Ancient Roman Statue Becomes Most Expensive Sculpture Sold At Auction
Image via Sotheby’s
The Hamilton Aphrodite, an ancient Roman marble statue, has now become the most expensive ancient sculpture ever sold at auction.
Sotheby’s had initially estimated the work would go for US$2.7 million, but on the day itself, it actually sold for a staggering US$24.6 million, nearly nine times more.
The record had been held by a Roman marble bust which sold for US$23.8 million in 2010, though it pales in comparison to the most expensive antique ever sold: a limestone figurine of a lioness from 3000 BC that fetched US$57.2 million at auction.
According to Robb Report, five bidders were locked in a 20 minute-long battle for the item during the live sale at Sotheby’s London. The winning bidder, who offered US$21 million for the piece, was an anonymous buyer on the telephone with one of the auction house’s representatives.
Interestingly, before the sale this week, the sculpture—which is believed to be from first or second century CE—had not appeared in public since 1949. It previously belonged to the 8th Duke of Hamilton’s Scotland estate, where it resided for over 140 years.
In 1920, the marble piece changed hands and entered the ownership of American publisher William Randolph Hearst, via London-based dealers Spink and Son. It was then sold nearly three decades later to a New York art dealer, who put it up for this year’s auction.
[via Robb Report, cover image via Sotheby’s]
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