21st Century
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Jewels Blue diamond Pink diamond Nobel medals Russia and Eastern Europe Sculpture Koons Twombly Animals Dinosaur
See also : Jewels Blue diamond Pink diamond Nobel medals Russia and Eastern Europe Sculpture Koons Twombly Animals Dinosaur
2000 Balloon Dog by Koons
2013 SOLD for $ 58M by Christie's
After exploiting the stupidity of the contemporary symbols conveyed by the popular imaging, Jeff Koons conceives in 1994 his great series of Celebrations.
Inspired by the preparation of a calendar, Jeff Koons designs in 1994 and 1995 monumental sculptures to be edited in five units of different colors, each version thus becoming unique. The sizes are monumental. The about 26 themes are simple and symbolic enough to be understood anywhere in the world regardless of the culture of the visitor.
Celebrations are made in chromium plated stainless steel covered with a transparent colored coating, a process specially developed to offer an intense reflectivity in a perfect smoothness of all the curves. This finish of pure color interacts with the exhibition environment through an intense mirror effect for which the artist seeks perfection.
The project requires technological developments and the delays accumulate, leading the workshop to the brink of bankruptcy.
The monochrome subjects, arguably less difficult to realize, were the first to be completed, in 1999 and 2000. They are the diamond, hanging heart, balloon flower and balloon dog.
The Balloon Flower and the Balloon Dog are constructed in rounded shapes that reflect their environment in all directions. Looking more like a toy than like its animal or vegetal model, it appears as a symbol of happy childhood. The bright orange specimen is joyful.
Koons also wanted this series to be a break from traditional art and designated his Balloon Dog as a Trojan horse. Almost twenty years later, the prestige of the series shows that he was right.
Balloon Dog (Orange) was sold for $ 58M from a lower estimate of $ 35M by Christie 's on November 12, 2013. Measuring 307 x 363 x 114 cm, this sculpture was completed in 2000.
One of the earliest completed opuses was the Balloon Flower (Blue), supplied as early as 1999 to an artistic foundation managed by Daimler. It was sold for $ 17M on November 10, 2010 by Christie's.
On June 30, 2008, Christie's sold for £ 12.9M the Balloon Flower (Magenta), dated 1995-2000, of towering dimensions (340 x 285 x 260 cm), lot 12. The photo in the catalog shows this cumbersome thing simply laying on water in a park.
On November 13, 2007, Christie's sold for $ 11.8M the Diamond (Blue) dated 1994-2005, measuring 198 x 220 x 220 cm.
Inspired by the preparation of a calendar, Jeff Koons designs in 1994 and 1995 monumental sculptures to be edited in five units of different colors, each version thus becoming unique. The sizes are monumental. The about 26 themes are simple and symbolic enough to be understood anywhere in the world regardless of the culture of the visitor.
Celebrations are made in chromium plated stainless steel covered with a transparent colored coating, a process specially developed to offer an intense reflectivity in a perfect smoothness of all the curves. This finish of pure color interacts with the exhibition environment through an intense mirror effect for which the artist seeks perfection.
The project requires technological developments and the delays accumulate, leading the workshop to the brink of bankruptcy.
The monochrome subjects, arguably less difficult to realize, were the first to be completed, in 1999 and 2000. They are the diamond, hanging heart, balloon flower and balloon dog.
The Balloon Flower and the Balloon Dog are constructed in rounded shapes that reflect their environment in all directions. Looking more like a toy than like its animal or vegetal model, it appears as a symbol of happy childhood. The bright orange specimen is joyful.
Koons also wanted this series to be a break from traditional art and designated his Balloon Dog as a Trojan horse. Almost twenty years later, the prestige of the series shows that he was right.
Balloon Dog (Orange) was sold for $ 58M from a lower estimate of $ 35M by Christie 's on November 12, 2013. Measuring 307 x 363 x 114 cm, this sculpture was completed in 2000.
One of the earliest completed opuses was the Balloon Flower (Blue), supplied as early as 1999 to an artistic foundation managed by Daimler. It was sold for $ 17M on November 10, 2010 by Christie's.
On June 30, 2008, Christie's sold for £ 12.9M the Balloon Flower (Magenta), dated 1995-2000, of towering dimensions (340 x 285 x 260 cm), lot 12. The photo in the catalog shows this cumbersome thing simply laying on water in a park.
On November 13, 2007, Christie's sold for $ 11.8M the Diamond (Blue) dated 1994-2005, measuring 198 x 220 x 220 cm.
Celebrations by Koons : Compare Balloon Dog - Orange (sold by Christie's on November 12, 2013) and Balloon Flower - Blue (sold on November 10, 2010 by Christie's).
Thought for 1m 6s
Overview
Both Balloon Dog (Orange) and Balloon Flower (Blue) are iconic sculptures from Jeff Koons' Celebration series, which he began in the early 1990s. Inspired by themes of childhood, joy, optimism, and life's milestones—such as the birth of his son—the series transforms everyday balloon twists into monumental, polished artworks that blend pop culture with fine art. These pieces exemplify Koons' signature style: hyper-realistic, reflective surfaces that play with scale, materiality, and perception, turning ephemeral party novelties into enduring symbols of innocence and excess. While they share core artistic DNA, they differ in form, color, dimensions, and market performance.
The Balloon Dog (Orange) depicts a playful, anthropomorphic dog shape, evoking a classic balloon animal with knotted "limbs" and a tail, rendered in a vibrant orange hue that amplifies its whimsical energy.
In contrast, Balloon Flower (Blue) mimics a blooming flower, with petal-like loops and a central stem, coated in a deep blue that conveys a sense of serenity and springtime renewal.Key Comparison
Execution Date1
Dog : 1994-2000
Flower : 1995-2000
Materials
Dog : Mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating
Flower : High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating
Dimensions
Dog : 121 x 143 x 45 in. (307.3 x 363.2 x 114.3 cm)
Flower : 133¼ x 112¼ x 102⅜ in. (340 x 285 x 260 cm)
Edition
both : One of five unique color versions (Blue, Magenta, Yellow, Orange, Red)
Provenance
Dog : Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London; acquired from there by the seller (Peter Brant, a publishing magnate)
Flower : Acquired directly from the artist by the seller (Daimler Art Collection)
Sale Date
Dog : November 12, 2013, at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, New York
Flower : November 10, 2010, at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, New York
Estimate
Dog : $35,000,000 – $55,000,000
Flower : $12,000,000 – $16,000,000
Sale Price
Dog : $58,405,000 (world auction record for a living artist at the time)
Flower : $16,882,500
Buyer
Dog : Anonymous telephone bidder
Flower : Not publicly disclosed
Artistic and Thematic Similarities
Compare to Rabbit sculpture
Overview
Jeff Koons' Rabbit (1986) is a seminal work from his Statuary series, predating the Celebration series that includes Balloon Dog (Orange) and Balloon Flower (Blue). While all three sculptures transform inflatable party novelties into polished stainless steel icons, Rabbit marks an early exploration of banality, consumerism, and art's commodification—themes Koons amplified in Celebration. Inspired by a cheap plastic bunny, Rabbit casts the ephemeral in durable metal, creating a paradoxical blend of innocence and industrial sheen. It lacks the vibrant colors and grand scale of the later works but shares their reflective surfaces that engage viewers and environments. Rabbit set auction records, underscoring Koons' evolution from provocative upstart to market titan.
In comparison, Balloon Dog (Orange) and Balloon Flower (Blue) expand on Rabbit's balloon motif with larger forms, translucent coatings, and optimistic hues, tying into personal milestones like Koons' fatherhood. Rabbit feels more austere and conceptual, while the Celebration pieces are exuberant and immersive.
Artistic and Thematic Similarities
Thought for 1m 6s
Overview
Both Balloon Dog (Orange) and Balloon Flower (Blue) are iconic sculptures from Jeff Koons' Celebration series, which he began in the early 1990s. Inspired by themes of childhood, joy, optimism, and life's milestones—such as the birth of his son—the series transforms everyday balloon twists into monumental, polished artworks that blend pop culture with fine art. These pieces exemplify Koons' signature style: hyper-realistic, reflective surfaces that play with scale, materiality, and perception, turning ephemeral party novelties into enduring symbols of innocence and excess. While they share core artistic DNA, they differ in form, color, dimensions, and market performance.
