As old collecting categories battle changes in taste and living environs I’m always buoyed by the nature of auction and its ability to adapt; ultimately auctions reflect a market of taste and appetite and my have things changed. Two such categories that quench current desires are edition art and luxury. Yesterday (Thursday 14th May) at Leonard Joel’s Vintage Interiors auctions we offered 140 luxury lots and 174 prints and editions.

 

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The search for vintage luxury is now taking hold in Australia as young and seasoned shoppers alike appreciate not just the “dollar value” in acquiring some beautiful piece of pre-owned craftsmanship but also the nostalgia and mystery that attaches to something that has been in someone else’s ownership. Just such a highlight in our luxury auction was the sale of lot 117, a rare Louis Vuitton trunk designed to carry the book collection of some, I’m guessing, exquisitely wealthy seafaring couple! Constructed in 1910 with only 1000 produced for the world, it oozed history and personality and sold for $4392 (IBP).

Edition art on the other hand caters to and generates a different aesthetic. The flat, untextured form of editions, their more typically contemporary subject matter and their usually minimalist framing makes this category of collecting ripe for those in pared down modern environments. And with less condition issues to fuss about they present a less complicated buying experience. As if the subject matter was made for this article, it was a delight to realise our highest price for lot 3011, Jorg Schmeisser’s Empire State Building, which sold for $3,904 (IBP).

On a wintery Thursday afternoon $128,000 (IBP) worth of luxury and editions changed hands. These are just some of the highlights from these new collecting categories and whether you are a collector or considering selling, we invite you to consider Leonard Joel, whether online or at our auction rooms for your next transaction.

John Albrecht, Managing Director & National Head of Collections