Wednesday, May 12 – 3:00pm ET
Online Auction
By e-mail, mail and telephone
A graffiti tagged Refrigerator Door and mounted Moose Head are among the unique items belonging to iconic artists Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and Christo that will be sold at Guernsey’s “Urban Gems” Auction on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
During his rise to fame in the 1980s, Haring’s walkup apartment in SoHo became the hub of New York City’s art scene. Drenched in a wild array of Haring’s signature images and colors, it was the “place to be” for superstars, including Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Madonna and more Graffiti artists than could fill a subway car. Haring’s sign-in “guest register” … his Refrigerator Door!
That Door, complete with Haring’s own writing and art along with “Madonna loves Keith,” “JM" (Jean-Michel) and over 82 more tags will be sold without reserve in an unprecedented Urban Gems Auction that will also include Andy Warhol’s statuesque mounted Moose Head. Often pictured together, Warhol and the Moose appeared prominently in the New York Times back in 2018. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Moose will go in support of the ASPCA.
In February 2005, a saffron-colored wave swept over New York City as the artist known as Christo used Central Park as his pallet, creating his now famous 23-mile long exhibition - The Gates - that captivated the hearts of many urbanites. More than two decades earlier, the artist started producing conceptual mixed-media works of art - incorporating actual pieces of the fabric he later used in Central Park - to first present his idea to the world. One of these works, along with Christo’s annotated map of the Park, is yet another featured lot in this intriguing sale.
Also among the unusual lots for the auction is an extremely rare 1933 Rolls Royce Shooting Brake (aka Woodie). It is believed that approximately fifty of these cars were ever made and today approximately half that number survive. At the height of his career, Andy Warhol owned one and earlier in the century, King Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor, used his Rolls Royce Shooting Brake to secretly shuttle Wallis Simpson into Balmoral Castle.
Bidding is open at Liveauctioneers.com, Invaluable.com. and the auction will take place on May 12th, 2021 beginning at 3pm Eastern Time via online bids and on the phone at 212-794-2280.
For more info, arrange for a viewing by appointment, receive high resolution images, and/or to set up interviews with Guernsey President Arlan Ettinger, please contact Sydney Masters at 212-987-6804 / Sydney@RCouriHayCPR.com
In the 1980s, New York City’s Soho was the place to be. Once thought of as a gritty neighborhood of modest walk-up residences and industrial buildings, the area became hip, overflowing with “in” clubs, stylish eateries and the most avant garde galleries. In the heart of it all was 325 Broome Street, the address of Keith Haring’s apartment.
After years of “tagging” the City’s public spaces with his unique, joyful imagery, Keith had risen to stardom. His apartment, replete with a carnival of colors and designs, became the hub of the Soho art scene. Very much in the public eye, the world wanted to hang out with the endearing artist. And so they came. Artists, musicians, celebrities. It was said that on occasion, there were more Graffiti artists present than could fit into a subway car!
As so it happened, many would find themselves seated in Keith’s raucous kitchen. To the side, and as clearly seen in surviving photographs, was the apartment’s modest two-door Lantz refrigerator. The upper freezer door was small; the larger white enameled main door, measuring 40.5” x 22.75’” proved to be an enticing “canvas” on which visitors could, and did, register. The result: a cacophony of signatures, tags and designs covering every inch of this both ordinary and extraordinary item.
Today, some of those Graffiti tags have faded. But eighty three of them remain strong, a permanent reminder of a place and time that to this day has so influenced the art world, and indeed, the global culture. Art historians and Graffiti artists have viewed the door. They concur on certain names, debate others. “Madonna loves Keith” is a no-brainer. But was the adjacent “JM” written by Basquiat? For sure, Jean-Michel was there, often, but the initials… hard to say for certain.
Keith’s own work appears in a dark ameba-like shape along with one of his Radiant Baby stickers. Basquiat is believed to be present, but, as noted above, is difficult to confirm. “Yes” to the following names, but there certainly are more: LA2 (Angel Ortiz, Keith’s close associate), Madonna, Futura, Anita Rocks, Fab 5 Freddy, Delta 2, RTW (Dr. Revolt), Ramelzee, Jean Caffeine (Pulsullama), Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs, Jenny Lee, Dean, Arbitrator (+ A. Koor, A. Krane), Enemy, Tracer, Toxic, CSU Adams, SK2, Shaker 179, RP3, Jennifer, Pound Cake, Brim and Bow.
