The memorabilia of philanthropist Brooke Astor’s New York home seems to be selling at prices way above estimates.
On the first of the four-part auction, sales reached $6.7 million, which is much more than what the auction house expected to get for the 901 articles. Sotheby’s expected the total tally to be between $6.6 million and $9.7 million, Bloomberg reported.
The collection that is being auctioned will include articles from two of Astor’s homes - the Park Avenue duplex apartment and her country estate Holly Hill.
It includes Chinese lacquer furniture, clocks, mirror paintings, many drawings and paintings of dogs, a coral and ruby lion brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels among others.
Due to feverish bidding, a lot of articles have been sold for more than the initial value. For instance, a bronze figure of a six-headed Tibetan deity was expected to sell for $2,500 to $3,500. But it was sold at $134,500 at the auction, Bloomberg reported.
A giltwood box that was estimated between $200 and $400 sold for $21,250 and an ivory elephant adorned with rubies, emeralds and gold went for 10 times its estimate at $68,500.
“I was going to bid on it (six-headed Tibetan deity), but it went through the roof,” Philip Marshall, Astor’s grandson told Bloomberg. “It’s her provenance.”
Another item that is expected to draw a huge bid, according to Fox News, is an Imperial Chinese gilt-bronze lion clock estimated at $180,000 to $220,000.
It is reported that proceeds from the auction will go to some of the charities favoured by Astor, who died in 2007 at the age of 105. Some of her favourite charities and causes include the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Bronx Zoo, Central Park, the Animal Medical Center of New York and New York City's public schools.
“The rooms and contents of both residences display a distinctive mix of comfort and refinement, and reveal a woman of elegance and grace who would come to embody New York society during her lifetime,” Sotheby’s said on its website.
Family Feud
The auction follows a feud between Astor’s son Antony Marshall and her grandson Philip Marshall. Philip claimed that his father was not providing for Astor, who was at that time diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Anthony was also found guilty for improper involvement in Astor's will and finances. He is currently appealing his conviction, reports stated.
