Known to millions across the globe as ‘Rachel’, the popular TV comedy series F.R.I.E.N.D.S star Jennifer Aniston started the New Year with a bang, as she purchased a magnificent luxury mansion for a whopping $21 million. Already being hailed as one of the most expensive things sold in the month of January this year, the mansion is located in the prestigious residential community of Bel Air in Los Angeles, California. The Bel Air mansion was designed exclusively by A. Quincy Jones and features 4 bedrooms as well as 6.5 bathrooms, while providing breathtaking view of the ocean and the lovely city of Los Angeles. The entire mansion is sprawled across 3.5 acres of prime land and provides a comfortable 8,500 square feet of living space for Ms. Aniston and her boyfriend Justin Theroux. The Bel Air mansion sports a separate projection room and even comes with its own vineyard and wine cellar. Other features include a swimmers’ pool, a separate guest house and a spa. This luxury mansion was listed for $24.9 million, but reports suggest that Jennifer Aniston grabbed this expensive man for a bargain price of $21 million.
John James Audubon’s “Birds of America”, which till date holds the record for being the most expensive book in the world has now maintained its stellar reputation by entering into the prestigious list of the most expensive item sold in January 2012. Book of America was auctioned off last month by the renowned auction house Christie’s, which sold the book for a whopping $7.9 million. this rare first rare edition contains some 400 beautifully painted life size rendition of North American bird species and the entire book comes in three volumes. This expensive book was offered for auction by the 4th Duke of Portland and the book was accompanied by first edition of the author’s “Ornithological Biography.” As per numerous experts, John James Audubon had released some 200 first edition copies during the timeline 1827 to 1838, of which 120 are accounted for, where in 107 copies are in the hands of various museums, along with 13 copies are known to be in private hands. This astounding book stands at three and a half feet in height and features hand painted portraits of bird species from the 19th century North America
The start of the year 2012 has been in one word ‘thrilling’ for the automobile industry. Earlier last month, one of the most renowned auction houses, Gooding & Company brought under the hammer a vintage and extremely rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, which only mesmerized the attendees at the auction, but also fetched a mind blowing $4.62 million. Considered to be the most expensive item sold in January 2012, the 300SL Gullwing was estimated to bring in between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000, but to its rarity and mint condition, the vintage car fetched far more than anticipated. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is part of an exclusive production series introduced by Mercedes Benz and only 29 models were ever manufactured. This particular model carries an entire aluminum alloy body and the entire series is much renowned as being one of the most desirable coupes in the 1950s. The 300SL Gullwing was powered by an Inline-6, water cooled engine, producing an astounding 240 hp, making it one of the most elegant sports cars of all time. With a four speed manual transmission, the 300SL Gullwing was capable of making a sprint of 0 – 60 mph in just 8 seconds, with a top speed of 146 mph.
The year 1793 is quite special for the U.S economy, as this was the year when the nation minted its very first series of currency coins that kick started the economy. One such coin a 1793 Chain Cent was auctioned off earlier last month by Heritage Auctions and fetched an astounding $1.38 million. Officially known as the 1793 Chain Cent, MS65 Brown PCGS, this vintage coin has claimed the tile of one of the most expensive item sold and is a vital legacy of the earliest of the U.S currency minting trend. The auction was conducted in Orlando, Florida and the coin itself was part of a coin collection that was presented under the Jan. 4-6 U.S. Coins & Platinum Night FUN Signature Auction event. The entire auction was composed of some 9,420 coins and grabbed the interest of more than 7,000 bidders, while bringing in a stunning $55.8 million in combined sales. The new owner of the 1793 Chain Cent has reportedly wished to be anonymous, though the coin is known to have been minted at the Mint in Philadelphia in 1793.
A rare and rather unusual piece of art was offered by Sotheby’s in New York in the month of January this year and this unique specimen of art soon claimed the title of the most expensive item sold in January 2012. We are talking about a lively farm scene embroidered on linen by artist Mary Antrim using silk thread, which fetched a substantial $1.07 million. This magnificent piece of art was created in the year 1807, when Mary Antrim was just a schoolgirl, residing in New Jersey. The needlework art depicts a mesmerizing scene of livestock, picket fences and clapboarded outbuildings, while the entire auction event was composed of some 198 pieces of gorgeous art that were claimed from the personal collection of renowned historian Betty Ring. This magnificent specimen was claimed by an anonymous bidder, who had employed the services of art dealer David Schorsch to buy the needlework. The needlework portrait by Mary Antrim was expected to fetch a meager amount of $60,000 to $80,000 and as per estimates, took more than an entire year to be completed.