The Balloon Dog (Orange) depicts a playful, anthropomorphic dog shape, evoking a classic balloon animal with knotted "limbs" and a tail, rendered in a vibrant orange hue that amplifies its whimsical energy.
In contrast, Balloon Flower (Blue) mimics a blooming flower, with petal-like loops and a central stem, coated in a deep blue that conveys a sense of serenity and springtime renewal.Key Comparison
Execution Date1
Dog : 1994-2000
Flower : 1995-2000
Materials
Dog : Mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating
Flower : High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating
Dimensions
Dog : 121 x 143 x 45 in. (307.3 x 363.2 x 114.3 cm)
Flower : 133¼ x 112¼ x 102⅜ in. (340 x 285 x 260 cm)
Edition
both : One of five unique color versions (Blue, Magenta, Yellow, Orange, Red)
Provenance
Dog : Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London; acquired from there by the seller (Peter Brant, a publishing magnate)
Flower : Acquired directly from the artist by the seller (Daimler Art Collection)
Sale Date
Dog : November 12, 2013, at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, New York
Flower : November 10, 2010, at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, New York
Estimate
Dog : $35,000,000 – $55,000,000
Flower : $12,000,000 – $16,000,000
Sale Price
Dog : $58,405,000 (world auction record for a living artist at the time)
Flower : $16,882,500
Buyer
Dog : Anonymous telephone bidder
Flower : Not publicly disclosed
Artistic and Thematic Similarities
- Series Context: Both belong to the Celebration series, which Koons developed over a decade with advanced fabrication techniques, involving specialist foundries to achieve seamless welds and flawless reflections. The sculptures use over 60 welded parts each, creating an illusion of lightness despite their massive steel construction.
- Themes: They evoke childhood nostalgia—balloons from parties—while commenting on consumerism and art's democratization. The mirror-like surfaces reflect viewers and surroundings, making the art interactive and egalitarian.
- Fabrication: Produced in limited unique color editions, emphasizing exclusivity within Koons' populist aesthetic.
- Design: Balloon Dog (Orange) is elongated and animal-like, with a sense of motion and playfulness, standing about 10 feet tall but spanning over 12 feet in length. Balloon Flower (Blue) is more vertical and floral, slightly taller at over 11 feet, with a rounded, symmetrical form that has served as a public landmark (e.g., displayed in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz for over a decade).
- Market Reception: The Dog's 2013 sale shattered records, reflecting Koons' rising status amid a booming art market post-recession, with fierce bidding. The Flower's 2010 sale, while strong, occurred during market recovery and fetched less, partly due to earlier timing and a more conservative estimate. Proceeds from the Flower supported the Daimler Art Collection.
- Exhibition History: Balloon Dog (Orange) has been shown at prestigious venues like the Royal Academy of Arts and Château de Versailles. Balloon Flower (Blue) was a long-term public installation in Berlin, highlighting its role in urban art.
Compare to Rabbit sculpture
Overview
Jeff Koons' Rabbit (1986) is a seminal work from his Statuary series, predating the Celebration series that includes Balloon Dog (Orange) and Balloon Flower (Blue). While all three sculptures transform inflatable party novelties into polished stainless steel icons, Rabbit marks an early exploration of banality, consumerism, and art's commodification—themes Koons amplified in Celebration. Inspired by a cheap plastic bunny, Rabbit casts the ephemeral in durable metal, creating a paradoxical blend of innocence and industrial sheen. It lacks the vibrant colors and grand scale of the later works but shares their reflective surfaces that engage viewers and environments. Rabbit set auction records, underscoring Koons' evolution from provocative upstart to market titan.
In comparison, Balloon Dog (Orange) and Balloon Flower (Blue) expand on Rabbit's balloon motif with larger forms, translucent coatings, and optimistic hues, tying into personal milestones like Koons' fatherhood. Rabbit feels more austere and conceptual, while the Celebration pieces are exuberant and immersive.
Artistic and Thematic Similarities
- Shared Motifs: All draw from balloon animals or shapes, critiquing mass culture by elevating kitsch to high art. The mirror-polished surfaces reflect the viewer, democratizing the experience and blurring art/object boundaries.
- Evolution: Rabbit pioneered Koons' vacuum-formed aesthetic in stainless steel, influencing the technical sophistication of Celebration (e.g., seamless welds, larger scales). The later works add color and thematic warmth, shifting from Statuary's cool irony to celebratory joy.
- Market Impact: Each has broken records--Balloon Dog in 2013, Rabbit in 2019—highlighting Koons' dominance in contemporary art auctions.
- Design and Scale: Rabbit is compact and anthropomorphic (a standing bunny with carrot), evoking Minimalism with its silver finish. The Celebration sculptures are monumental, colorful, and dynamic--Dog playful and horizontal, Flower floral and vertical—amplifying whimsy for public spaces.
- Context: Rabbit emerged in the 1980s amid debates on commodity art, exhibited at Sonnabend Gallery. Celebration reflects 1990s personal optimism, with pieces like Flower installed publicly (e.g., Berlin).
- Market Trajectory: Rabbit's 2019 sale fetched more due to rarity, historical significance, and market inflation, surpassing Balloon Dog's prior record. Flower's earlier sale reflects a less heated market.
TWOMBLY
1
2005 Bacchus No. V
2017 SOLD for $ 46M by Christie's
Cy Twombly has always been hypersensitive to political violence whether it comes from myth or from current events. He lives in Gaeta which also houses a NATO naval base. The hypothesis that his series dedicated to Bacchus were triggered by Mediterranean maneuvers during the Iraq war can be considered.
His Bacchus are abstract paintings consisting of a tangle of vermilion loops on a light flesh-colored background. In 2004 the first set of six includes inscriptions from Greek attesting that Bacchus is not here the god of drinking and debauchery but is in his other role of personification of furious madness.
These lasso loops rise and fall between the top and bottom of the picture in endless spirals. Painted by the artist with a wide brush at the end of a long stick, they are not comparable with the proto-writing loops on his blackboards 35 years earlier. Thin vertical drippings give an idea of the sticky wetness of blood or wine.
Twombly does not immediately exhibit this first series because its vertical format 2.66 m high is not conducive enough to the burst of feelings and perhaps also because his art must be expressive by itself to get rid of the inscriptions. The opus V was sold for $ 15.4M by Sotheby's on May 11, 2016.
The artist makes the second series in 2005 in eight paintings that are immediately exhibited as a whole set by Gagosian in New York. The set is titled Bacchus Psilax Maimomenos, where Psilax meaning wings represents the repeated back and forth of the mind between pleasure and intoxication while maimomenos translates the raging.
The largest variant later numbered V, acrylic on canvas 325 x 494 cm, was sold for $ 46M by Christie's on November 15, 2017, lot 15 B.
In 2008 paintings V and VII from the 2005 group are judiciously positioned side by side during a temporary exhibition at the Tate Modern in London. The artist appreciates that he had not given a sufficient breadth to his own creation. He then executes a third series of six paintings. This ultimate series of Bacchus is not the apotheosis of a hostile god but the culmination of the effort of Cy Twombly's entire career for expressing through abstraction the blind rages of the real world.
Response by Grok :
Quote
Christie's @ChristiesInc Nov 16, 2017
#AuctionUpdate Untitled, the largest example from Cy Twombly’s legendary Bacchus series, sells for $46,437,500.
His Bacchus are abstract paintings consisting of a tangle of vermilion loops on a light flesh-colored background. In 2004 the first set of six includes inscriptions from Greek attesting that Bacchus is not here the god of drinking and debauchery but is in his other role of personification of furious madness.
These lasso loops rise and fall between the top and bottom of the picture in endless spirals. Painted by the artist with a wide brush at the end of a long stick, they are not comparable with the proto-writing loops on his blackboards 35 years earlier. Thin vertical drippings give an idea of the sticky wetness of blood or wine.
Twombly does not immediately exhibit this first series because its vertical format 2.66 m high is not conducive enough to the burst of feelings and perhaps also because his art must be expressive by itself to get rid of the inscriptions. The opus V was sold for $ 15.4M by Sotheby's on May 11, 2016.
The artist makes the second series in 2005 in eight paintings that are immediately exhibited as a whole set by Gagosian in New York. The set is titled Bacchus Psilax Maimomenos, where Psilax meaning wings represents the repeated back and forth of the mind between pleasure and intoxication while maimomenos translates the raging.
