Table of contents:
- 1. Saber of Napoleon Bonaparte ($ 6,500,000)
- 2. Louis XV silver tureen ($ 10,287,500)
- 3. Tiara with emeralds and diamonds ($ 12,100,000)
- 4. Golden Tripod of the Ming Dynasty ($ 14.8 million)
- 5. Battle Horn (Oliphant) ($ 16,100,000)
- 6. Leonardo da Vinci's Code of Leicester ($ 30,800,000)
- 7. Cabinet Office "Badminton" ($ 36,000,000)
- 8. Qing Dynasty vase ($ 83 million)
Video: 8 most expensive antiques sold at auction
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Some consider antique items to be nothing more than just dishes and furniture. For others, rare things are priceless. But in an auction, everything has a value. This review contains the most expensive antiques that have gone under the hammer.
1. Saber of Napoleon Bonaparte ($ 6,500,000)
Coming back to the next battle, Napoleon Bonaparte used to take with him a pistol and saber, made for him in a single copy. The unique gold-encrusted saber was under Napoleon in 1800 during the Battle of Marengo, when the French army drove the Austrians out of Italy.
The saber was passed down in the Bonaparte family from generation to generation, until in 1978 it was recognized as a national treasure of France. In 2007, Napoleon's saber was sold at auction for $ 6.5 million.
2. Louis XV silver tureen ($ 10,287,500)
This stunning tureen was made by the silversmith Thomas Germain in 1733 for Louis XV. At the Sotheby’s auction, it was described as "an object steeped in history, which managed to avoid being melted down for the needs of the French Revolution." This silverware was sold in 1996 for $ 10,287,500, three times the amount originally requested.
3. Tiara with emeralds and diamonds ($ 12,100,000)
Decorated with 11 rare Colombian emeralds and yellow-green diamonds, the luxurious tiara of German Princess Katharina Henkel von Donnersmarck is over 500 carats. According to legend, these precious stones were once part of the necklace worn by the Indian Maharaja. Emeralds changed several owners until they were bought by Guido Henkel von Donnersmark. The tiara was sold at Sotheby's in May 2011 for $ 12.1 million.
4. Golden Tripod of the Ming Dynasty ($ 14.8 million)
In 2008, the golden tripod of the Chinese Ming dynasty was sold for $ 14.8 million. It is one of eight such antiques that have survived to this day. This tripod was used at the court of Emperor Xuande, who ruled from 1399 to 1435.
5. Battle Horn (Oliphant) ($ 16,100,000)
This war horn (Oliphant) is made from elephant ivory. Intricate designs with hunting motives are carved on it. The most famous Oliphant appears in the Song of Roland, created in the 11th century. To date, only six of these battle horns remain. One of them was sold at an auction in Scandinavia for $ 16.1 million.
6. Leonardo da Vinci's Code of Leicester ($ 30,800,000)
Thomas Cox, Earl of Leicester, bought this old scholarly document in 1719. The manuscript consists of 18 sheets of paper that are folded in half and inscribed on both sides to form 72 pages. The notebook contains notes by Leonardo da Vinci, written in his secret technique of mirror writing. The manuscript contains the scientist's reflections on the nature of fossils, the properties of water, and the surface of the Moon.
The code was sold in 1994 to Bill Gates, who then digitized each page and posted it on the Internet. The Code of Leicester itself is regularly exhibited in various museums around the world.
7. Cabinet Office "Badminton" ($ 36,000,000)
Cabinet Bureau "Badminton" has twice set records for the highest cost at auctions. In 1990 its price was $ 16.6 million, and in 2004 the bureau was acquired by the Prince of Liechtenstein for $ 36 million.
The cabinet bureau was made by order of the 3rd Duke of Beaufort in Florence in 1726. It took the craftsmen 6 years to build a 3, 6-meter cabinet made of ebony and gilded bronze.
8. Qing Dynasty vase ($ 83 million)
The Qing Dynasty Chinese vase is considered the most expensive antique item sold at auction. A 40-centimeter porcelain vase was accidentally discovered in a London house. At first, the vessel was estimated at 1,000 pounds, but when experts confirmed its authenticity, the value of the antiques "jumped" to 1 million.
The Chinese vase dates from the mid-18th century. It is distinguished from other similar items by a complex pattern. In 2010, it was bought for $ 83 million.
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