video games that have sold for high prices in the past, however, experts claim that collectors are more focused on getting their hands on collectables, rather than the rarest game or piece of memorabilia. 

Editorial director at Digital Eclipse, Chris Hohler, recently discussed this auction and the overall rise in vintage video game/science fiction collection.

“Well, I figured the first million dollar game was imminent, but I didn’t think it was gonna be today…or Super Mario 64.”

Video game rarity has many different forms in the eyes of a collector. Super Mario 64, for example, sold close to 12 million copies when it first dropped, however, the packaging was extremely prone to damage. So a pristine copy of the game in its original packaging is almost unheard of, hence its rarity and high price. 

“There are discussions of how many first-print sealed Mario 64’s may exist, but no matter what the number is, there are certainly only a tiny fraction with a 9.8 rating,” Deniz Kahn, the CEO of Wata Games, which rated this particular copy of Mario 64, said in a statement

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“We often receive factory ‘case-packs’ of N64 games where all six copies included have not been circulated. Even in these undistributed ‘case-fresh’ copies, most often the results end up with two or fewer 9.8s, and oftentimes none.”

Experts still think the $1.5 million price point is almost unheard of. Heritage Auctions recently sold a multitude of other vintage video games, all with a quality rating of 9 or above, and the highest that someone paid for them was $38,000.  Preservationist and director of the Video Game History Foundation, Frank Cifaldi, explained in a statement that the game sold barely hit five figures outside of Heritage: “I 100% agree it being a 9.8 puts it at a completely different level but a sudden jump from $30k to $1.5M feels wrong.”

“In other spaces such as Comics, Coins, or sports cards, the difference between the second highest grade and the highest grade can be a 2x+ multiple in value and sometimes much more,” Kahn explained. 

“Attaining the finest known example from a condition standpoint drives a certain type of collector’s behavior, specifically the collector who wants the absolute best.”

“All that being said, this price is still shocking but shows the level of emotion involved in how prices are realized in an auction scenario,” he said. “This was a case of several collectors, at least two, who fit the profile of wanting the absolute best of an iconic relic of pop culture that exists. This is the economics of a collectible market at play, and we get to see some incredible things happen,” Kahn said.

Auction

Rare “Nintendo Playstation” Prototype to be Sold at Auction

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If you’re at all familiar with the world of video games, you know that Nintendo and Sony, which makes the popular Playstation series of gaming consoles, have been fierce competitors for many years. But before Sony entered the video game industry with the release of the original Playstation, it had actually cooperated with Nintendo to develop a gaming system, though the results of this effort never saw the light of day. In fact, the name “Playstation” comes from this collaboration, as Sony adopted the moniker for itself after its relationship with Nintendo fell apart. Engineers from both companies worked to develop a prototype, the so-called “Nintendo Playstation,” which had both a cartridge slot and a CD slot, taking advantage of Sony’s expertise with the then-new digital storage medium. Only about 200 of these prototypes were ever created, with nearly all of them thought to have been lost or destroyed; the only known remaining prototype was discovered in a box full of junk after being sold at an auction for $75. Now, the prototype’s owner has announced he would sell it at an auction, and it is expected to sell for over a million dollars.

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For technology and video game enthusiasts, the Nintendo Playstation prototype is a fascinating historical artifact that suggests how the world of video games today could be vastly different if the relationship between Nintendo and Sony hadn’t turned sour. The Nintendo Playstation was intended to be built on top of the wildly successful Super Nintendo console, adding the feature of a CD-ROM drive as well as enhanced processing power. The device would have been sold in two forms: an accessory to the Super Nintendo called the Super NES CD-ROM, and a standalone console, which would have been called the Playstation and would have offered full compatibility with Super Nintendo games. However, in large part as a result of the breakdown of negotiations between the two companies and Nintendo’s collaboration with Phillips, one of Sony’s main competitors at the time, plans to release the device were cancelled. In the aftermath, the Sony Playstation went on to compete directly with the console that succeeded the Super Nintendo, the Nintendo 64.

It’s unclear as of yet exactly how much the system will sell for at the February 27th auction, but the Diebolds are sure to profit handsomely from the sale.

Few people know exactly what ended up happening to the 200 or so prototypes that were developed. But one of them ended up being sold in an auction held by Advanta Corporation, a company connected with Sony’s former CEO, for $75, with no one at the time recognizing the real value of the prototype. It sat in a box in an attic for years before being re-discovered by the son of the man who bought the prototype, who then shared pictures of the device online, drawing the attention of a large Internet community that immediately recognized the device, who described it as “priceless” and a “piece of history.” Dan Diebold, the man who shared pictures of the prototype online, also posted a video showcasing the device, which ended up getting over a million views. But people still doubted the authenticity of his claim, accusing Diebold of having orchestrated a hoax.

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Dan and his father, Terry, recognize the historicity of their possession, and have done their best to preserve and study the device. Fortunately, it still works, though the software being developed for it was never completed and thus its functionality is limited. That being said, it is fully compatible with existing Super Nintendo games, and it is also capable of playing back audio CDs. The console’s owners brought it to Ben Heck, a technology expert, who tore down the console to learn more about how it was built and also fixed some small problems with the device. Additionally, the father-and-son team spent years touring the system around the world, giving global fans an opportunity to see the device in person, an endeavor which they claim made them no money. Someone in Norway offered to buy the device for $1.2 million, but the Diebolds refused this offer. The upcoming auction will be hosted by Heritage Auctions, which previously sold video game artifacts like a sealed copy of the first Mega Man game for $75,000. It’s unclear as of yet exactly how much the system will sell for at the February 27th auction, but the Diebolds are sure to profit handsomely from the sale.