BONHAMS SELLS IMPERIAL ENAMELED SNUFF BOTTLE FOR £821,383

A TINY SNUFF BOTTLE MEASURING JUST 1.6 INCHES HIGH HAS SOLD RECENTLY FOR NEARLY £1 MILLION, SMASHING ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS. THE BEAUTIFUL ENAMEL BOTTLE MADE FOR CHINA'S EMPEROR QIANLONG IN THE 18th CENTURY WAS PART OF A STUNNING COLLECTION PUT TOGETHER BY GEORGE AND MARY BLOCH. IT WAS HOPED IT MIGHT SELL FOR £25,000 BUT FURIOUS BIDDING SAW THE PRICE RISE BEYOND ANYONE'S EXPECTATIONS. THE SALE PROVES THE STRENGTH OF THE CHINESE MARKET. THE SMALL ENAMEL BOTTLE SHOWS ON ONE SIDE A WOMAN AND A YOUNG BOY WITH AN ELABORATE BUILDING AND TREES IN THE BACKGROUND. ON THE OTHER SIDE IS A WOMAN WITH A BASKET OF FLOWERS AND FRUIT AND ANOTHER YOUNG BOY, WITH BUILDINGS AND THE TREE-CLAD BANKS OF A STREAM BEHIND HER. ALL THE FIGURES LOOK EUROPEAN AND THE CONDITION OF TE PIECE WAS DESCRIBED AS 'PERFECT'. THE PRICE PAID BY AN ANONYMOUS COLLECTOR WAS £821,383. THE SALE WAS AT BONHAMS' FIRST EVER GOLDEN GAVEL AUCTION, WITH EVERY ITEM SOLD. THE BLOCH'S ENTIRE COLLECTION IS BEING AUCTIONED OVER SEVERAL SALES AND THE FIRST, OF 140 BOTTLES, MADE £5.8 MILLION. THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE WAS £1.8 MILLION. THE COUPLE PURCHASED THE FIRST OF THE DECORATIVE BOTTLES IN THE 1980s AND BY THE TIME GEORGE BLOCH DIED LAST YEAR THEY HAD AMASSED A COLLECTION OF OVER 1,700 BOTTLES. COLIN SHEAF, AN AUCTIONEER FROM BONHAMS WHO SOLD THE BOTTLES AT THE HONG KONG AUCTION, SAID THE SALE HAD SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING IN NEW CHINESE COLLECTORS. HE SAID: 'THIS IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND FINEST COLLECTION OF SNUFF BOTTLES AND WE AIM TO SELL IT OVER NUMEROUS SALES OVER FIVE YEARS. THE BLOCH'S STARTED BUYING AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WOULD HAVE PAID FOR EACH OF THEM ORIGINALLY, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY. THEY STARTED COLLECTING IN THE MID-1980s, BUYING FROM AUCTIONS AND DEALERS. THE LOVELY THING ABOUT COLLECTING THEN IS THAT THE WHOLE RANGE OF CRAFT INDUSTRIES ARE REPRESENTED. IT IS CERTAINLY THE MOST FORMIDABLE COLLECTION IN THE WORLD.' THE BOTTLES, WHICH RANGE BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR INCHES HIGH AND DATE MAINLY FROM THE 17th AND 18th CENTURIES, COME WITH SMALL IVORY SPOONS. THEY ARE HUGELY COLLECTIBLE BECAUSE CRAFTSMEN OF ALL TECHNIQUES TURNED THEIR HANDS TO MAKING THEM. JADE, GLASS, IVORY, LACQUER, BRONZE, PORCELAIN, SILVER AND STONE WERE ALL MATERIALS USED TO CREATE THE BOTTLES. IT WAS DURING THE EMPEROR QIANLLONG WHEN THE SNUFF BOTTLE PRODUCTION BOOMED. THERE WERE MASSES OF BAD QUALITY ONES MADE, BUT ALSO MANY OF THE FINEST CRAFTSMEN PRODUCED EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLES. AND IT WAS THESE THAT THE BLOCHS COLLECTED. OTHER RECORD PRICES AT THE SALE INCLUDED AN INSCRIBED NEPHRITE JADE BOTTLE WHICH WENT FOR A WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR ANY JADE BOTTLE FOR OVER £500,000, AND AN IMPERIAL 'BIRD ON BRANCH' BOTTLE WENT FOR OVER £460,000, A WORLD RECORD FOR AN ENAMELED GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE.

