MOET & CHANDON BUCKETS OF BUBBLES

MOET & CHANDON, THE FAMED FRENCH CHAMPAGNE HOUSE FOUNDED IN 1743, HAS COME COME OUT WITH A BRILLIANT NEW TRAVELING SET CALLED BUCKETS OF BUBBLES. THE SET INCLUDES FOUR MINI CHAMPAGNE FLUTES ACCOMPANIED BY FOUR MINI BOTTLES OF REFRESHING MOET & CHANDON NECTAR IMPERIAL IN A CUTE CARRYING CASE THAT DOUBLES AS AN ICE BUCKET. UNLIKE SOME RECENT CHAMPAGNE SETS WHICH ARE PRICED AT A PREMIUM, BUCKETS OF BUBBLES IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING OF A BARGAIN. IT RETAILS FOR APPROXIMATELY $34.99, BUT OFFERS THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF CHAMPAGNE AS A 750ml BOTTLE OF NECTAR IMPERIAL, WHICH RETAILS FOR $49.99, SO FOR A CHANGE THIS IS ELEGANCE THAT EXCEEDS ITS PRICE.

JULIEN'S AUCTIONS TO SELL COLLECTION OF BARBRA STREISAND

JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, BEVERLY HILLS, WILL BE OFFERING PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF AMERICAN ACTRESS BARBRA STREISAND, INCLUDING ITEMS FROM HER NEW YORK APARTMENT, CAROLWOOD HOME IN BEVERLY HILLS AND HER MALIBU RANCH HOUSE, IN A LIVE AND ONLINE AUCTION AT THE BEVERLY HILLS HILTON ON 17-18.OCTOBER. ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE AUCTION WILL BENEFIT THE STREISAND FOUNDATION, FOUNDED MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO TO AID HUMANITARIAN CAUSES WORLDWIDE. EXHIBITIONS WILL BE CREATED BY WRJ DESIGN ASSOCIATES WHO HAVE DESIGNED EXHIBITIONS FOR THE ESTATE OF KATHERINE HEPBURN, THE ESTATE OF JOHNNY CASH, THE COLLECTION OF CHER AND RECENTLY THE COLLECTION OF MICHAEL JACKSON.
JULIEN'S WILL AUCTION MORE THAN 400 LOTS FROM BARBRA STREISAND'S PERSONAL COLLECTION INCLUDING PAINTINGS, FURNITURE AND DECORATIVE WORKS OF ART, MEMORABILIA AND STUNNING STAGE-WORN COSTUMES FROM TELEVISION, LIVE CONCERTS AND SPECIAL PERSONAL APPEARANCES. AMONG THE OTHER OFFERINGS IS A SELECTION OF AMERICAN FURNISHINGS, ART DECO FIXTURES, ORIENTAL RUGS, NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETS AND STREISAND'S PERSONAL YAMAHA BABY GRAND PIANO.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUCTION INCLUDE MEMORABLE ITEMS FROM THE ARTS AND CRAFTS PERIOD INCLUDING A HAMMERED COPPER DIRK VAN ERP TABLE LAMP, TWO HARVEY ELLIS DESIGNED INLAID ROCKERS AND AN L&JG STICKLEY CHINA CABINET. OTHER FINE ART SELECTIONS INCLUDE A PAINTING BY KEES VAN DONGEN, A GROUP OF EDWARD CURTIS PHOTOGRAPHS, AND A NUMBER OF AMERICAN SCHOOL FLORAL AND GENRE SCENES. A PREVIEW OF THE COLLECTION WILL TRAVEL TO ENGLAND ABOARD CUNARD LINE'S OPULENT QUEEN MARY 2 DURING HER 23.AUGUST TRANSATLANTIC CROSSING. THE HIGHLIGHTS WILL THEN BE EXHIBITED AT THE MUSEUM OF STYLE ICONS IN NEWBRIDGE, COUNTRY KILDARE, IRELAND, 1-13.SEPTEMBER. FROM IRELAND, THE HIGHLIGHTS WILL TRAVEL TO BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, WHERE A FULL PUBLIC EXHIBITION WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 10-16.OCTOBER PRIOR TO THE TWO DAY AUCTION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.juliensauctions.com

TATTERSHALL CASTLE TO BECOME VENUE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

