Museum Mile 2009 (New York, NY)

Today, June 9th 2009, commerated the 31st annual Museum Mile Festival in New York City. Centering on nine cultural instiutions located on Fifth Avenue, spaning from 82nd Street to 104th Street, New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world flooded the streets and museums. It was kicked off at the Solomon Guggenheim Museum this year at 5th Ave. & 89th Street with an opening ceremony at 5:45 pm. From 6-9Pm, the 23 block distance was closed of to traffic, allowing pedestrains to freely stroll on the city blocks. During this time frame, visitors got to enjoy free admission to view exhibits at all the participating museums. They also got to participate in sidewalk chalk drawing, see magic shows, and listen to live music at various locations.

Museum Mile Cultural Institutions:

• Metropolitian Museum of Art
• Goethe-Institut/German Cultural Center
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts
• Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
• The Jewish Museum
• Museum of the City of New York
• El Museo del Barrio

Christie's Yves Saint laurent et Pierre Berge Chinese Antiquities

The Christie's auction for the Chinese art pieces in the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge Collection went through as planned tonight in Paris. The eight items in question, including the bronze heads from the Summer Palace fountain, that have been garning international press, were sold well above the estimated numbers the esteemed auction gave them.

(Despite the fact that this is a blog that focuses on the New York Metro and San francisco culture scene, due to the extraoridinary circumstances in the current antiques market, I felt that the final results of the Chinese art pieces warrent a notification.)

*Note: The two contoversial rat and rabbit heads are listed as well.

LOT 670
SALE 1209 PARIS
IMPORTANTE STATUE DE BOUDDHA EN BOIS LAQUE OR ET ROUGE
CHINE,DYNASTIE MING, XVIEME SIECLE
EST. 30,000-40,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 313,000 EUROS

LOT 671
SALE 1209 PARIS
PAIRE DE VASES CYLINDRIQUES EN BRONZE DORE ET EMAUX CLOISONNES
CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, EPOQUE JIAQING
EST. 15,000-20,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 79,000 EUROS

LOT 672
SALE 1209 PARIS
DOUBLE VASE EN BRONZE DORE ET EMAUX CLOISONNES
CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, EPOQUE JIAQUIG
EST. 3,000-4,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 43,000 EUROS

LOT 674
SALE 1209 PARIS
PAIRE DE COQS EN BRONZE ET EMAUX CLOISONNES
CHINE, XIXEME SIECLE
EST. 50,000-70,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 241,000

LOT 675
SALE 1209 PARIS
PAIRE DE SELLETTES EN LAQUE
CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, XVIIIEME-XIXEME SIECLE
EST. 7,000-9,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 32,000 EUROS

LOT 676
SALE 1209 PARIS
GRAND BRULE-PARFUM TRIPODE EN BRONZE ET EMAUX CLOISONNES
CHINE, FIN DE LA DYNASTIE MING, XVIIEME
EST. 10,000-12,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 73,000 EUROS

LOT 677
SALE 1209 PARIS
TRES RARE ET IMPORTANTE TETE DE RAT EN BRONZE PROVENANT DE LA FONTAINE
CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, EPOQUE QIANLONG
EST. 8,000,000-10,000,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED. 15,745,000EUROS

LOT 678
SALE 1209 PARIS
TRES RARE ET IMPORTANTE TETE DE LAPIN EN BRONZE PROVENANT DE LA FONTAINE
CHINE,DYNASTIE QING, EPOQUE QIANGLONG
EST. 8,000.000-10,000,000 EUROS
PRICE REALIZED 15,745,000 EUROS