The largest variant later numbered V, acrylic on canvas 325 x 494 cm, was sold for $ 46M by Christie's on November 15, 2017, lot 15 B.
In 2008 paintings V and VII from the 2005 group are judiciously positioned side by side during a temporary exhibition at the Tate Modern in London. The artist appreciates that he had not given a sufficient breadth to his own creation. He then executes a third series of six paintings. This ultimate series of Bacchus is not the apotheosis of a hostile god but the culmination of the effort of Cy Twombly's entire career for expressing through abstraction the blind rages of the real world.
Response by Grok :
Quote
Christie's @ChristiesInc Nov 16, 2017
#AuctionUpdate Untitled, the largest example from Cy Twombly’s legendary Bacchus series, sells for $46,437,500.
- The artwork "Untitled" from Cy Twombly’s Bacchus series, sold for $46.4 million in 2017, reflects the abstract expressionism movement's peak, which shifted the art world's center from Paris to New York post-WWII, a transition backed by studies like those in the Journal of Cultural Economics showing a 300% rise in American art auction prices between 1945 and 1960.
- Twombly’s use of chaotic red loops draws from mythology, specifically Bacchus (Roman god of wine), symbolizing chaos and ecstasy, a theme explored in his later works after moving to Italy, where he absorbed classical influences, challenging the notion that abstract art lacks narrative depth.
- The high sale price contrasts with public skepticism (seen in replies comparing it to child’s drawings), highlighting a 2017 Artprice report noting a 15% annual growth in contemporary art market value, driven by elite collectors, not mass appeal, suggesting a disconnect between market trends and public perception.
2
2005 Bacchus
2022 SOLD for $ 42M by Phillips
The second largest opus in the 2005 Bacchus series by Twombly is an acrylic on canvas 325 x 494 cm. It was sold for $ 42M by Phillips on November 15, 2022, lot 8.
It appears as a twin to the Bacchus V of the same series, sold for $ 46M by Christie's in 2017. The goal of the series is to express the rage of an antique god, but the similarity of the loops and even the drippings in both artworks demonstrates that their extreme turbulence had been carefully conceived in the smallest details with no place to chance.
Asking Grok to compare the opus sold by Phillips on November 15, 2022 with the Bacchus V sold by Christie's on Niovember 15, 2017.
Grok thought :
Both artworks are from Cy Twombly's Bacchus series, specifically the 2005 subset titled Bacchus Psilax Mainomenos (comprising eight landscape-format paintings). This series explores themes of ecstasy, rage, intoxication, and madness inspired by the god Bacchus/Dionysus, created amid the US invasion of Iraq and reflecting cyclical forces of rising and falling energy. The paintings feature large-scale vermilion red looping forms with drips suggesting blood or wine, executed using a brush attached to a long pole for physical, performative application. They are often described as "twins" due to their stylistic and thematic similarities, representing a culmination of Twombly's looping motifs from earlier works like his 1960s "blackboard" paintings.
The piece sold by Christie's, known as Untitled V (Bacchus) in exhibition contexts, is the largest in the 2005 series.
Sale Outcomes: Christie's fetched about $4.8 million more, possibly due to market conditions in 2017 vs. 2022 (the latter showing signs of a cooling market) or its "largest" status.
Compositional Nuances: While both feature spiraling drips, descriptions suggest subtle variations—Phillips emphasizes a "wild red spiral" evoking the Iliad's violence, while Christie's highlights a "tumultuous web" with philosophical ties to Nietzsche and mysticism.
It appears as a twin to the Bacchus V of the same series, sold for $ 46M by Christie's in 2017. The goal of the series is to express the rage of an antique god, but the similarity of the loops and even the drippings in both artworks demonstrates that their extreme turbulence had been carefully conceived in the smallest details with no place to chance.
Asking Grok to compare the opus sold by Phillips on November 15, 2022 with the Bacchus V sold by Christie's on Niovember 15, 2017.
Grok thought :
Both artworks are from Cy Twombly's Bacchus series, specifically the 2005 subset titled Bacchus Psilax Mainomenos (comprising eight landscape-format paintings). This series explores themes of ecstasy, rage, intoxication, and madness inspired by the god Bacchus/Dionysus, created amid the US invasion of Iraq and reflecting cyclical forces of rising and falling energy. The paintings feature large-scale vermilion red looping forms with drips suggesting blood or wine, executed using a brush attached to a long pole for physical, performative application. They are often described as "twins" due to their stylistic and thematic similarities, representing a culmination of Twombly's looping motifs from earlier works like his 1960s "blackboard" paintings.
The piece sold by Christie's, known as Untitled V (Bacchus) in exhibition contexts, is the largest in the 2005 series.
Sale Outcomes: Christie's fetched about $4.8 million more, possibly due to market conditions in 2017 vs. 2022 (the latter showing signs of a cooling market) or its "largest" status.
Compositional Nuances: While both feature spiraling drips, descriptions suggest subtle variations—Phillips emphasizes a "wild red spiral" evoking the Iliad's violence, while Christie's highlights a "tumultuous web" with philosophical ties to Nietzsche and mysticism.
3
2007 Blooming
2021 SOLD for $ 59M by Sotheby's
A warrior may feel quiet after the rage. An abstract artist may execute a representation of flowers.
Blooming is a series of six paintings executed by Cy Twombly between the second and third Bacchus series. These monumental works were specially prepared to fit the walls of the Hôtel de Caumont in Avignon for a temporary exhibition in 2007.
The artist indeed did not try a botanical realism. His blossoms are instead a nearly complete filling of the centripetal lasso loops of the Bacchus, from which a similar dripping is hanging.
One of the six opuses bears a small text explaining where the inspiration came from : "Ah! the peonies for which Kusunoki took off his armour”, from a haiku poem by Takarai Kikaku. Kusunoki Masashige had been a famous samurai impersonating an ideal of loyalty. Twombly's "armour" is a bilingual pun associating armor and amour.
On November 15, 2021, Sotheby's sold another opus for $ 59M from a lower estimate of $ 40M, lot 5. This acrylic and crayon on wood panel in six parts 250 x 550 cm overall has been executed in 2007 but is dated 2006, probably in reference to the conception of the project.
In this specific opus, the color of the flowers and drippings is completely blood red over a pale green background. The blossoms form a pattern of lines in crescendo in the signature practice of the artist to express an energy, looking here like a balloon release into the sky. Such a movement is better viewed from bottom up, as invited by the shadows that smoke over the peonies.
In the follow of these peonies, Twombly painted a series of Roses in 2008.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Nov 16, 2021
#AuctionUpdate: Appearing at auction for the first time, Cy Twombly’s monumental ‘Untitled’ reaches $59M.
Blooming is a series of six paintings executed by Cy Twombly between the second and third Bacchus series. These monumental works were specially prepared to fit the walls of the Hôtel de Caumont in Avignon for a temporary exhibition in 2007.
The artist indeed did not try a botanical realism. His blossoms are instead a nearly complete filling of the centripetal lasso loops of the Bacchus, from which a similar dripping is hanging.
One of the six opuses bears a small text explaining where the inspiration came from : "Ah! the peonies for which Kusunoki took off his armour”, from a haiku poem by Takarai Kikaku. Kusunoki Masashige had been a famous samurai impersonating an ideal of loyalty. Twombly's "armour" is a bilingual pun associating armor and amour.
On November 15, 2021, Sotheby's sold another opus for $ 59M from a lower estimate of $ 40M, lot 5. This acrylic and crayon on wood panel in six parts 250 x 550 cm overall has been executed in 2007 but is dated 2006, probably in reference to the conception of the project.
In this specific opus, the color of the flowers and drippings is completely blood red over a pale green background. The blossoms form a pattern of lines in crescendo in the signature practice of the artist to express an energy, looking here like a balloon release into the sky. Such a movement is better viewed from bottom up, as invited by the shadows that smoke over the peonies.
In the follow of these peonies, Twombly painted a series of Roses in 2008.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Nov 16, 2021
#AuctionUpdate: Appearing at auction for the first time, Cy Twombly’s monumental ‘Untitled’ reaches $59M.