V&A TO PRESENT RAPHAEL TAPESTRIES FROM THE SISTINE CHAPEL

THE V&A ANNOUNCES THAT FOUR OF THE TEN TAPESTRIES DESIGNED BY RAPHAEL FOR THE SISTINE CHAPEL IN VATICAN CITY WILL GO ON SHOW IN SEPTEMBER. THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL TAPESTRIES FROM THE ONLY SERIES DESIGNED BY RAPHAEL OF WHICH EXAMPLES SURVIVE, AND ARE COMPARABLE WITH MICHELANGELO'S SISTINE CHAPEL CEILING AS MASTERPIECES OF HIGH RENAISSANCE ART. THE TAPESTRIES WILL BE DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE THE FULL-SIZE DESIGNS FOR THEM, THE FAMOUS RAPHAEL CARTOONS, WHICH HAVE BEEN ON DISPLAY IN THE V&A SINCE 1865. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT THE DESIGNS AND TAPESTRIES HAVE BEEN DISPLAYED TOGETHER, SOMETHING RAPHAEL HIMSELF NEVER WITNESSED. THE TAPESTRIES HAVE NOT BEEN SHOWN BEFORE IN THE UK. THE TAPESTRIES, OF THE ACTS OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL, THE MIRACULOUS DROUGHT OF FISHES, CHRIST'S CHARGE TO ST PETER, THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN, AND THE SACRIFICE AT LYSTRA, WERE MADE FOR THE SISTINE CHAPEL ALMOST 500 YEARS AGO. RAPHAEL WAS COMMISSIONED BY POPE LEO X TO DESIGN THESE GREAT TAPESTRIES, WHICH WERE WOVEN IN BRUSSELS, EUROPE'S LEADING CENTER FOR TAPESTRY-WEAVING, AND THEN SENT TO ROME FOR DISPLAY. AS THE CARTOONS REMAINED IN BRUSSELS, RAPHAEL HIMSELF NEVER SAW THE CARTOONS BESIDE THE TAPESTRIES WOVEN FROM THEM. SEVERAL EUROPEAN MONARCHS, INCLUDING HENRY VIII, LATER COMMISSIONED COPIES OF THE TAPESTRIES WHICH WERE MADE FROM THE CARTOONS IN BRUSSELS. IN 1623 CHARLES I, WHILE PRINCE OF WALES, HAD THE CARTOONS BROUGHT TO ENGLAND TO HAVE HIS OWN SET WOVEN IN THE MORTLAKE TAPESTRY WORKSHOPS, AND THEY HAVE REMAINED IN ENGLAND EVER SINCE. THE VATICAN MUSEUMS OWN THE TAPESTRIES FROM THE SISTINE CHAPEL. THE CARTOONS BELONG TO THE QUEEN, BUT HAVE BEEN ON LONG-TERM LOAN TO THE V&A SINCE QUEEN VICTORIA LENT THEM IN 1865. THE CARTOONS ARE TOO FRAGILE TO LEAVE THE MUSEUM BUILDING SO THEY HAVE NEVER LEFT THE MUSEUM. THE FOUR TAPESTRIES WILL BE HUNG IN THE V&A's RAPHAEL GALLERY NEXT TO THE SEVEN CARTOONS. THE DESIGN OF EACH CARTOON CORRESPONDS IN EVERY POINT, BUT IN REVERSE, TO THE TAPESTRY IT WAS MADE FOR. THE EXHIBITION OF THE TAPESTRIES WILL TAKE PLACE OVER A SIX WEEK PERIOD TO COINCIDE WITH THE HISTORIC VISIT TO ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND OF POPE BENEDICT XVI.

