LOUIS VUITTON CRUISE 2010 SHINE BRACELET

THE NEW SHINE BRACELETS FROM LOUIS VUITTON ARE ONE OF THE KEY ACCESSORIES OF THE LOUIS VUITTON CRUISE 2010 COLLECTION. THE BRACELETS ARE CRAFTED FROM GLOSSY LACQUERED WOOD, WITH INSET ROPE DETAILS AND GOLDEN BRASS NAIL-HEADS WHICH ACCENTUATES THE NAUTICAL SPIRIT OF THE COLLECTION. INSIDE EACH BRACELET IS AN ENGRAVING OF 'CRUISE 2010' TO MARK THE COLLECTION SEASON. THE LOUIS VUITTON SHINE BRACELET COMES IN TWO NAUTICAL COLOURS, INDIGO BLUE AND RED, AND ARE AVAILABLE AT LOUIS VUITTON BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE FOR $435
stores for $435.

RARE CHINESE VASE MISTAKENLY VALUED AT £375 SELLS AT AUCTION FOR £228,000

A STUNNING COLOURFUL VASE MISTAKENLY VALUED AT JUST £375, BROKE AN AUCTION HOUSE RECORD WHEN IT SOLD FOR A STAGGERING £228,000. THE OWNER SAID THE TINY VASE HAD BEEN IN HER FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS, AND NOBODY THOUGHT IT WAS OF ANY VALUE. BUT THE ANONYMOUS WOMAN FROM CHESTER IS NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS AFTER IT EMERGED THAT IT WAS A RARE 18th CENTURY CHINESE IMPERIAL GILT BRONZE AND CLOISONNE VASE, CRAFTED IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY IN THE STYLE OF MING, BUT MORE THAN A CENTURY AFTER THE DYNASTY ENDED. THE SELLER APPROACHED AUCTION HOUSE BYRNE'S, IN SALTNEY, FLINTSHIRE, NORTH WALES, AFTER A ANTIQUES DEALER EXPRESSED A KEEN INTEREST IN THE STUNNING PIECE. AUCTIONEER ADRIAN BYRNE SAID: 'HE SEEMED SO KEEN THAT SHE WONDERED IF SHE WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING, AND DECIDED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE MONEY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY USEFUL TO HER AT THE TIME, SHE WOULD NOT SELL IT THERE AND THEN. FORTUNATELY, SHE DECIDED TO SEEK A SECOND OPINION AND BROUGHT IT TO US. THE VASE BROKE THE AUCTION HOUSE'S RECORD FOR A SALE, WHEN THE HAMMER FELL AT £228,000. 'ON SALE DAY THERE WERE INTERNET BIDDERS FROM CHINA, TAIWAN AND HONG KONG AND 14 PHONE BIDDERS', SAID BYRNE. ;THEY WERE FROM NEW ZEALAND, BELGIUM, PARIS AND LONDON. WE HAD TO DRAFT PEOPLE TO HANDLE THE CALLS. WHEN I SPOKE TO HER A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE SALE SHE SAID IT HADN'T REALLY SUNK IN YET BUT SHE IS DETERMINED TO KEEP HER FEET ON THE GROUND, ALTHOUGH SHE WILL CERTAINLY BE HAVING A LARGER CHRISTMAS TREE THIS YEAR.' THE VASE WAS PURCHASE BY A LONDON DEALER BIDDING ON THE TELEPHONE WHO ACQUIRED IT FOR A COLLECTOR CLIENT.

