Ripley’s Acquires $12 Million Golden Toilet
Here’s a breakdown of the key data from the provided text:
* The Artwork: Maurizio Cattelan‘s 18-karat gold toilet, titled “America,” has been sold at Sotheby’s for $1.5 million (£1.2 million).
* Previous Sale Price: This is considerably less than its estimated value of $5-7 million before it was stolen in 2019.
* Previous Highest Price: The sale achieved the second-highest price for a Cattelan piece at auction, behind his sculpture of a kneeling Hitler which sold for $17.2m in 2016.
* Public Use: Over 100,000 people used the toilet when it was installed at the Guggenheim Museum and later at Blenheim Palace.
* The Theft: In September 2019, the toilet was stolen from Blenheim Palace by five men who escaped in a stolen Volkswagen Golf. the heist gained international attention.
* Buyer: The buyer is described as a “famous American brand.”
* James Sheen: The text abruptly ends mid-sentance mentioning James Sheen, age 40.