All eyes on celebrity collections as they go under the hammer

Des O’Sullivan says two post-summer auctions have star quality and should attract the glitterati.

Is Ted a cheapskate or is it that Jane Fonda is not particularly interested in expensive jewellery?

The question arises from the upcoming sale of the Jane Fonda Collection.

The sale will include her 1991 wedding dress and the opal engagement ring from her third husband, media mogul Ted Turner.

Each is estimated at a surprisingly modest $2,000-$4,000.

Andy Warhol’s 1982 pop lithograph of Jane Fonda as Barbarella ($25,000-$30,000). It features in a forthcoming sale by Jane Fonda in Hollywood.

It can be opined with considerable certainty that Liz Taylor, or millions of other women, would not have let billionaire Ted escape the jewellers so relatively unscathed.

Jane Fonda is offloading fashion, art, jewellery and personal items in a live and online sale at Julien’s Auctions, Hollywood on September 23.

Highlights include a one-of-a-kind 1982 Andy Warhol pop lithograph of Fonda as Barbarella and the red and black striped leotard featured on the cover of her Jane Fonda Workout book and album.

This is one of two collections of celebrity icons upcoming at auction.

Bowie’s Jean-Michel Basquiat ‘Air Power’ 1984 (£2.5-£3.5 million) will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in London in November.

David Bowie’s art and design, to be offered at Sotheby’s in London in November, is the more substantial. He painted well and was passionate about art.

There is work by Basquiat and a selection of important British artists in an auction that is exciting the interest of serious collectors as well as legions of Bowie fans.

Even though high summer is upon us there is plenty to choose from in the world of antique and art auctions locally.

‘Window Sill’ by William John Leech (1881-1968) at Dolan’s Connemara art auction over the August weekend (€24,000-€28,000).

Auction goers have two venues to choose from in Cork today: a sale at Woodwards at 11am and an on-the-premises house contents sale by Lynes and Lynes at The Highlands, Glounthaune at noon; de Veres will have an art sale in Dublin tomorrow.

Among the sales over the August Bank Holiday weekend are Dolan’s two-day Connemara sale on August 1 and 2 in Ballyconneely, Hegarty’s in Bandon on August 2 at 7 pm and Cork Auction Rooms on July 31.