ON THE MARKETCIPRIAN MURESAN Study After Apollo and Daphne £800 - 1,200 Here is a contemporary artist who has work in an impressive number of major national collections. A superb draughtsman celebrated for his lively drawings. This buzzing little sketch after Bernini's sculpture in Rome is no exception. A PAIR OF GIANT CLAM SHELLS 77cms £800 - 1,200 Here’s something you don’t see every day at auction! How to display it? Who knows—but it’s definitely weird and wonderful. ROBERT TAVENER Cornfield and Downs £50 - 100 A thoroughly English piece of print making. A charming bit of design by a lesser known albeit talented name. I can't find you cheaper than this. TEMPESTA (1555 - 1630) Battling Animals £200 - 300 Antonio Tempesta's legacy as an engraver is immense. His designs influenced generations of artists—Rubens and Velázquez, to name just two. This set of warring animals is fantastically decorative and offers a very approachable price point if you’re looking to dip your toe into the world of Old Master prints. WHAT THE ULTRA RICH BUYEric Clapton bought this in 2008 for £2.7M. On Wednesday evening, it sold at Christie’s for £3.5M (reserve price). That’s an £800k profit—or an annualised return of £50k over 16 years. Nice one, Eric! SLEEPERMeet Mat Winter. At just 11 years old, he spotted this in the boot of a stranger’s car at the dump. Realizing it was headed for the tip, he asked if he could have it—and the owner gladly agreed. Fast forward to 2024, and the work has been confirmed as a genuine Dürer engraving from 1513. It sold for £33k at auction in September. Bravo, little Mat! SNIPPETS🙄 Celeb Art: Robbie Williams now makes ceramics–yours for £18k. 😬 "Sorry embarrassment of a prize": The Turner Prize gets its worst reviews ever. 📺 Watch: Portrait Artist of the Year is back. 🤓 Quiz time: Can you name the artist! SHARE UNBUNDLEMake someone's day! 🤝 Forward them this email. Better yet... Refer just 1 friend and start winning amazing prizes. 👇 See how below.
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Affordable art that's worth buying. Get industry professionals' tips on what’s coming up at auction. PLUS news, events, books, exhibitions and everything arts & culture.
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nuggets) Factoid: Why Buying Affordable Art Is Harder Than You Think Buying affordable art might seem straightforward, but it’s often trickier than investing in high-end pieces. Here’s why. In the first half of 2024, 91% of auctioned artworks were priced under $10,000, with 61% under $1,000, according to ArtPrice data. This segment, driven by the boom in online sales, is the fastest-growing part of the market. It’s easier than ever to buy affordable...
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nuggets) Factoid: Relax, It’s Only 0.22% A banana duct-taped to a wall selling for $6.2 million is, admittedly, tough to digest. Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian ignited both outrage and existential despair after its sale. “If that’s art, then it’s the end of art, isn’t it?” lamented Bendor Grosvenor. Well, “some people don’t realize when they’re being played” said Marion Maneker of Puck. So who's holding the peel? Enter Justin Sun, the 34-year-old...
THIS WEEK: The green fairy, a fantastic foot, books, exhibitions & more. Keep on scrolling... Absinthe is making a comeback—or so says The Observer. Once banned for nearly a century, the emerald elixir has reclaimed its place in London’s trendiest bars. At Soho’s Three Sheets, for example, you’ll find the “Sazzaquack,” a zesty mix of rooibos-infused lemon absinthe. For generations of artists, though, absinthe wasn’t just a drink—it was a muse. Gauguin, Picasso, Degas, Manet, and Van Gogh not...