- Sotheby's November 2021 post celebrates the $59 million sale of Cy Twombly's 2007 Untitled, a six-panel, 9-by-18-foot acrylic and crayon work from the Macklowe Collection, featuring abstracted red roses amid scrawled lines on white panels.
- Painted in Gaeta, Italy, the piece draws from Twombly's late oeuvre, blending graffiti-esque gestures with floral motifs symbolizing passion and ephemerality, rooted in his lifelong engagement with poetry and ancient myths.
- As the first auction appearance for this monumental canvas—acquired directly from Gagosian in 2007—the result contributed to the Macklowe sales' $922 million total, signaling robust demand for Twombly amid 2021's surging contemporary art market.
Compare Blooming series to Bacchus series by Twombly.
Overview
Cy Twombly (1928–2011) was an American artist known for his abstract, gestural paintings that blend classical mythology, poetry, and raw emotion. His late-career series, Blooming (2007) and Bacchus (2003–2008), represent peaks in his exploration of color, form, and thematic depth. Blooming, subtitled "A Scattering of Blossoms and Other Things," consists of six large-scale panels inspired by floral motifs and Japanese aesthetics, such as peonies. The Bacchus series, named after the Roman god of wine and ecstasy (equivalent to Dionysus), spans multiple phases and includes monumental works with swirling, energetic marks, created amid the backdrop of the Iraq War. Blooming was produced between the second and third phases of the Bacchus works, highlighting a thematic and stylistic dialogue in Twombly's final years.
Similarities
Both series showcase Twombly's signature style: loose, calligraphic gestures that evoke ancient graffiti, poetry, and emotional release. They are large-scale, immersive works—often over 10 feet tall—designed for gallery walls, creating a sense of overwhelming presence. Red dominates as a primary color, symbolizing vitality, passion, and perhaps violence, applied with broad, dripping brushstrokes that suggest spontaneity yet reveal careful composition. Thematically, they draw from classical and natural sources—Blooming nods to poetic blossoms and seasonal renewal, while Bacchus channels mythological frenzy—but both blend serenity with chaos, reflecting Twombly's interest in ecstasy and destruction. Created in his studios in Gaeta, Italy, and Lexington, Virginia, these works emphasize physicality and gesture, with Twombly using tools like sticks or brooms for expansive marks.
Differences
AspectBlooming Series (2007)Bacchus Series (2003–2008)
Theme and Inspiration
Blooming : Floral and organic, evoking blossoms, peonies, and a "scattering" of natural elements; influenced by Japanese poetry and aesthetics, suggesting renewal and calm dispersion.
Bacchus : Mythological, centered on Bacchus as a symbol of wine, ecstasy, and primal forces; tied to contemporary events like the Iraq War, implying destruction, creativity, and human folly.
Style and Composition
Blooming : Bright scarlet flower-like forms on neutral or yellow grounds, with balanced, decorative order reminiscent of 18th-century interiors; more contained and poetic, combining simplicity with sophistication.
Bacchus : Massive, swirling red loops and waves on white or pale backgrounds, creating a "visual tsunami" of energy; more aggressive and chaotic, with graffiti-like scribbles evoking frenzy.
Emotional Tone
Blooming : Serene yet exuberant, floating forms convey lightness and beauty, with a sense of scattering or blooming outward.
Bacchus : Intense and tumultuous, the loops suggest blood, wine, or violence, balancing creation with destruction.
Scale and Execution
Blooming : Six panels, monumental but tailored to specific architectural spaces; completed in one focused period.
Bacchus : Multiple phases (up to eight paintings in some exhibitions), with the largest works emphasizing raw physicality; evolved over years, culminating in donations to institutions like Tate Modern.
Blooming offers a momentary respite in Twombly's oeuvre, like a floral interlude amid the Bacchus storm, yet both underscore his mastery of gesture and myth.
Overview
Cy Twombly (1928–2011) was an American artist known for his abstract, gestural paintings that blend classical mythology, poetry, and raw emotion. His late-career series, Blooming (2007) and Bacchus (2003–2008), represent peaks in his exploration of color, form, and thematic depth. Blooming, subtitled "A Scattering of Blossoms and Other Things," consists of six large-scale panels inspired by floral motifs and Japanese aesthetics, such as peonies. The Bacchus series, named after the Roman god of wine and ecstasy (equivalent to Dionysus), spans multiple phases and includes monumental works with swirling, energetic marks, created amid the backdrop of the Iraq War. Blooming was produced between the second and third phases of the Bacchus works, highlighting a thematic and stylistic dialogue in Twombly's final years.
Similarities
Both series showcase Twombly's signature style: loose, calligraphic gestures that evoke ancient graffiti, poetry, and emotional release. They are large-scale, immersive works—often over 10 feet tall—designed for gallery walls, creating a sense of overwhelming presence. Red dominates as a primary color, symbolizing vitality, passion, and perhaps violence, applied with broad, dripping brushstrokes that suggest spontaneity yet reveal careful composition. Thematically, they draw from classical and natural sources—Blooming nods to poetic blossoms and seasonal renewal, while Bacchus channels mythological frenzy—but both blend serenity with chaos, reflecting Twombly's interest in ecstasy and destruction. Created in his studios in Gaeta, Italy, and Lexington, Virginia, these works emphasize physicality and gesture, with Twombly using tools like sticks or brooms for expansive marks.
Differences
AspectBlooming Series (2007)Bacchus Series (2003–2008)
Theme and Inspiration
Blooming : Floral and organic, evoking blossoms, peonies, and a "scattering" of natural elements; influenced by Japanese poetry and aesthetics, suggesting renewal and calm dispersion.
Bacchus : Mythological, centered on Bacchus as a symbol of wine, ecstasy, and primal forces; tied to contemporary events like the Iraq War, implying destruction, creativity, and human folly.
Style and Composition
Blooming : Bright scarlet flower-like forms on neutral or yellow grounds, with balanced, decorative order reminiscent of 18th-century interiors; more contained and poetic, combining simplicity with sophistication.
Bacchus : Massive, swirling red loops and waves on white or pale backgrounds, creating a "visual tsunami" of energy; more aggressive and chaotic, with graffiti-like scribbles evoking frenzy.
Emotional Tone
Blooming : Serene yet exuberant, floating forms convey lightness and beauty, with a sense of scattering or blooming outward.
Bacchus : Intense and tumultuous, the loops suggest blood, wine, or violence, balancing creation with destruction.
Scale and Execution
Blooming : Six panels, monumental but tailored to specific architectural spaces; completed in one focused period.
Bacchus : Multiple phases (up to eight paintings in some exhibitions), with the largest works emphasizing raw physicality; evolved over years, culminating in donations to institutions like Tate Modern.
Blooming offers a momentary respite in Twombly's oeuvre, like a floral interlude amid the Bacchus storm, yet both underscore his mastery of gesture and myth.
2014 The Blue Moon of Josephine
2015 SOLD for CHF 49M by Sotheby's
The ground continues to unearth important diamonds. Yet, the discovery announced by Petra Diamonds in January 2014 of a 29.62 carat blue gem from the much famous Cullinan mine in South Africa aroused a particular interest in the diamond community.
The new diamond is fancy vivid blue without inclusion, which is already a great rarity. It was purchased by Cora International, headquartered in New York, which processed it. This fancy vivid blue cut to 12.03 carats is the largest internally flawless blue diamond in cushion shape.
Once completed, it revealed even more exceptional qualities. Its ocean blue color is perfect without a secondary hue. It has no fluorescence. An exposure to ultraviolet radiation generates an intense orange-red phosphorescence that persists for about twenty seconds, a sensational feature which is known only to a few blue diamonds of absolute purity.
It is a masterpiece in both its size and features. It was named The Blue Moon in reference both to its shape and to the saying 'Once in a blue moon' that means a total rarity. It seems inconceivable to find better in its class, especially since the production of the Cullinan mine tends to decrease.
The Blue Moon was sold for CHF 49M from a lower estimate of US $ 35M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015, lot 513. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's. Its record value at US $ 4M per carat rewards its absolute purity generating the phosphorescence effect.
It is now referred as the Blue Moon of Josephine.
Grok thought :
Quote
Kaisilver @jewelrythailand Mar 8
The price of natural diamonds has been hit by the surge in demand for lab diamonds, but rare and historic natural diamonds, stll command super high prices. The Blue Moon diamond that originated in South Africa is a good example. Also known as the Blue Moon Of Josephine diamond.
