The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor: The Icon and Her Haute Couture, Evening Sale

New York – Thursday, December 14, 2011 Sale no: 2627 – Top Ten

New York

 

Sold:

$2,600,750

£1,690,488

€2,002,578

 

 

Lots Sold: 67

Lots Offered: 67

Sold by Lot: 100%

Sold by $: 100%

 

 

Exchange Rate: £0.65 = $1 /  €0.77 = $1

 

Lot

Description

 

Estimate ($)

 

Purchase Price

Buyer

368

Andy Warhol (1928-1987), Liz (Feldman and Schellmann II.7), offset lithograph in colors, 1964, dedicated 'to elizabeth with much love', from the edition of approximately 300

30,000 - 50,000

$662,500

£430,625

€510,125

Asian Private

357

A Christian Dior evening gown of silver encrusted brocade with matching evening bag, Worn to Guy de Rothschild and his wife’s yearly ball at their country home, Chateau de Ferrières, in Brie, France

4,000 - 6,000

$362,500

£235,625

€279,125

American Institution

358

A Chanel ballgown, cape, shoes and matching clutch bag

6,000 - 8,000

$134,500

£87,425

€103,565

Anonymous

316

A Versace beaded evening bolero jacket, 'The Face', circa 1992

15,000 - 20,000

$128,500

£83,525

€98,945

Asian Private

355

A pair of rock crystal and gold ear pendants by Gucci, signed Gucci

1,000 - 2,000

$74,500

£48,425

€57,365

U.S. Private

363

A multi-gem and gold scarab necklace

1,500 - 2,000

$74,500

£48,425

€57,365

U.K. Private

304

A Christian Dior Ivory Organdy Evening Jacket And An Ivory Wool Jersey Tunic Dress, The evening jacket worn while in Rome, Italy, 1962 after Miss Taylor received the 'David di Donatella' award for her role in the film ‘Suddenly Last Summer.’

2,000 - 4,000

$68,500

£44,525

€52,745

Anonymous

344

A Valentino black lace stage gown, circa 1971

1,500 - 2,000

$62,500

£40,625

€48,125

Anonymous

364

Cleopatra, 1963, an Irene Sharaff evening robe, made for Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra

10,000 - 15,000

$62,500

£40,625

€48,125

U.S. Private

365

Miss Taylor's Gina Fratini wedding dress, worn at her second marriage to Richard Burton, labeled 'Gina Fratini', 1975

10,000 - 12,000

$62,500

£40,625

€48,125

American Museum

 

“We are delighted with the result of this auction which confirms Elizabeth Taylor’s status as Fashion Icon and Muse. Interest was truly international and included private individuals, celebrities and fashion archives competing fiercely online, in the room and on the telephones. Bidding was particularly frenzied for the stunning Christian Dior evening gown of silver encrusted brocade with matching evening bag, from 1968, which Miss Taylor wore to Guy de Rothschild and his wife’s yearly ball at Chateau de Ferrières, France,” noted Patricia Frost, Christie’s Head of Fashion. “Throughout the past week, bidders have been paying tribute to Miss Taylor’s sense of style and Christie’s are very pleased that her extraordinary wardrobe will continue to inspire further generations of fans, fashionistas and designers. It is wonderful that The Elizabeth Taylor Trust have generously donated the iconic Irene Sharaff Sunflower Yellow Silk Chiffon Wedding Dress, 1964, to a major American museum. We now look to the three sessions of Fashion and Accessories on 15 December which feature a further 300 lots, with affordable estimates ranging between $300 and $5,000.”

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).

Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, including the Paul G. Allen Collection—the most valuable collection ever offered at auction (November 2022). In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019). 

Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.

Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats. 

Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability by reducing our carbon emissions by 50% and pledging to be net zero by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.

Browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps. The COVID-related re-opening status of our global locations is available here.