The month of January proved to be quite a significant month in terms of the remembrance of the U.S history, as a wine cooler crafted especially for George Washington was sold for a whopping $782,500. Sold by the renowned auction house, Christie’s this Sheffield wine cooler is now considered to be one of the most expensive things sold in January 2012 and far exceeded its pre-sale estimates of $600,000. The wine cooler was claimed at the auction by Gary Hendershott, a collector based in Little Rock, Arkansas, who happens to have an intense interest in just about everything related to the first President of the United States of America. This vintage and rare wine cooler was designed to accommodate four wine bottles along with ice and is part of a collection of four such coolers that were designed for the former President Washington, when he was sworn into office, during a time when the U.S capital happened to be New York. This cherished wine cooler was then later gifted by George Washington to his friend and the first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton.
The world’s biggest fish market, Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, Japan last month also became the venue for the sale of the most expensive tuna, when a humongous Bluefin tuna was sold for a staggering $736,000. Counted in the elite list of the most expensive things sold in January 2012, this mammoth fish weighs about 270 kg and was caught in the waters off northeastern Japan. The most expensive tuna was purchased by Kiyoshi Kimura, who runs the renowned Sushi Zanmai chain of restaurants in Japan under the Kiyomura Co. banner and serves as the company’s President. The Bluefin tuna was purchased with a noble thought of providing the calamity hit Japanese people with something refreshing to keep their spirits up. Immediately upon purchase, 10,000 slices of the most expensive tuna were sent over to more than 46 Sushi Zanmai restaurants in Tokyo and the guests are being offered the tuna at the regular price of $5.45 instead of the auction price, which will bring each tuna serving to $96.
One of the most celebrated Chinese artists of the 20th century, Zhang Daqian, once again gained the center of attention, when his critically acclaimed work, Wuxia Mountain Clear Autumn 1936 fetched a mind blowing $504,000 at an auction even organized by 888 Auctions. This remarkable feat was achieved last month and has now propelled the magnificent water color painting to the ranks of the most expensive things sold in January 2012. The Wuxia Mountain Clear Autumn 1936 was offered to the buyers with a pre-sale estimate of $100,000-$200,000, but after intensely fierce bidding, the painting finally crossed more than half a million dollars price tag, thus going for more than double its estimated value. The bidding for this marvelous piece of art began at just $5,000 and included interested art connoisseurs at the premises, on phone and even on the Internet. The entire event was composed of both Chinese paint art as well as Chinese ceramics and the event managed to raise a total of $717,180, of which $537,090 were solely gathered by the sale of the Chinese paint art, which was primarily inclusive of delicate works by Zhang Daqian and Li Kuchan.
A white 1964 Cadillac hearse which was used to transport the body of one of the most prominent figures in history, John F. Kennedy was recently auctioned off in the month of January this year and fetched a staggering $176,000. The 1964 Cadillac hearse was witnessed by millions across the globe, when this historic vehicle transported the body of the late U. S President from the Parkland Memorial Hospital to the awaiting Air Force One at Dallas, Texas on November 22nd, 1963. The Cadillac hearse was put up for auction at the Barrett-Jackson Auction event in Scottsdale, Arizona and the vehicle is known to have spent more than forty years in the private collection of Arrdeen Vaughan, a Texan resident who is the owner of various funeral homes as well as funeral vehicles. The 1964 Cadillac hearse was purchased by real estate developer Stephen Tebo and is now considered to be one of the most expensive items, while also being immensely historically significant. Mr. Tebo has announced his plans of turning the hearse into a museum, while he is known to provide access to his private car collection four times in a year for various non-profit organizations.
The moment someone utters the name ‘Hitler’, our minds are immediately filled with the images of gross human-rights atrocities and that of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the modern times, the Second World War. However, there is another side of the former German dictator and Nazi ruler, Adolf Hitler, which many aren’t privy to. Before his rise to power as the absolute ruler of the Third Reich, Hitler was an avid painter and in the month of January this year, one of his paintings called, Maritime Nocturno, entered into the list of the most expensive things sold in January 2012. This historic piece of art was offered via an online auction and fetched a stunning $42,300 in an auction event held in Slovakia. The opening bid for the painting was set at $13,140 and after fierce competition the painting eventually went for more than $40K. The Maritime Nocturno depicts a full moon over a glittering seascape and the painting was put up for sale by the family of a Slovakian painter, who is believed to have met Hitler during his days of struggle as an artist and before his first steps into German politics.