SOTHEBY'S 'ROMANOV HEIRLOOMS' SALE TOTALS £7,073,300

FROM A BUSY SALEROOM OPENED TO CAPACITY, WITH TWO BANKS OF 60 PHONE LINES RESERVED TO EXECUTE BIDS ON BEHALF OF POTENTIAL BUYERS, CLIENTS ENTHUSIASTICALLY COMPETED TO ACQUIRE A PIECE OF RUSSIAN IMPERIAL HISTORY IN SOTHEBY'S, LONDON, SALE OF 'ROMANOV HEIRLOOMS: THE LOST INHERITANCE OF GRAND DUCHESS MARIA PAVLOVNA'. THE AUCTION, WHICH SAW EVERY LOT CONTESTED BY SEVERAL BIDDERS, EXCEEDED ALL PRE-SALE EXPECTATIONS (estimate: £600,000-900,000) AND BROUGHT THE OUTSTANDING TOTAL OF £7,073,300. WITH EVERY LOT SOLD, THE AUCTION ACHIEVED THE STATUS OF A 'WHITE GLOVE SALE' AND ALL BUT ONE OF THE LOTS OFFERED FOR THE SUMS IN EXCESS OF THEIR PRE-SALE HIGH ESTIMATES, WITH NEW AUCTION RECORDS BEING ESTABLISHED FOR A FABERGE CIGARETTE CASE AND A PAIR OF FABERGE CUFF-LINKS. COMMENTING ON THE REMARKABLE RESULTS ACHIEVED, A SOTHEBY'S SPOKESPERSON SAID: 'THE EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS OF THE EVENING'S SALE, WHICH WAS RECORD BREAKING IN MANY WAYS, ARE TRIBUTES TO THE EXQUISITE QUALITY, OUTSTANDING PROVENANCE AND ROMANTIC STORY BEHIND THIS REMARKABLE COLLECTION, WHICH HAD BEEN LOST TO POSTERITY FOR ALMOST 90 YEARS UNTIL ITS REDISCOVERY IN SWEDEN EARLIER THIS YEAR.'

THE EXTRAORDINARY PACE AND TONE OF THE AUCTION WAS SET THE MOMENT THE AUCTIONEER OPENED THE BIDDING ON LOT ONE, A SILVER CIGARETTE CASE BEARING AN ENAMELED PORTRAIT OF EMPEROR ALEXANDER II. THE CIGARETTE CASE ATTRACTED SPIRITED BIDDING FROM SEVERAL CLIENTS, QUICKLY DRIVING THE FINAL PRICE PAID TO £46,850, ALMOST TEN TIMES THE HIGH ESTIMATE FOR THE AMAZING PIECE. THE INSTANT BIDDING OPENED FOR LOT TWO, A SILVER AND ENAMEL CIGARETTE CASE FEATURING A PHOTOGRAPH OF GRAND DUCHESS MARIA PAVLOVNA, A CLIENT DOUBLED THE BID TO £20,000, THE CASE FINALLY SOLD FOR £27,500, ALMOST SIX TIMES ITS HIGH ESTIMATE. THE TOP SELLING LOT IN THE SALE WAS A 25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY FABERGE IMPERIAL JEWELED FOUR-COLOURED CIGARETTE CASE. WHEN THE CASE SOLD TO A BIDDER IN THE ROOM FOR £612,250, OVER 12 TIMES ITS ESTIMATE, IT ESTABLISHED A NEW AUCTION RECORD FOR A FABERGE CIGARETTE CASE (THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS £433,600, WHICH WAS SET AT SOTHEBY'S IN NOVEMBER 2006). THE TOP SELLING LOT AMONG THE CUFF-LINKS IN THE SALE WAS THE 10th ANNIVERSARY PAIR OF FABERGE JEWELED GOLD CUFF-LINKS, BY FABERGE WORK-MASTER AUGUST HOLMSTROM, SOLD FOR £103,250, MORE THAN 20 TIMES THE HIGH ESTIMATE, SETTING A NEW AUCTION RECORD FOR A PAIR OF CUFF-LINKS (THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS £54,500 AT SOTHEBY'S IN JUNE 2008).