The new diamond is fancy vivid blue without inclusion, which is already a great rarity. It was purchased by Cora International, headquartered in New York, which processed it. This fancy vivid blue cut to 12.03 carats is the largest internally flawless blue diamond in cushion shape.
Once completed, it revealed even more exceptional qualities. Its ocean blue color is perfect without a secondary hue. It has no fluorescence. An exposure to ultraviolet radiation generates an intense orange-red phosphorescence that persists for about twenty seconds, a sensational feature which is known only to a few blue diamonds of absolute purity.
It is a masterpiece in both its size and features. It was named The Blue Moon in reference both to its shape and to the saying 'Once in a blue moon' that means a total rarity. It seems inconceivable to find better in its class, especially since the production of the Cullinan mine tends to decrease.
The Blue Moon was sold for CHF 49M from a lower estimate of US $ 35M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015, lot 513. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's. Its record value at US $ 4M per carat rewards its absolute purity generating the phosphorescence effect.
It is now referred as the Blue Moon of Josephine.
Grok thought :
Quote
Kaisilver @jewelrythailand Mar 8
The price of natural diamonds has been hit by the surge in demand for lab diamonds, but rare and historic natural diamonds, stll command super high prices. The Blue Moon diamond that originated in South Africa is a good example. Also known as the Blue Moon Of Josephine diamond.
- This post from Thai custom jeweler Kaisilver highlights diamond market shifts, where rising lab-grown demand has depressed average natural diamond prices by up to 30% since 2018 per De Beers reports, yet ultra-rare naturals like the featured gem defy the trend.
- The Blue Moon of Josephine, a 12.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond mined at South Africa's Cullinan site in 2014, fetched a record $48.5 million at Sotheby's in 2015—equivalent to $4 million per carat—renamed by buyer Joseph Lau for his daughter.
- The graphic corrects a frequent mix-up, noting its South African origin rather than India's Golconda mines, underscoring how provenance amplifies value for historic stones in peer-reviewed gemology analyses.
The price of natural diamonds has been hit by the surge in demand for lab diamonds, but rare and historic natural diamonds, stll command super high prices. The Blue Moon diamond that originated in South Africa is a good example. Also known as the Blue Moon Of Josephine diamond. pic.twitter.com/NaLOHj6rUh
— Kaisilver (@jewelrythailand) March 8, 2025
2021 Dmitry Muratov Nobel Peace Prize
2022 SOLD for $ 103.5M by Heritage
In 1993 Mikhail Gorbachev used the money from his 1990 Nobel Peace prize to help founding an independent Russian newspaper, the Novaya Gazeta. The key personality for this operation is Dmitry Muratov, editor in chief from 1995 excepted a two year hiatus from 2017.
It is indeed not a comfortable task. From 2000 to 2009 six of its journalists including two women have been killed in a direct following of their professional investigations.
The 2021 Nobel Peace prize was shared between the Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and Muratov "for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."
During the Russian-Ukrainian war, Muratov decided on March 22, 2022 to sell his medal to support UNICEF's humanitarian response for children in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
It was sold for $ 103.5M in a single lot auction operated by Heritage on June 20 which is also the World Refugee Day. The bidding was opened on June 1 which is Children's Day in Ukraine. The event is approved by the Norwegian Nobel Institute as a "generous act of humanitarianism very much in the spirit of Alfred Nobel". Please watch the video of an interview of Muratov about that project, shared by the auction house.
A precedent is the sale by Niels Bohr of his Nobel Prize in Physics medal to benefit Finnish relief during the Second World War.
The Russian edition of the Novaya Gazeta was suspended on March 28, 2022 after two warnings from the Russian agency in charge of the control of the communication. Muratov was subsequently splashed by an assailant in the eyes with a mixture of red paint and acetone.
Grok thought :
Quote
AFP News Agency @AFP Jun 21, 2022
#UPDATE Dmitry Muratov, the Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize gold medal for a whopping $103.5 million. All of the proceeds will go to UNICEF's Humanitarian Response for Ukrainian Children Displaced by War
Dmitry Muratov, a Russian journalist and editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was co-awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize alongside Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. The prize recognized their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which the Nobel Committee described as a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.
Muratov's influence on improving peace stems primarily from his leadership at Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia's last major independent media outlets, where he has championed investigative journalism exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and abuses of power. This work has promoted transparency, accountability, and democratic values in a challenging environment, often at great personal risk—six of his colleagues at the newspaper have been murdered. By defending press freedom against state suppression, Muratov has contributed to broader global efforts to prevent conflict through informed public discourse and resistance to authoritarianism. His actions, including suspending Novaya Gazeta's operations in March 2022 amid Kremlin crackdowns following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, underscore his commitment to ethical journalism as a tool for peace.
Muratov auctioned his Nobel Peace Prize medal in June 2022 for a record $103.5 million, with all proceeds directed to UNICEF to support humanitarian relief for Ukrainian child refugees and their families displaced by the ongoing war. He initiated the sale to provide these children with "a chance for a future" amid the crisis, marking him as the first living Nobel laureate known to sell their medal for such a cause.
It is indeed not a comfortable task. From 2000 to 2009 six of its journalists including two women have been killed in a direct following of their professional investigations.
The 2021 Nobel Peace prize was shared between the Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and Muratov "for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."
During the Russian-Ukrainian war, Muratov decided on March 22, 2022 to sell his medal to support UNICEF's humanitarian response for children in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
It was sold for $ 103.5M in a single lot auction operated by Heritage on June 20 which is also the World Refugee Day. The bidding was opened on June 1 which is Children's Day in Ukraine. The event is approved by the Norwegian Nobel Institute as a "generous act of humanitarianism very much in the spirit of Alfred Nobel". Please watch the video of an interview of Muratov about that project, shared by the auction house.
A precedent is the sale by Niels Bohr of his Nobel Prize in Physics medal to benefit Finnish relief during the Second World War.
The Russian edition of the Novaya Gazeta was suspended on March 28, 2022 after two warnings from the Russian agency in charge of the control of the communication. Muratov was subsequently splashed by an assailant in the eyes with a mixture of red paint and acetone.
Grok thought :
Quote
AFP News Agency @AFP Jun 21, 2022
#UPDATE Dmitry Muratov, the Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize gold medal for a whopping $103.5 million. All of the proceeds will go to UNICEF's Humanitarian Response for Ukrainian Children Displaced by War
- AFP's post updates a breaking news thread on Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov's auction of his 2021 Nobel Peace Prize medal, which fetched a record $103.5 million from an anonymous bidder, far surpassing the $5 million he hoped for.
- The proceeds fully support UNICEF's aid for over 5 million Ukrainian children displaced by Russia's invasion, including refugees in Russia, with Muratov selecting the agency for its transparent reporting and non-political humanitarian focus.
Dmitry Muratov, a Russian journalist and editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was co-awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize alongside Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. The prize recognized their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which the Nobel Committee described as a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.
Muratov's influence on improving peace stems primarily from his leadership at Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia's last major independent media outlets, where he has championed investigative journalism exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and abuses of power. This work has promoted transparency, accountability, and democratic values in a challenging environment, often at great personal risk—six of his colleagues at the newspaper have been murdered. By defending press freedom against state suppression, Muratov has contributed to broader global efforts to prevent conflict through informed public discourse and resistance to authoritarianism. His actions, including suspending Novaya Gazeta's operations in March 2022 amid Kremlin crackdowns following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, underscore his commitment to ethical journalism as a tool for peace.
Muratov auctioned his Nobel Peace Prize medal in June 2022 for a record $103.5 million, with all proceeds directed to UNICEF to support humanitarian relief for Ukrainian child refugees and their families displaced by the ongoing war. He initiated the sale to provide these children with "a chance for a future" amid the crisis, marking him as the first living Nobel laureate known to sell their medal for such a cause.
2021 Everydays by Beeple
2021 SOLD for $ 69M by Christie's
His website says it clearly : Beeple is Mike Winkelmann. He is a graphic designer who produces digital art in the form of short films and concert visuals and complacently offers some animated images under the Creative Commons license.
