On July 23, 2011, the music world was stunned by the death of British artist Amy Winehouse. The singer, who died at the age of 27, became a member of the infamous '27 Club', which includes other musicians who died at the age of 27, such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain.
As part of Catawiki's Exclusive Selection, the Exclusive Art Book Auction offers a unique and intimate insight into the life of Amy Winehouse: some 230 books that the singer owned and read during her youth and early career.
The collection reflects Amy Winehouse's diverse interests. It includes books on music, health and spirituality, as well as fiction and biographies. The books are made even more personal by the dedications and notes written by and for the singer, as well as signs of use and wear. This is a unique opportunity for fans to acquire a piece of Amy Winehouse's history.
The next highlight also has links to the world of music, although it is ostensibly a fashion piece. Here the American singer Beyoncé is in the spotlight: fans will have the opportunity to buy her coat, the one she wore last year in an advertising campaign for the Tiffany & Co. brand. The garment, created by Dutch designer Duran Lantink, is made of gold acetate and shines almost as brightly as the jewelry Beyoncé wore for the campaign.
When it comes to historical objects, the Exclusive Selection offers a very rare item from Japan and Tenbun (1532-1555). This armor is fascinating not only because of its excellent condition, but also because of its provenance: Date Masamune (1567-1636), regional ruler (Daimyō) of Tōhoku and founder of the current megacity of Sendai, has worn the armor.
Car enthusiasts should not miss the Exclusive Automobiles auction, where brands such as Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz are on offer. One of the top picks is an expensive 1973 A110 sports coupé from the French car manufacturer Alpine. The A110 was produced from 1962 to 1977 and was used in various competitions. It won first place in the Monte Carlo Rally and the World Rally Championship in 1971 and 1973. Alpine was founded in 1955 and is now wholly owned by the Renault group. After a temporary break in production, the brand was revived in 2017 (with a new edition of the timeless A110).
Catawiki's Exclusive Selection also features a lineup of luxury watch models from Omega, IWC, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre and other famous watchmakers. Fans of the Patek Philippe brand will also know the name Czapek, as the original name of the watchmaker founded in Geneva in 1839 was Patek, Czapek & Co, although this name disappeared after six years. The Czapek & Co brand, founded by co-founder François Czapek, was dissolved in 1869. In 2012, a new company was founded in Geneva that took over the legendary Czapek name. Czapek's rare Quai Des Bergues No. 21 wristwatch, which was produced only 11 times, is now available at Catawiki.
Another rarity that will go under the hammer at the Exclusive Leica Cameras Auction: a 1964 Leica M2, painted black and in very good condition for its age. A total of 1,871 black-painted Leica M2s were produced between 1957 and 1968, of which 250 were made in 1964. Since only a few copies have survived to this day, this sale is an opportunity that no camera or Leica collector should miss.
Catawiki's Exclusive Selection, which includes many other fascinating collectibles and works of art, ends on April 23.