RHODE ISLAND MUSEUMS CONSIDER RELOCATING ANCIENT SARCOPHAGUS

GINA BORROMEO IS WELL VERSED IN ANCIENT ARTIFACTS, BUT ONE RECENT QUESTION FROM A MUSEUM CURATOR CAUGHT HER OFF GUARD: 'DO YOU WANT A SARCOPHAGUS?' AND NOT JUST ANY SARCOPHAGUS. THIS WAS A WHITE COFFIN WITH MARBLE DATING AS FAR BACK AS THE 2nd CENTURY THAT DEPICTED FOLLOWERS OF THE GREEK WINE GOD DIONYSUS. IT WAS BROUGHT BACK FROM EUROPE BY A WEALTHY RHODE ISLAND COUPLE WHO DONATED IT TO THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM IN 1904. FOR YEARS, THE COFFIN SAT UNCEREMONIOUSLY IN THE LOBBY OF THE BUILDING AT ROGER WILLIAMS PARK. NOW THE CITY-OPERATED MUSEUM WAS SUDDENLY WILLING TO PART WITH IT AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY, DECIDING ITS MISSION WAS SHIFTING MORE AND MORE TOWARD NATURAL HISTORY AND AWAY FROM ART. FOR BORROMEO, THE ANCIENT ART CURATOR FOR THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN MUSEUM OF ART, THE CHANCE TO ACQUIRE THE AMAZING PIECE, FOR FREE, WAS SOMETHING SHE COULDN'T PASS UP.
BUT THE DEAL HIT A SNAG WEDNESDAY LAST, THE DAY THE PIECE WAS TO BE TRANSFERRED BETWEEN MUSEUMS, WHEN PROVIDENCE OFFICIALS POSTPONED THE MOVE SO THEY COULD 'FURTHER REVIEW' THE AGREEMENT. BORROMEO SAID SHE WASN'T SURE WHAT THE CITY'S CONCERN WAS. THE DESIGN SCHOOL'S MUSEUM, RHODE ISLAND'S PRE-EMINENT MUSEUM, HAS SAID IT WANTS TO DISPLAY THE SARCOPHAGUS IN ITS NEW GREEK AND ROMAN ART GALLERIES WHICH ARE OPENING NEXT FALL. IT WOULD JOIN OTHER FUNERARY OBJECTS AND PARTIAL OR FULL SARCOPHAGI AT THE MUSEUM, INCLUDING ONE DATING FROM THE 2nd CENTURY THAT DEPICTS SCENES FROM THE TROJAN WAR. THE GIFT WOULD BE A DOSE OF GOOD NEWS FOR THE MUSEUM AFTER A TOUGH SUMMER, WHEN IT CLOSED FOR AUGUST AS A COST-CUTTING MEASURE. ALSO THAT MONTH, THE SCHOOL ANNOUNCED THE ABRUPT AND UNEXPLAINED RESIGNATION OF POPULAR MUSEUM DIRECTOR HOPE ALSWANG, DRAWING LOUD COMPLAINTS FROM MUSEUM TRUSTEES AND OTHER SUPPORTERS. IF AND WHEN RISD ACQUIRES THE COFFIN, THE PIECE WILL GET MORE ATTENTION TOWARD ITS PRESERVATION AND STUDENTS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO STUDY IT, EVEN AS EXPERTS TRY TO LEARN MORE OF THE STORY BEHIND IT.

GUCCI LAUNCHES 5th ANNUAL CHARITY CAMPAIGN SNOWMAN OF AFRICA

GUCCI HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED ITS FIFTH ANNUAL CHARITY CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT UNICEF. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE LUXURY DESIGN HOUSE HAS RAISED ALMOST $7 MILLION TO SUPPORTS UNICEF'S EFFORTS IN EDUCATION, HEALTH-CARE, PROTECTION AND CLEAN WATER. THIS YEAR'S STUNNING COLLECTION IS INSPIRED BY SNOWMAN IN AFRICA, THE SEQUEL TO THE BEST-SELLING CHILDREN'S BOOK SNOWMAN IN PARADISE. GUCCI WILL ALSO SELL THE BOOKS ALONGSIDE ITS LIMITED EDITION CHARITY ACCESSORIES COLLECTION IN ITS BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE AND ONLINE. 100% OF THE BOOK'S RETAIL PRICE, AND 25% OF THE BAG SALES, WILL BENEFIT UNICEF. THE ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE INCLUDE THE LARGE JOY BAG, AND THE SMALLER COIN PURSE AND WALLET. AS THE NAME OF THE COLLECTION SUGGESTS, THE BAG'S FEATURE AN APPLIQUED SNOWMAN STANDING IN A FIELD OF AFRICAN GRASSES AND WRAPPED BY A NATIVE SNAKE. THE SNOWMAN IN AFRICA COLLECTION WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 31.DECEMBER.

BENTLEY RENOVATES ROUTEMASTER LONDON DOUBLE DECKER BUS FOR CHARITY

THE HOLIDAY SEASON BRINGS OUT THE CHARITABLE AND GENEROUS SPIRIT IN ALL OF US. BENTLEY ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN OVERCOME BY THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT AND SHOWED ITS CHARITABLE SIDE WHEN IT HANDED OVER A LUXURIOUSLY RENOVATED LONDON ROUTEMASTER DOUBLE-DECKER BUS TO THE HOSPICE ST LUKE'S AT ITS CREW HEADQUARTERS. THE HOSPICE ACQUIRED THE BUS IN APRIL AND HAD REQUESTED BENTLEY FOR HELP WITH ITS RENOVATIONS. BENTLEY IMMEDIATELY AGREED AND SET UP TO GIVE THE BUS A WHOLE NEW MAKEOVER. THE PROJECT WAS NO EASY TASK AND REQUIRED THE EFFORTS OF 59 WORKERS AND TOOK AROUND 2,000 HOURS TO COMPLETE. BENTLEY USED HAND STITCHED LEATHER WITH THE ST LUKE'S AND BENTLEY LOGOS WHILE CRAFTSMEN FROM THE FIRM'S WOODSHOP, TOOL ROOM AND MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENTS DEVELOPED CUSTOM-MADE WORK SURFACES, RAILS, KITCHEN UNIT AND SHELVES. THE BUS WILL BE USED BY THE ST LUKE HOSPICE AS A TRAVELING SHOP FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AS WELL AS AN EDUCATION AND AWARENESS BASE TO VISIT SCHOOLS AND OTHER EVENTS.