AN EXHIBITION MARKING THE START OF A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND AND THE NATIONAL TRUST WILL TAKE PLACE AT TATTERSHALL CASTLE, LINCOLNSHIRE, FROM 8-23.AUGUST.2009. THE NEW INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT PROMOTING CONTEMPORARY ART IN HISTORIC PROPERTIES. THE 15th CENTURY MEDIEVAL CASTLE, OWNED BY THE NATIONAL TRUST, WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A SPECTACULAR CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY. TATTERSHALL CASTLE IS A UNIQUE, EARLY BRICK CASTLE KEEP, BUILT BETWEEN 1434-46 BY RALPH CROMWELL, LORD TREASURER TO HENRY VI, IT BECAME A HIGHLY VISIBLE SYMBOL OF HIS WEALTH, AN EXAMPLE OF MEDIEVAL 'BLING' AT ITS BEST, HENCE THE TITLE OF THE SHOW "HOUSE OF BLING". ARTISTS SARAH PRICE, GERALDINE PILGRIM, CATHERINE BERTOLA, LINDA FLORENCE AND KMA (KIT MONKMAN AND TOM WEXLER) HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO PRODUCE NEW ART WORKS INSPIRED BY THE BUILDING'S HISTORY. EACH ARTIST WILL WORK WITHIN A SPECIFIC AREA OF THE FIVE STORY MONUMENT INCLUDING THE CELLARS AND SURROUNDING GROUNDS. ALISON LLOYD, HEAD OF VISUAL ARTS AND LITERATURE, ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, EAST MIDLANDS SAID: "THIS IS A 'MUST SEE' EVENT IN LINCOLNSHIRE WITH INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ARTISTS. IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE ARTS COUNCIL'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST AND WE ARE THRILLED THAT THE EAST MIDLANDS IS AMONG THE FIRST TO BE INVOLVED.'
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBITION INCLUDE, A LARGE SCALE WORK CUT INTO THE LAWN IN FRONT OF TATTERSHALL'S CASTLE KEEP BY LINDA FLORENCE. THE STUNNING WORK WHICH INVOLVED HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF PAINSTAKING GRASS CUTTING WILL REVEAL ITSELF TO VISITORS AS THE Y CLIMB THE CASTLE'S STONE STAIRS TO GAIN THE BEST VIEWPOINT FROM THE EMBATTLED CASTLE ROOF. SQUADRON MEMBERS FROM RAF CONINGSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE HAVE PLEDGED THEIR SPARE TIME TO HELP COMPLETE THE COMMISSION. ALSO ON THE CASTLE GROUNDS, SARAH PRICE WILL CREATE A SECRET WILD GARDEN THAT IS INSPIRED BY A PERIOD WHEN THE CASTLE WAS ABANDONED AND OVERGROWN, BEFORE ITS RESCUE AND RESTORATION IN 1912.
REBECCA SPEIGHT, DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST EAST MIDLANDS SAID: "THIS IS TATTERSHALL CASTLE AS VISITORS HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE AND THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE VERY BEST OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN AN ICONIC HERITAGE BUILDING. WE ARE THRILLED THAT THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE AND ARCHITECTURE OF SUCH A DRAMATIC MEDIEVAL BUILDING CAN INSPIRE REALLY INNOVATIVE AND EXCITING CONTEMPORARY ART."

GLENFIDDICH 50 YEAR OLD SCOTCH TO SELL FOR £10,000

WILLIAM GRANT & SONS DISTILLERS HAVE RECENTLY UNVEILED ITS LATEST EXCLUSIVE WHISKEY, A GLENFIDDICH 50-YEAR-OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH, SELLING FOR £10,000 A BOTTLE, MAKING IT THE SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE WHISKEY BOTTLE IN THE WORLD. ONLY FIVE HUNDRED BOTTLES WILL BE MADE IN TOTAL, WITH FIFTY BOTTLES BEING RELEASED EACH YEAR OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD. THE GLENFIDDICH FIFTY YEAR OLD COMES IN A HAND BLOWN CRISTAL BOTTLE WITH A SCOTTISH SILVER LABEL AND SCREW TOP, AND IS PRESENTED IN A CUSTOM STITCHED LEATHER BOUND CASE ACCOMPANIED BY A LEATHER-BOUND BOOK CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE DISTILLERS. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE COMPANY SAID: "THE TASTE IS INITIALLY SWEET WITH A ZESTY ORANGE MARMALADE AND VANILLA TOFFEE, WHICH CASCADES THROUGH A WONDERFUL SERIES OF LAYERS: AROMATIC HERBS, FLORAL AND SOFT FRUITS, SILKY OAK TANNIN AND HINTS OF GENTLE SMOKE. THE FINISH IS EXCEPTIONALLY LONG WITH A TOUCH OF DRY OAK AND THE MEREST TRACE OF PEAT." THE FIRST BOTTLE WILL GO ON SALE 1.SEPTEMBER THROUGH AELIA AT CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT, PARIS, AND THE REMAINING BOTTLES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN SELECTED TRAVEL RETAIL AND DOMESTIC MARKETS FROM 1.NOVEMBER.

