The Chinese ingots, illegally harvested from a French frigate that sank while returning from Nanjing, were seized by U.S. investigators when they were put up for auction in California.
Tag: Auctions
Gold Ingots From 18th-Century Shipwreck Returned to France
The Chinese ingots, illegally harvested from a French frigate that sank while returning from Nanjing, were seized by U.S. investigators when they were put up for auction in California.
You Can Still Own a Caravaggio, but It Comes With a House (and a Hefty Price)
A much anticipated auction for a $500 million villa in Rome that boasts a Caravaggio ceiling fresco failed to get any offers.
Catherine the Great Letter Supporting Inoculations Sells for $1.3 Million
In the letter, which sold at auction in London on Wednesday, the Russian empress called for widespread access to a precursor of the smallpox vaccine.
What is An Olympic Gold Medal Actually Worth?
Some former Olympians have resorted to selling their medals because of financial hardships or to raise money for charity.
A Lost Brontë Library Surfaces
A trove of manuscripts acquired from the Brontë family in the 19th century, all but unseen for the past century, will be auctioned at Sotheby’s.
Turkey Fights for Return of a Work It Says Was Looted
A bench trial in Federal District Court in Manhattan concerns an ancient idol held by Christie’s.
Defendant’s Luck Runs Out. But the Lucky Phone Number Fetches $325,000.
The Chinese phone number, ending in five 8s, drew 5,000 bids because it’s considered auspicious. Such phone numbers are coveted status symbols in China.
Sotheby’s Reports $2.5 Billion in Sales
The auction house says that figure reflects a “resilient” market amid the coronavirus. But it represents a 25 percent decrease in auction sales, analysts say.
Senate Report: Opaque Art Market Helped Oligarchs Evade Sanctions
Congressional investigators said companies tied to two Russians under sanctions were able to buy art using shell companies and an intermediary.