Beeple uses the most advanced techniques of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. This acquisition of skills did not happen overnight. On May 1, 2007, he made the very clever decision to publish one image per day on the Internet. This visibility obliges him to maintain a professional level in all his experiences.
He never stopped. The 5,000th opus was released on the 5,000th day, January 7, 2021. This set shows a fruitful evolution, in the political sensibility and in the futuristic vision. The characteristic of an artist is to reveal his conception of the universe : Beeple has become a digital artist.
The first 5,000 daily releases were put together as a 21,069 x 21,069 pixel mosaic, which is about 300 x 300 pixels per item. The most current techniques, driven by cryptocurrencies, make it possible to provide a guarantee of authenticity in the form of forgery-proof marks with an NFT protocol in a jpg format.
This unique compilation was prepared on February 16, 2021. Titled Everydays: The first 5000 days, it was sold for $ 69M by Christie's on March 11, 2021, lot 1.
There is no antecedent in the history of art and a fortiori in the history of auctions. Bids are in US dollars but the hammer price must be paid in a cryptocurrency defined by Christie's and Beeple, on a wallet address defined in the catalog. The auction fees must be paid separately in dollars.
How much can it be worth ? Christie's responds: "estimate unknown". The auction was opened on February 25. The next day, the starting bid of $ 100 had been covered 120 times, reaching $ 2.4M.
Grok thoughts :
Quote
Christie's @ChristiesInc Feb 16, 2021
Christie's is proud to offer "Everydays - The First 5000 Days" by @beeple as the first purely digital work of art ever offered by a major auction house. Bidding will be open from Feb 25-Mar 11. Learn more here http://christies.com/Beeple | NFT issued in partnership w/ @makersplaceco
Ethan @0xEthanDG
4 years ago someone bought this NFT for $69m Today it’s worth $10k
Beeple uses the most advanced techniques of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. This acquisition of skills did not happen overnight. On May 1, 2007, he made the very clever decision to publish one image per day on the Internet. This visibility obliges him to maintain a professional level in all his experiences.
He never stopped. The 5,000th opus was released on the 5,000th day, January 7, 2021. This set shows a fruitful evolution, in the political sensibility and in the futuristic vision. The characteristic of an artist is to reveal his conception of the universe : Beeple has become a digital artist.
The first 5,000 daily releases were put together as a 21,069 x 21,069 pixel mosaic, which is about 300 x 300 pixels per item. The most current techniques, driven by cryptocurrencies, make it possible to provide a guarantee of authenticity in the form of forgery-proof marks with an NFT protocol in a jpg format.
This unique compilation was prepared on February 16, 2021. Titled Everydays: The first 5000 days, it was sold for $ 69M by Christie's on March 11, 2021, lot 1.
There is no antecedent in the history of art and a fortiori in the history of auctions. Bids are in US dollars but the hammer price must be paid in a cryptocurrency defined by Christie's and Beeple, on a wallet address defined in the catalog. The auction fees must be paid separately in dollars.
How much can it be worth ? Christie's responds: "estimate unknown". The auction was opened on February 25. The next day, the starting bid of $ 100 had been covered 120 times, reaching $ 2.4M.
Grok thoughts :
Quote
Christie's @ChristiesInc Feb 16, 2021
Christie's is proud to offer "Everydays - The First 5000 Days" by @beeple as the first purely digital work of art ever offered by a major auction house. Bidding will be open from Feb 25-Mar 11. Learn more here http://christies.com/Beeple | NFT issued in partnership w/ @makersplaceco
- Christie's February 2021 post announced the auction of Beeple's "Everydays: The First 5000 Days," a digital collage of 5,000 daily artworks, as the first purely digital NFT sold by a major house, fetching $69.3 million—over 20 times the high estimate.
- The NFT, minted on Ethereum via MakersPlace, captured the 2021 crypto art boom, with the collage's surreal imagery blending dystopian futurism and pop culture, later acquired by investor Vignesh Sundaresan for his Metapurse fund.
- While hailed as a milestone elevating digital artists, the sale sparked debates on NFT value (critics noted easy right-click saves) and energy use, though Ethereum's 2022 proof-of-stake shift mitigated much of the latter concern.
Ethan @0xEthanDG
4 years ago someone bought this NFT for $69m Today it’s worth $10k
- The post spotlights Beeple's "Everydays: The First 5000 Days" NFT, auctioned for $69.3 million at Christie's in March 2021 as the first major institutional NFT sale, now valued at around $10,000 based on secondary market trends and a 90%+ drop in blue-chip NFT prices since the 2022 crash.
- Owned by crypto investor Vignesh Sundaresan's Metapurse fund, the artwork symbolizes NFT hype's rise and fall, with Ethereum's price at ~$3,900 (down from 2021 peaks) contributing to diminished dollar values despite relative stability in ETH terms.
- Replies blend degen humor (e.g., "bought it for $0"), defenses of timeless art value, and nostalgia for revival, underscoring ongoing debates on NFTs as speculative assets versus enduring digital collectibles.
2021 The De Beers Cullinan Blue by Diacore
2022 SOLD for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's
The De Beers Blue, a fancy vivid blue weighing 15.10 carats, is the largest vivid blue made available at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut diamond graded by the GIA. Its stone of about 40 carats has been extracted in 2021 by De Beers in their Cullinan mine.
It is bigger and clearer than the rectangular cut VVS1 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, sold for CHF 57M by Christie's on May 18, 2016. It has the same internally flawless clarity as the cushion cut 12.03 carats of the Blue Moon, remarkable for its 20 second phosphorescent effect after exposure to UV light, sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015.
The step cut, rectangular cut and emerald cut are the best suited to display the perfection of the gem, revealing any defect without pity and displaying the color in its evenly saturated beauty while optimizing the light reflection.
This masterwork of nature and craftsmanship was sold for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022, lot 1800. Its $3.8 million per-carat value, surpassing the prior benchmark set by the 2015 Oppenheimer Blue, is driven by boron impurities that tint only 0.02% of diamonds blue.
The De Beers Cullinan Blue diamond, a rare Type IIb fancy vivid blue gem, has a relatively short but notable history tied to one of the world's most famous diamond mines.
Discovery and Mining
The diamond originated from a 39.34-carat rough stone unearthed in April 2021 at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa, operated by Petra Diamonds. The Cullinan Mine, discovered in 1902 and named after its founder Thomas Cullinan, has a storied past as the source of the world's largest rough diamond ever found—the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond in 1905, which was later cut into pieces for the British Crown Jewels. The mine is one of the few global sources for blue diamonds, which form due to trace amounts of boron in their crystal structure, and has produced other notable blues over the decades. Petra Diamonds, which acquired the mine from De Beers in 2008, certified this rough as conflict-free under the Kimberley Process.
Acquisition and Cutting
Shortly after discovery, the rough was acquired by a partnership between De Beers Group and master diamond manufacturer Diacore for an undisclosed sum (reported in some sources as around $40 million). Diacore, known for handling exceptional stones, spent nearly a year meticulously studying, cutting, and polishing the rough into a 15.10-carat step-cut rectangular diamond. This process involved significant risk due to the stone's rarity and value, with the final polish emphasizing its intense color and clarity. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) graded it as Fancy Vivid Blue (the highest color grade for blues, given to less than 1% of submissions), Internally Flawless, and Type IIb—making it the largest such step-cut vivid blue ever graded by the GIA and the largest vivid blue to appear at auction.
Auction and Sale
Named the De Beers Cullinan Blue in honor of its mine and the De Beers collaboration, the diamond was unveiled in February 2022 and toured globally (including stops in New York, London, Dubai, and Asia) before its standalone auction at Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022. Estimated at over $48 million, it sold after intense bidding for HK$450,925,000 (approximately US$57.47 million) to an anonymous private collector via telephone. This set a new record for the highest price per carat for a blue diamond at about $3.8 million, surpassing the previous benchmark held by the 12.03-carat Blue Moon of Josephine (sold for $48.5 million in 2015). It fell just short of the overall record for a vivid blue diamond, held by the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue ($57.54 million in 2016).
Post-Sale History and Controversies
Since the 2022 sale, there have been no public updates on the diamond's ownership, resale, or current location as of January 2026—it remains in private hands with no reported exhibitions or further auctions. The diamond's history is not without ethical scrutiny: While certified conflict-free, its association with De Beers has drawn criticism due to the company's historical role in South Africa's diamond industry during apartheid, including labor exploitation and market monopolization. However, the Cullinan Mine's modern operations under Petra emphasize sustainable practices, and blue diamonds like this one represent less than 0.01% of global production, underscoring their geological rarity.