BUKOWSKIS AUCTION HOUSE ROBBED OF $1.5 MILLION OF JEWELRY

BUKOWSKIS, THE NORDIC REGION'S OLDEST AND LARGEST AUCTION HOUSE, WAS ROBBED OF JEWELRY TO BE SOLD AT ITS SPRING AUCTION IN A DARING HEIST IN DOWNTOWN STOCKHOLM. THREE MASKED ROBBERS WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS ENTERED BUKOWSKIS IN STOCKHOLM AROUND LUNCHTIME THURSDAY AND STOLE JEWELRY 'WORTH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY', POLICE SAID IN A RECENT INTERVIEW. BUKOWSKIS WAS SET TO SELL 300 PIECES OF JEWELRY WITH A COMBINED STARTING PRICE OF $1.5 MILLION BETWEEN 1-5.JUNE, ACCORDING TO THE AUCTION HOUSE'S WEBSITE. THE PIECES INCLUDED A BEJEWELED COLLAR SET WITH WHITE AND YELLOW DIAMONDS. POLICE OFFICERS ARE INTERVIEWING WITNESSES AT BUKOWSKIS AND HAVE ALSO FOUND THE VEHICLE THE THREE ROBBERS USED TO FLEE IN. 'THIS IS VERY UNFORTUNATE FOR BUKOWSKIS, BUT THE MAIN THING IS THAT ALL THE EMPLOYEES AND VISITORS ARE UNHARMED', A SPOKESPERSON FOR BUKOWSKIS SAID IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW. 'WE NOW HAVE A POLICE INVESTIGATION GOING ON DOWN HERE AND ALSO HAVE CRISIS MANAGEMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. ALL THE FOCUS IS ON THEM.'

MUSEUM OF LONDON UNVEILED NEW GALLERIES AND EXHIBITIONS

RECENTLY THE MUSEUM OF LONDON UNVEILED THE GALLERIES OF MODERN LONDON, A SPECTACULAR £20 MILLION REDEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSEUM'S GALLERIES, WHICH WILL TELL THE STORY OF LONDON AND ITS INHABITANTS FROM THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON IN 1666 TO THE PRESENT DAY. SUPPORTED BY AN £11.5 MILLION HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND GRANT, THE NEW GALLERIES PROVIDE AN INSPIRING VISION OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST CITY, AND PLACE THE MUSEUM AT THE HEART OF LONDON AHEAD OF THE 2012 OLYMPICS. ON DISPLAY ARE OVER 7,000 FASCINATING OBJECTS TELLING THE STORIES OF LONDONERS OVER THE PAST 350 YEARS. ANN FANSHAWE'S EXTRAVAGANT 1750s COURT DRESS WILL MAKE VISITORS WONDER HOW ITS WEARER WAS ABLE TO WALK THROUGH A DOOR WITH ITS TWO-METER WIDE SKIRT. A RECONSTRUCTED GEORGIAN PLEASURE GARDEN, WITH ITS PARADE OF EXQUISITELY DRESSED STROLLERS MODELING SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED HATS AND MASKS BY PHILIP TREACY, WILL EXPOSE THE EXCITEMENT AND INTRIGUE OF GEORGIAN SOCIAL LIVES. BUT HARDSHIP WAS JUST A TURN OF FORTUNE AWAY, AS THE WELLCLOSE DEBTORS' PRISON, ETCHED WITH INMATES' GRAFFITI, SHOWS. MOVING INTO THE 20th CENTURY, THE STUNNING ART DECO LIFT FROM SELFRIDGES DEPARTMENT STORE IS EVIDENCE OF THE OPULENCE OF THE NEW CENTURY. THE FLURRY OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND VOICES OF PROTEST IS EXPOSED IN STORIES OF THE SUFFRAGETTES FIGHTING FOR WOMEN'S VOTES, AND OF THE EMERGING COMMUNIST AND FASCIST GROUPS AS THE NATION MOVED CLOSER TO WAR. THE REFUGEE TRUNK BELONGING TO THE SEELIG FAMILY, WHO ESCAPED TO LONDON FROM DRESDEN IN 1939, TELLS THE STORY OF THOSE FORCED TO MOVE TO THE CITY IN HARD CIRCUMSTANCES. THE MUSEUM WILL OFFER NEW ITEMS ON DISPLAY AS WELL AS OLD FAVORITES; THE FAMOUS SPARKLING LORD MAYOR'S STATE COACH WILL HAVE ITS OWN GALLERY WITH STREET LEVEL WINDOWS FOR PASSERS-BY TO SEE IN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.museumoflondon.org.uk

BONHAMS TO SELL RARE PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS OF RUSSIAN ROYALTY