LOUIS VUITTON OPENS NEW ION ORCHARD BOUTIQUE IN SINGAPORE

LOUIS VUITTON RECENTLY OPENED ITS LARGEST BOUTIQUE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, AT THE GLITZY NEW ION ORCHARD, SINGAPORE. THE TWO-LEVEL 905 SQUARE METER STORE TESTIFIES TO THE LUXURY DESIGNER'S SPIRIT TO COMBINE INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURAL AND RETAIL CONCEPTS TO REFLECT A TRADITION OF LUXURIOUS SOPHISTICATION AND FEATURES A NEWLY CONCEIVED CURVED GLASS FACADE, INSPIRED BY THE 'FOLDS OF A SCARF', DESIGNED BY FRONT INC OF NEW YORK, AND SPACIOUS CIRCULAR-DESIGNED INTERIORS BY LOUIS VUITTON'S ARCHITECTURE TEAM. THE NEW BOUTIQUE BOASTS SEPARATE SECTIONS FOR MEN AND WOMEN, ALONG WITH A FULL RANGE OF EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTS BEARING THE LABEL 'LOUIS VUITTON ORCHARD ROAD SINGAPORE', TO COMMEMORATE THE STORE'S OPENING.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL RARE 5 CARAT 'VIVID PINK' DIAMOND

A RARE, 5 CUSHION-CUT CARAT PINK DIAMOND, KNOWN AS "THE VIVID PINK", WILL BE SOLD AT AUCTION IN HONG KONG THIS DECEMBER BY CHRISTIE'S, WHICH EXPECTS THE STUNNING STONE TO SELL FOR $5 TO $7 MILLION, IN REACH OF THE CURRENT WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR A PINK DIAMOND -- A 19.66 CARAT STONE THAT SOLD IN GENEVA FOR $7.4 MILLION IN 1994. THE 'VIVID PINK', WHICH HAS BEEN SET IN A RING BY FAMED LUXURY JEWELER LAURENCE GRAFF OF GRAFF DIAMONDS COMES FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION. WHILE JUST A QUARTER THE SIZE OF THE RECORD HOLDING PINK GEM AND NOT QUITE FLAWLESS, THE STONE'S 'VIVID PINK' IS CONSIDERED NEAR PERFECT AND THE AUCTION HOUSE HAS TOUTED IT AS ONE OF THE BEST COLOURED STONES TO APPEAR IN RECENT YEARS. "THERE ARE PINK DIAMONDS AND THEN THERE ARE PINK DIAMONDS", SAID FRANCOIS CURIEL, INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF CHRISTIE'S JEWELRY DEPARTMENT. "IT IS EXTREMELY RARE FOR A STONE OF SUCH TOP QUALITY TO APPEAR ON THE MARKET WITH TOP NOTES IN COLOUR, CUT, CLARITY AND CARAT WEIGHT. THIS 5 CARAT VIVID PINK GEM COMBINES THE BEST OF ALL CRITERIA."
IN ADVANCE OF THE SALE THE 'VIVID PINK' DIAMOND WILL BE DISPLAYED AT CRISTIE'S AUCTION ROOMS DURING A TOUR IN NEW YORK, SINGAPORE, BANGKOK, GENEVA AND TAIPEI STARTING IN OCTOBER.

ANTIQUES DEALER FINDS POSSIBLE 1,300 YEAR OLD RELIC FROM THE CRUSADES

AN ANTIQUES DEALER BELIEVES THAT AN ORNATE PIECE OF WOOD HE FOUND AT A LOCAL CAR BOOT SALE MAY PERHAPS BE A PRICELESS CHURCH RELIC 1,300 YEAR OLD FROM THE CRUSADES. THE SMALL PIECE OF PAINTED WOOD IS BELIEVED TO HAVE COME FROM A BOX WHICH THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR USED TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS ITEMS AS THEY MOVED ACROSS EUROPE DURING THE CRUSADES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. BUT IT COULD BRING LEEDS ANTIQUES DEALER MARTIN ROBERTS A BIG WINDFALL AT THE NEXT STOP ON ITS UNLIKELY JOURNEY - AN AUCTION HOUSE IN LONDON. ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT THE ITEM, WHICH MEASURES 10 INCHES BY FOUR INCHES AND IS DECORATED WITH INTRICATE MILITARY AND RELIGIOUS IMAGES COULD DATE FROM BETWEEN 700 AND 1200AD. IF THE PIECE COMMANDS A LARGE SUM, IT WOULD BE A SECOND MAJOR TRIUMPH IN TWO YEARS FOR ROBERTS, WHO BOUGHT AN ANCIENT ARTIFACT FOR £50 AND SOLD IT FOR £30,000 IN 2007. HE ACQUIRED THE TABERNACLE DOOR FROM A FRIEND AS A CAR BOOT SALE IN OTLEY, IN EXCHANGE FOR A PINE CHEST OF DRAWERS AND SIX VICTORIAN GLASS HANDLES WHICH HE HAD BOUGHT FOR ONLY £13. "CHRISTIE'S HAVE NEVER SOLD A TABERNACLE DOOR BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ONE, SO WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT MIGHT FETCH", HE SAID. "IF IT SELL FOR 600 POUNDS, IT SELLS FOR 600 POUNDS. IF IT SELLS FOR SIX MILLION POUNDS, THEN OF COURSE THAT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY FINE BY ME. IT'S NOT THE MONEY THAT MATTERS TO ME, IT'S THE ABSOLUTE BUZZ OF DOING THE RESEARCH AND MEETING WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE SO KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THEIR SUBJECT." IF ITS ORIGINS ARE VERIFIED, THE UNUSUAL ITEM IS EXPECTED TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT CHRISTIE'S IN DECEMBER.