HEATHER JAMES FINE ART PRESENTS MAJOR PICASSO EXHIBITION

HEATHER JAMES FINE ART IN PALM DESERT, CA, HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AMONG US AND INTERNATIONAL ART COLLECTORS AS ONE OF THE NATION'S PREMIER GALLERIES WITH SHOWS BY MONET, RAUSCHENBERG AND DIVERSE, UP AND COMING YOUNG ARTISTS. RECENTLY IT ANNOUNCED A NEW WORLD-CLASS PICASSO EXHIBITION THAT WILL SURVEY THE MASTER'S PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES FROM SEVERAL OF HIS MAJOR PERIODS, INCLUDING CUBISM, AND WILL HIGHLIGHT AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTION OF 80 PIECES OF PICASSO'S CERAMICS. THE STUNNING WORKS WILL APPEAL TO A WIDE RANGE OF COLLECTORS WITH PRICES FROM $5000 TO $25 MILLION. THE SHOW WILL RUN THROUGH TO 14.MARCH.2010. 'PICASSO WAS AN ARTIST THAT INFLUENCED MULTIPLE GENERATIONS', SAYS CHIP TOM, CURATOR FOR THE HEATHER JAMES FINE ARTS. 'THAT'S DUE NOT ONLY TO HIS BRILLIANCE, BUT ALSO TO HOW LONG HE LIVED AND WORKED. HE WAS AN ARTIST WHO WAS PERSONALLY PUSHING HIS OWN ART TO NEW LEVELS EVERYDAY, EXPERIMENTING WITH DIVERSE GENRES AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES, CHALLENGING HIMSELF TO CREATE IN MANY DIFFERENT MEDIUMS.'
PICASSO, WHO DIED IN 1973 AT THE AGE OF 92, CREATED THOUSANDS OF UNIQUE CERAMICS DURING HIS LIFETIME, MANY MADE IN LIMITED EDITIONS AT THE MADOURA POTTERY FACTORY IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. THE CERAMICS, LIKE ALL OF HIS WORK, REFLECT THE ARTIST'S PASSION FOR MYTHOLOGY AND WOMEN. 'THESE PIECES ARE VERY AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL AND TIMES REFLECT PICASSO'S VERY SEXUAL NATURE', SAYS THE OWNER OF THE COLLECTION. 'HE WAS A PROLIFIC PRINT MAKER AND HE SAW THE CLAY AS AN EXTENSION OF HIS ETCHINGS AND PAINTINGS. HE WOULD FIND OBJECTS AND PRESS THEM INTO THE CLAY, HE WOULD ETCH IMAGES INTO THE WET CLAY AND HE WOULD PAINT THE PIECES BEFORE THEY WERE FIRED IN THE KILN. PICASSO MADE THE CERAMICS SO PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT AFFORD HIS PAINTINGS COULD ENJOY AND BUY HIS ART.' ACCORDING TO THE COLLECTOR, THE STANDOUT PIECE OF THE EXHIBIT, AND IN PICASSO'S CERAMIC UNIVERSE' IS A GRAND WHITE VASE WITH FOUR PANELS THAT PICASSO DESIGNED AND SUPERVISED THE MAKING OF HIMSELF. FROM AN EDITION OF 25, THE VASE REVEALS ICONIC IMAGERY THAT HE LOVED AND REPEATED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFETIME, WITH A DIFFERENT IMAGE ETCHED ON EACH OF ITS FOUR SIDES; A POWERFUL SMILING SUN, A HUMAN FACE, AND WOMAN FRONT AND BACK - HER SEX AND BELLY BUTTON ON THE FRONT, HER BUTTOCKS ON THE BACKSIDE. PICASSO TRULY LOVED TO DO THE CERAMICS BECAUSE THEY GAVE PEOPLE A TACTILE EXPERIENCE, NOT LIKE PAINTINGS.