A COLLECTION OF 19th CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS OF RUSSIAN ROYALTY GOES UNDER THE HAMMER AT BONHAMS 'BOOKS, MAPS, MANUSCRIPTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS' SALE ON 8.JUNE IN LONDON. MANY OF THE PORTRAITS ARE OF THE FAMILY OF TSAR NICHOLAS I WHO REIGNED FROM 1825 TO 1855 AND OF THE FAMILY OF HIS SUCCESSOR ALEXANDER II, WHO RULED FROM 1855 UNTIL HIS ASSASSINATION IN 1881. AMONG THE MOST NOTABLE ITEMS ARE A FINELY HAND-COLOURED CABINET CARD OF ALEXANDER II AND HIS WIFE MARIA ALEXANDROVANA; A HAND COLOURED CARD OF THE FUTURE ALEXANDER III AND HIS WIFE TSARINA MARIA FEDOROVNA WHO FLED TO GREAT BRITAIN AFTER THE REVOLUTION AND THEN SETTLED IN HER NATIVE DENMARK WHERE SHE DIED IN 1928; AND A PHOTOGRAPH OF ALEXANDER II LYING IN STATE. THE COLLECTION ALSO FEATURES MEMBERS OF OTHER EUROPEAN ROYAL HOUSEHOLDS INCLUDING QUEEN VICTORIA AND MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY; PRINCE CAROL, DOMNITOR OF RUMANIS; AND NIKOLA, PRINCE OF MONTENEGRO AS WELL AS PROMINENT POLITICIANS AND WRITERS OF THE DAY AND THE FAMOUS SOPRANOS, ADELINA PATTI, PAULINE LUCCA AND CHRISTINA NILSSON. SEPARATELY, THE SALE INCLUDES A PHOTOGRAPH OF TSAR NICHOLAS II TAKEN DURING HIS CORONATION PROCESSION IN 1896 AND A LARGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE TSAR AND TSARINA FROM 1905 STANDING ON THE BALCONY OF AN UNIDENTIFIED BUILDING.

CAPE TOWN'S SAFEST HOUSE PUT ON THE MARKET

A BRITISH COUPLE FRUSTRATED WITH THE EVER ESCALATING CRIME RATES IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, HAVE BUILT A UNIQUE HOUSE THEY CLAIM IS BURGLAR-PROOF. EILEEN MIJLOF SAID SHE HAD LOST COUNT OF HOW MANY TIMES SHE WAS BURGLED IN AND AROUND HER HOME. SO WHEN SHE AND HER HUSBAND, JELLE, DECIDED TO MOVE, IT WAS TO A CUSTOM-DESIGNED Y-SHAPED FORTRESS THAT THE PAIR CLAIM IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BREAK IN TO. UNUSUAL FOR MOST MIDDLE-CLASS SOUTH AFRICAN HOMES, THE PROPERTY AT THE FOOT OF TABLE MOUNTAIN DOES NOT HAVE A BURGLAR BARS, ALARMS, ELECTRIC FENCING OR TRELLIS SECURING DOORS, BECAUSE THE FIRST FLOOR IS NEARLY 50ft ABOVE GROUND. THE HOUSE LOOKS AS IF IT IS PRECARIOUSLY BALANCED ON TOP OF A SECURE GARAGE, BUT THE FOUNDATION IS 20ft DEEP, AND 10ft BY 40ft LONG. MIJLOF WHO IS ORIGINALLY FROM LIVERPOOL, SAID: 'WE FEEL VERY SAFE IN THE HOUSE. WE LOST COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE GOT ROBBED IN OUR PRIVATE HOMES AND THE HOTEL WE RAN. THEY WERE NEVER VIOLENT, BUT IT JUST GOT TOO MUCH, WHICH IS WHY JELLE DECIDED HE WOULD BUILD THIS PLACE.' MIJLOF GOT THE IDEA TO CONSTRUCT THE TWO STORY HOUSE AFTER SITTING IN THE GROUNDS OF THE PROPERTY. 'I WAS SITTING BY THE TREES AND LOOKED UP AND SAW THE SQUIRRELS RUNNING UP AND DOWN THEM AND THE BIRDS SINGING. I NOTICED THAT WHEN THE SQUIRRELS GOT TO THE END OF BRANCHES, THEY LOOKED SECURE BECAUSE THEY KNEW NOTHING COULD FOLLOW THEM BECAUSE THEY'D BOTH FALL OFF. THE SQUIRRELS AND THE BIRDS LOOKED SAFE AND I THOUGHT WE SHOULD FEEL THE SAME.' HE COMPLETED THE HOUSE IN 2000, AND THE COUPLE, WHO HAVE BEEN MARRIED 20 YEARS, ARE NOW SELLING THE FORTRESS IN THE HIGGOVALE SUBURB TO MOVE TO THE WHALE-WATCHING TOWN OF HERMANUS. THE HOUSE, WHICH ENJOYS PANORAMIC VIEWS OF CAPE TOWN AND THE OCEAN BEYOND, IS ON THE MARKET FOR £1.1 MILLION.