This diamond exemplifies the enduring allure of blue gems, with historical parallels to famous blues like the Hope Diamond (cut from the 17th-century Tavernier Blue).
It is bigger and clearer than the rectangular cut VVS1 14.62 carat Oppenheimer Blue, sold for CHF 57M by Christie's on May 18, 2016. It has the same internally flawless clarity as the cushion cut 12.03 carats of the Blue Moon, remarkable for its 20 second phosphorescent effect after exposure to UV light, sold for CHF 49M by Sotheby's on November 11, 2015.
The step cut, rectangular cut and emerald cut are the best suited to display the perfection of the gem, revealing any defect without pity and displaying the color in its evenly saturated beauty while optimizing the light reflection.
This masterwork of nature and craftsmanship was sold for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022, lot 1800. Its $3.8 million per-carat value, surpassing the prior benchmark set by the 2015 Oppenheimer Blue, is driven by boron impurities that tint only 0.02% of diamonds blue.
The De Beers Cullinan Blue diamond, a rare Type IIb fancy vivid blue gem, has a relatively short but notable history tied to one of the world's most famous diamond mines.
Discovery and Mining
The diamond originated from a 39.34-carat rough stone unearthed in April 2021 at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa, operated by Petra Diamonds. The Cullinan Mine, discovered in 1902 and named after its founder Thomas Cullinan, has a storied past as the source of the world's largest rough diamond ever found—the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond in 1905, which was later cut into pieces for the British Crown Jewels. The mine is one of the few global sources for blue diamonds, which form due to trace amounts of boron in their crystal structure, and has produced other notable blues over the decades. Petra Diamonds, which acquired the mine from De Beers in 2008, certified this rough as conflict-free under the Kimberley Process.
Acquisition and Cutting
Shortly after discovery, the rough was acquired by a partnership between De Beers Group and master diamond manufacturer Diacore for an undisclosed sum (reported in some sources as around $40 million). Diacore, known for handling exceptional stones, spent nearly a year meticulously studying, cutting, and polishing the rough into a 15.10-carat step-cut rectangular diamond. This process involved significant risk due to the stone's rarity and value, with the final polish emphasizing its intense color and clarity. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) graded it as Fancy Vivid Blue (the highest color grade for blues, given to less than 1% of submissions), Internally Flawless, and Type IIb—making it the largest such step-cut vivid blue ever graded by the GIA and the largest vivid blue to appear at auction.
Auction and Sale
Named the De Beers Cullinan Blue in honor of its mine and the De Beers collaboration, the diamond was unveiled in February 2022 and toured globally (including stops in New York, London, Dubai, and Asia) before its standalone auction at Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong on April 27, 2022. Estimated at over $48 million, it sold after intense bidding for HK$450,925,000 (approximately US$57.47 million) to an anonymous private collector via telephone. This set a new record for the highest price per carat for a blue diamond at about $3.8 million, surpassing the previous benchmark held by the 12.03-carat Blue Moon of Josephine (sold for $48.5 million in 2015). It fell just short of the overall record for a vivid blue diamond, held by the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue ($57.54 million in 2016).
Post-Sale History and Controversies
Since the 2022 sale, there have been no public updates on the diamond's ownership, resale, or current location as of January 2026—it remains in private hands with no reported exhibitions or further auctions. The diamond's history is not without ethical scrutiny: While certified conflict-free, its association with De Beers has drawn criticism due to the company's historical role in South Africa's diamond industry during apartheid, including labor exploitation and market monopolization. However, the Cullinan Mine's modern operations under Petra emphasize sustainable practices, and blue diamonds like this one represent less than 0.01% of global production, underscoring their geological rarity.
This diamond exemplifies the enduring allure of blue gems, with historical parallels to famous blues like the Hope Diamond (cut from the 17th-century Tavernier Blue).
At 15.10 carats, the rare @debeersgroup Cullinan Blue Diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction and the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded. https://t.co/7Ch6cfAN8r pic.twitter.com/yscMNqGC1l
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) February 16, 2022
2021 The Williamson Pink Star
2022 SOLD for HK$ 450M by Sotheby's
The open pit Williamson diamond mine was discovered in 1940 in Tanganyika, later Tanzania, by its namesake first owner. Locally known as the Mwadui mine, it is one of the best diamond mines outside of South Africa.
The Williamson is famous for its high quality pink diamonds. A virtually flawless pink cut down to 23.6 carats was presented in 1947 by Williamson to Princess Elizabeth at her wedding with Prince Philip. Assembled by Cartier as the centre of a jonquil shaped brooch, it was frequently pinned on Her Majesty's coat.
On October 7, 2022, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 450M the Williamson Pink Star, lot 1115, which is $ 5M per carat. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Strongly saturated, it is referred by the auction house as one of the purest and pinkest diamonds. Weighing 11.15 carats, it is the second biggest internally flawless fancy vivid pink ever listed at auction. It was cushion cut by Diacore from a 32 carat rough diamond found at the Williamson mine.
It is assembled on a 18 karat white and pink gold ring in a surrounding of small pink and white diamonds.
History of the Williamson Pink Star
The Williamson Pink Star is an exceptional 11.15-carat cushion-shaped Fancy Vivid Pink diamond, graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) with the highest color saturation for pink diamonds, Internally Flawless clarity, and classified as Type IIa for its chemical purity and lack of nitrogen impurities. Its vivid pink hue—often described as "bubblegum" pink—arises from plastic deformation in the crystal lattice during formation, a rare phenomenon with no confirmed trace elements like manganese involved, contrary to early theories. Among pink diamonds, which represent fewer than 5% of colored diamonds (themselves less than 3% of all diamonds graded by GIA), those exceeding 10 carats with Fancy Vivid grading are extraordinarily scarce; of 1,000 pink diamonds examined by GIA between 2008 and 2016, 83% weighed under 1 carat.
The diamond originates from the Williamson mine (also known as the Mwadui mine) in Tanzania, discovered in 1940 by Canadian geologist Dr. John Thorburn Williamson. This alluvial deposit became renowned for producing high-quality pink diamonds, including the historic 23.6-carat Williamson Pink diamond—a 54.5-carat rough cut into a round brilliant and presented by Williamson as a wedding gift to then-Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) in 1947. The mine, Tanzania's first diamond operation and still active under Petra Diamonds' ownership since 2009, has yielded over 19 million carats total, though large pink roughs remain rare.
The Williamson Pink Star began as a 32.32-carat rough unearthed at the Williamson mine (exact discovery date undisclosed in public records). It was acquired and meticulously cut by Diacore (formerly the Steinmetz Diamond Group), a leading diamond manufacturer known for handling exceptional colored stones, including the Pink Star. The cutting process, which reduced the rough by more than 65% to enhance color saturation and achieve flawless clarity, resulted in the final 11.15-carat cushion mixed-cut form. GIA experts have praised it as "among the rarest of all gemstones," noting the need for an inherently strong body color in the rough to attain Fancy Vivid grading at this size, combined with its Internally Flawless clarity—a "special combination." Prior to its auction debut, the diamond remained in private hands with no documented public exhibitions or ownership changes, though its name honors the Williamson mine's legacy. It headlined a single-lot auction at Sotheby's Hong Kong on October 5, 2022, amid high anticipation in a market favoring rare colored diamonds. Bidding, conducted live with telephone and online participants, lasted about two minutes and culminated in a hammer price of HK$453.2 million (approximately $57.7 million USD), including fees, to an anonymous private collector advised by Sotheby's in Boca Raton, Florida. This sale established a new world auction record for the price per carat of any diamond, jewel, or gemstone at over $5.18 million per carat, surpassing previous benchmarks like the Winston Pink Legacy ($50.3 million for 18.96 carats in 2018) while ranking as the second-most valuable jewel ever auctioned, behind the CTF Pink Star ($71.2 million in 2017).
As of January 2026, the Williamson Pink Star remains in the anonymous buyer's private collection, with no subsequent auctions, exhibitions, or ownership transfers reported, solidifying its status among iconic pink diamonds like the Darya-i-Nur, Noor-ul-Ain, and Agra.
