Auction Houses

 Attending a live auction (through an auction house...ie: Sotheby's, Christies or Doyle New York) and hopefully winning a bid, is an exciting way to acquire artwork, lovely furniture, jewelry, collector's books, etc. Sometimes an auction house has the honor of auctioning off a piece of history...such as icon's estate. The amazing and incredibly talented Beverly Sills was a born New Yorker and became one of the most famous opera singers of all time. With that said, her estate sale at Doyle New York created great curiosity. What peaked my interest was costume renderings of the various characters she had played in her productions. She is part of Americana, she is part of New York and I desired a part of her legacy in our home!

If you have ever attended a live auction you know first hand the excitement brewing in a room as eager attendees hope to win a lot (an item being auctioned off). If you have not attended a live auction, let me give you a quick snapshot. Depending on the auction house, but generally a few days prior to the auction you have the ability to visit the auction house and peruse the offerings (in this case I went to Doyle New York). You walk around and admire items pretty much the same way you would in a museum. It's at this time that you can decide if any items may be worthy of your bidding. There are various ways to bid on a lot (ie: through an absentee bid, a live phone bid during the auction or by attending the live auction). To truly take in the action of an auction it's fun to attend live if you can. 

It was with baited breathe that I waited to hopefully win a bid on any one of her costume renderings...they are very beautiful and quite feminine. The costume renderings hung in the opera star's foyer of her Manhattan residence...it was my hope by attending the auction to win one rendering to hang in our daughter's bedroom. I won a bid and here is our daughter's one of a kind piece of artwork!  Everytime I look at it, I smile.     

I took the artwork off the wall to photograph so that I would not get a reflection of myself in the image. (I need some photography sessions, but probably not in this lifetime). 

 

A close-up of the artwork. Can't you just imagine her singing on stage with her famous voice in this gorgeous gown? 

A close-up of the artwork and two pieces of the textile used to make the opera gown.

The costume designer's signature...Suzanne Mess. 

Here is the artwork hanging in our daughter's bedroom.

Have you ever been to an auction house? Where do you live? Which one/s have you attended?

What gem have you acquired through an auction?