CLASSIC CAR COLLECTOR TO SELL BATMOBILE AT AUCTION

AVID CAR COLLECTOR MARK PERKINS HAS HOARDED THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION OF MUST-HAVE MOVIE RELATED AUTOS, INCLUDING THE BATMOBILE, JAMES BOND'S ASTON MARTIN AND THE GHOSTBUSTERS 'ECTOMOBILE'. HIS AMAZING COLLECTION OF ICONIC SCREEN CARS IS UNMATCHED ANYWHERE, AND ALSO INCLUDES STARSKY AND HUTCH'S FORD TORINO, MR BEAN'S MINI AND EVEN DEL BOY'S RELIANT REGAL. HE HAS SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS AMASSING A RANGE OF CARS THAT HAVE STARRED IN SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FILMS AND TELEVISION SERIES FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS AND HAS INSURED THE HOARD FOR £500,000. CLASSIC CARS CURRENTLY STORED IN THE BASEMENT OF HIS HOME IN ASCOT, BERKSHIRE, INCLUDE ORIGINALS OF THE FLINTSTONES CAR, BATMAN'S BATCYCLE, MR BEAN'S MINI, 007's ASTON MARTIN FROM THE FILM GOLDFINGER, AND DEL BOY'S RELIANT REGAL VAN. AND ALONGSIDE THE IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION ARE EXACT REPLICAS OF THE BATMOBILE, GHOSTBUSTERS' CADILLAC STYLE LIMO AND NODDY'S TOYLAND CAR. PERKINS HAS BUILT UP HIS COLLECTION OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, SCOURING THE WORLD TO FIND THE DISTINCTIVE FILM CARS. HE FOUND THE BATMOBILE IN INDIANA, THE FLINTSTONES CAR IN FLORIDA AND HAS JUST SECURED A 1967 PONTIAC GTO IN NEW YORK, WHICH IS MORE COMMONLY RECOGNIZED FROM THE MONKEYS. THE PROPERTY DEVELOPER SAID: 'IT IS A NICE SIDELINE HOBBY. WE LOOK ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR THEM. I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS NOW AND HAVE GOT A NICE COLLECTION OF VEHICLES WHICH I STORE IN MY BASEMENT, BUT I AM STARTING TO RUN OUT OF ROOM. IT'S ALL RIGHT TO HAVE A FERRARI OR A BENTLEY BUT IT'S NOT MY CUP OF TEA. CLASSIC CARS FROM FILMS AND UNUSUAL THINGS ARE MY HOBBY.' PERKINS HAS MADE THE TOUGH DECISION TO PART WITH HIS PRIZED BATMOBILE, WHICH HE BOUGHT IN 1988 AND CUSTOMIZED WITH THE HELP OF RENOWNED CUSTOM COACH BUILDER, BILL CHAPMAN. IT IS BASED ON A LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CHASSIS AND WAS BUILT TO A SIMILAR SPECIFICATION AS THE ORIGINAL CAR IN THE SIXTIES. IT IS GOING UNDER THE HAMMER IN AN AUCTION ON 2.JUNE IN SURREY AND IS EXPECTED TO FETCH IN THE REGION OF £40,000. 'IT IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE COLLECTING DUST. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO SELL IT, IT HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING', HE SAID. 'BUT CLASSIC CARS, AND THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, SHOULD BE DRIVEN TO BE ENJOYED, AND I'VE LOVED TAKING IT ON THE ROAD OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER, I WILL HAVE LITTLE TIME TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE, AND SO SADLY IT'S TIME SOMEONE ELSE DERIVED PLEASURE OF OWNERSHIP.'