The Williamson Pink Star diamond was cut and polished by Diacore in 2022, following the company's purchase of the 32.32-carat rough in December 2021. (Note that an earlier reference in some sources to it being cut in 1947 appears to be a confusion with the separate Williamson Pink diamond gifted to Queen Elizabeth II.)
Its earliest public appearance was on August 31, 2022, when Sotheby's unveiled it in London as part of the pre-auction tour.
The Williamson is famous for its high quality pink diamonds. A virtually flawless pink cut down to 23.6 carats was presented in 1947 by Williamson to Princess Elizabeth at her wedding with Prince Philip. Assembled by Cartier as the centre of a jonquil shaped brooch, it was frequently pinned on Her Majesty's coat.
On October 7, 2022, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 450M the Williamson Pink Star, lot 1115, which is $ 5M per carat. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Strongly saturated, it is referred by the auction house as one of the purest and pinkest diamonds. Weighing 11.15 carats, it is the second biggest internally flawless fancy vivid pink ever listed at auction. It was cushion cut by Diacore from a 32 carat rough diamond found at the Williamson mine.
It is assembled on a 18 karat white and pink gold ring in a surrounding of small pink and white diamonds.
History of the Williamson Pink Star
The Williamson Pink Star is an exceptional 11.15-carat cushion-shaped Fancy Vivid Pink diamond, graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) with the highest color saturation for pink diamonds, Internally Flawless clarity, and classified as Type IIa for its chemical purity and lack of nitrogen impurities. Its vivid pink hue—often described as "bubblegum" pink—arises from plastic deformation in the crystal lattice during formation, a rare phenomenon with no confirmed trace elements like manganese involved, contrary to early theories. Among pink diamonds, which represent fewer than 5% of colored diamonds (themselves less than 3% of all diamonds graded by GIA), those exceeding 10 carats with Fancy Vivid grading are extraordinarily scarce; of 1,000 pink diamonds examined by GIA between 2008 and 2016, 83% weighed under 1 carat.
The diamond originates from the Williamson mine (also known as the Mwadui mine) in Tanzania, discovered in 1940 by Canadian geologist Dr. John Thorburn Williamson. This alluvial deposit became renowned for producing high-quality pink diamonds, including the historic 23.6-carat Williamson Pink diamond—a 54.5-carat rough cut into a round brilliant and presented by Williamson as a wedding gift to then-Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) in 1947. The mine, Tanzania's first diamond operation and still active under Petra Diamonds' ownership since 2009, has yielded over 19 million carats total, though large pink roughs remain rare.
The Williamson Pink Star began as a 32.32-carat rough unearthed at the Williamson mine (exact discovery date undisclosed in public records). It was acquired and meticulously cut by Diacore (formerly the Steinmetz Diamond Group), a leading diamond manufacturer known for handling exceptional colored stones, including the Pink Star. The cutting process, which reduced the rough by more than 65% to enhance color saturation and achieve flawless clarity, resulted in the final 11.15-carat cushion mixed-cut form. GIA experts have praised it as "among the rarest of all gemstones," noting the need for an inherently strong body color in the rough to attain Fancy Vivid grading at this size, combined with its Internally Flawless clarity—a "special combination." Prior to its auction debut, the diamond remained in private hands with no documented public exhibitions or ownership changes, though its name honors the Williamson mine's legacy. It headlined a single-lot auction at Sotheby's Hong Kong on October 5, 2022, amid high anticipation in a market favoring rare colored diamonds. Bidding, conducted live with telephone and online participants, lasted about two minutes and culminated in a hammer price of HK$453.2 million (approximately $57.7 million USD), including fees, to an anonymous private collector advised by Sotheby's in Boca Raton, Florida. This sale established a new world auction record for the price per carat of any diamond, jewel, or gemstone at over $5.18 million per carat, surpassing previous benchmarks like the Winston Pink Legacy ($50.3 million for 18.96 carats in 2018) while ranking as the second-most valuable jewel ever auctioned, behind the CTF Pink Star ($71.2 million in 2017).
As of January 2026, the Williamson Pink Star remains in the anonymous buyer's private collection, with no subsequent auctions, exhibitions, or ownership transfers reported, solidifying its status among iconic pink diamonds like the Darya-i-Nur, Noor-ul-Ain, and Agra.
The Williamson Pink Star diamond was cut and polished by Diacore in 2022, following the company's purchase of the 32.32-carat rough in December 2021. (Note that an earlier reference in some sources to it being cut in 1947 appears to be a confusion with the separate Williamson Pink diamond gifted to Queen Elizabeth II.)
Its earliest public appearance was on August 31, 2022, when Sotheby's unveiled it in London as part of the pre-auction tour.
One of the world’s purest pink diamonds to ever appear at auction – the 11.15ct “Williamson Pink Star”, estimated at US.$21m / HK$170m, has the potential to set a new per carat price record for a Fancy Vivid pink diamond in Hong Kong this October. https://t.co/8eLMVwQVkM pic.twitter.com/wU8oFqLJw8
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) September 2, 2022
2022 Apex the Stegosaur
2024 SOLD for $ 45M by Sotheby's
150 million years ago, the stegosaur was not a mere plant-eating dinosaur. It had to defend itself against the ferocious carnivorous. Its body was a fortress with a dermal pointed armor from neck to tail and tail spikes as a further weapon. The largest known weighed over 5 metric tons. The brain weighing 80 g in a small head led to the wrong theory of a second brain elsewhere in the body.
An example was discovered in 2022 by a commercial paleontologist on his private land in the vicinity of the Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado, and excavated though two seasons.
This 8 m long fossil is 70 % complete with 254 bone elements from a total of 319. Named Apex, it is mounted 3.35 m tall on a steel armature. The fragile first two dermal plates are stored in a case, with 3D printed replicas placed on the mount in their place. The old beast suffered from arthritis but has no trace of wound. Some fossilized skin impressions have been preserved.
Apex was sold with full rights for $ 45M from a lower estimate of $ 4M by Sotheby's on July 17, 2024, lot 13. Please watch the video shared by the auction house, here below started at 00:20 for a full picture. Please watch the longer video where the paleontologist and Sotheby's officer together display the whole process from excavation to auction.
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American Museum of Natural History @AMNH Dec 5, 2024
There's a NEW dinosaur at the Museum! Meet Apex. Discovered in 2022 near Dinosaur, Colorado, this Stegosaurus is one of the largest ever found, measuring 11 ft (3.4 m) tall & 27 feet (8.2 m) long. You can see it at the Museum starting on Sunday, December 8!
An example was discovered in 2022 by a commercial paleontologist on his private land in the vicinity of the Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado, and excavated though two seasons.
This 8 m long fossil is 70 % complete with 254 bone elements from a total of 319. Named Apex, it is mounted 3.35 m tall on a steel armature. The fragile first two dermal plates are stored in a case, with 3D printed replicas placed on the mount in their place. The old beast suffered from arthritis but has no trace of wound. Some fossilized skin impressions have been preserved.
Apex was sold with full rights for $ 45M from a lower estimate of $ 4M by Sotheby's on July 17, 2024, lot 13. Please watch the video shared by the auction house, here below started at 00:20 for a full picture. Please watch the longer video where the paleontologist and Sotheby's officer together display the whole process from excavation to auction.
Grok thought :
Quote
American Museum of Natural History @AMNH Dec 5, 2024
There's a NEW dinosaur at the Museum! Meet Apex. Discovered in 2022 near Dinosaur, Colorado, this Stegosaurus is one of the largest ever found, measuring 11 ft (3.4 m) tall & 27 feet (8.2 m) long. You can see it at the Museum starting on Sunday, December 8!
- The post announces the debut of Apex, a remarkably complete Stegosaurus fossil discovered in 2022 near Dinosaur, Colorado, measuring 27 feet long and 11 feet tall—one of the largest known specimens from 150 million years ago.
- Purchased for a record $44.6 million at auction, Apex is on four-year loan to AMNH from philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin, prioritizing public display over private ownership and including interactive exhibits on its armored defenses.
- AMNH paleontologists are analyzing a thigh bone sample from the mature Apex to uncover Stegosaurus growth rates and life history, building on peer-reviewed studies like those in Palaeontology (2015) showing variable plate sizes linked to age and sex.
