dagblog - Comments for "The iPhone Might not be Worth $1,000 but the Lobster Phone is Worth $1 Million"

appreciate the feedback

artappraiser — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 00:48:57 +0000

In reply to This is fantastic context,

appreciate the feedback because I was partly thinking of you and your interest in markets writing it

This is fantastic context,

Michael Maiello — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 19:14:12 +0000

In reply to When this program is

This is fantastic context, thank you!

Here's Edward on the cover of

artappraiser — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 03:44:48 +0000

In reply to When this program is

Here's Edward on the cover of Christie's NY 1988 auction of some of his art

they used a detail of this photo the full one gives a better sense of his "brand" as they call it now.

I was at the sale, I just checked the catalogue, there was one of his Dali red Lobster phones in it, from circa 1936, which sold for $100,000 + 10% (est. $20/30,000) to some distinguished looking guy with red hair in the room against 10 phones (a lot at the time !) This was still a time when most Dali paintings and drawings had a tinge to them of being tacky kitsch from his own "sell out" behavior of like working with Disney and signing blank pieces of paper. So it was quite something. That the Edward James imprimatur sort of meant "this is good Dali, not bad Dali".

Another historic market comparison is cited by Christie's on the front page of the catalogue, says: Christie's sold the Picasso hanging in the background of this photograph , Femme assise au chapeau, 1923, for $3,900,000 in New York on 13 November, 1984. They were bragging: "give us your Picasso and maybe we can do the same for you!"

For those interested, this looks like a good compilation of photos of some of the more famous and quirkier of James' collection, of him, his house, some friends, some poetry, in this 2010 blog post another amazing rich freak: edward james. One of the red and black lobster phones is about a quarter of the way down the page.

Edit: corrected the blog link in the last paragraph

When this program is

artappraiser — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 02:31:19 +0000

In reply to The iPhone Might not be Worth $1,000 but the Lobster Phone is Worth $1 Million

When this program is triggered in the UK, it's always a very useful story for anyone interested in the art market. As opposed to a story of the latest $50 million dolllar or pound whatever, which is fed by current market distortion by a trophy hunting phenomenon and sundry odd activity by billionaires playing a strange trading game. As well as being fed by pop interest in same and the b.s. drama of the big evening auctions when everyone in the market knows the true market is trading at the daytime auctions.

This instead is people knowledgeable about British art history making a case to a group of donors that this is a natural treasure and the price is not silly. It's basically like Warren Buffett saying a stock is as sure as blue chip as you can get. It's putting money where their mouth is as to "this is important art for the ages." Sort of like how we appraised art in the old days.

Personally, I am pleased to see them put Edward James' collection and legacy at the top. I was convinced long ago he was one of a kind in the history of art and western culture in general. Not just your average eccentric upper class Brit, but a national treasure.