Of course, with time Keith moved on. 325 Broome was in his wake, along with the Lantz. In the fine old tradition of NYC “street discoveries,” the new tenant, very much aware of Keith’s place in history, grabbed the old fridge before it was destroyed. The small freezer door is now gone as is the bulky cooling innards. But that once blank canvas, that guest register, remains as a mirror vividly reflecting on a time that was.
Owner's Statement
"In 1990, I was an aspiring actor and a decidedly downtown girl. I was thrilled when in the Village Voice, there was an ad for a "spacious railroad apartment flat," on Broome Street. As it happened, it was one of those small, affordable flats that had been home to a stream of performance artists, dancers, actors, and the artist Keith Haring.
My roommate also worked in the arts and was proud of living in the flat that was once occupied by Keith Haring. We had this amazing refrigerator covered with the graffiti of the Haring era. I called it "Haring and Friends" covered in tags by so many of the downtown art scene artists of the 80's. When our friends stopped by, they gravitated towards the kitchen; we would ask if they could find Madonna's Signature on the fridge. It took a moment but eventually they would see "Madonna Loves Keith," Haring's radiant baby sticker and other famous signatures and tags on the door.
Keith moved to a different place before he died in 1991, yet still received mail on Broome Street. Heaps of invitations to clubs, art openings, film festivals and galas piled up on the bottom of the stairs in a cardboard box, as we had no forwarding address to send them to. The landlord was clearly unconcerned, and as far as I could tell, unaware that an artist of Keith Haring's stature lived in the building. The walls of our apartment had once been covered in Haring graffiti, and the landlord had painted over it all.
It was during this exciting stage of my life that I came home to Broome Street one sweltering day and discovered that our fridge, with the amazing graffiti from the Haring gang, had conked out. My roommate ordered a new one. I panicked and asked her "what happened to the Haring fridge?" "The delivery men took it away," she said. "They left it out on the street for the garbage collectors." I raced outside. There, in the back alley, was our old friend, the Haring fridge, lying on its side. The door slipped off the body of the fridge, easily. I brought it upstairs while my roommate retrieved the smaller top freezer door.
In 1993, I had an opportunity to go to San Francisco. I packed my things and a friend drove me - and the Haring fridge door - to my parents home in Washington, D.C. My parents stored the door in their attic, wrapped carefully in a quilt, where it was kept for about 20 years until my mother decided it was time to empty her attic. She shipped the door to me around 2010, where I have kept it in my home in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have loved looking after this amazing piece of history, this map of the 1980's New York City art scene, where so many talented artists converged"
Andy Warhol treasured objects. Many will recall the 1988 Sotheby's Auction where charming, but otherwise insignificant objects like the artist’s cookie jars fetched thousands of dollars each. Far from insignificant, and one of Andy's most endearing objects, was this majestic, mounted Moose. To sense the animal's power and enormity, one has only to stand under it. Andy often did, evidenced by no fewer than half a dozen photos of the pair. The New York Times thought enough of its importance to use a dramatic portrait of Andy with the Moose in a full page 2018 article.
Sensitive to the importance of animal protection today, the consignor of this grand (61” x 52” x 43”) Moose Head will be donating a portion of the proceeds from this sale to the ASPCA.
The Gates was a site-specific, public work of art conceived by Christo and his wife and collaborator of many decades, Jeanne-Claude, and installed on 23 miles of pathways in New York's Central Park from February 12-27, 2005. The project was comprised of 7,503 "gates" – post and lintel constructions – each festooned with a panel of saffron-colored nylon fabric. This was a feat of bureaucratic, technical, and civic planning, that demanded tremendous resources. As with all of their large-scale works, Christo and Jeanne-Claude raised money to fund The Gates through sales of preparatory studies and sketches, including The Gates, Project for Central Park, New York City.
The proceeds from the sales of these works provided the resources that enabled the artists to finance the actual installations, allowing them to avoid all public or private funding. At the same time, such drawings and collages constitute finished works in their own right, revealing consummate draftsmanship and uncanny imagination.
This drawing is one of earliest and most developed of a number of preparatory studies that Christo created for The Gates. In spite of the fact that the project had been rejected by the City in 1981, Christo and Jean-Claude persisted. Dated 1982, this drawing is one of earliest and most developed of a number of preparatory studies that Christo created for The Gates. In this mixed media drawing, the bas relief created by the collaged saffron colored fabric and applied strips of board used to create the infrastructure adds depth and vitality to the monumental installation that the artists envisioned.
First conceived by Christo and his wife, Jean-Claude, in 1979, The Gates Project was rejected in 1981, but ultimately granted permission by the City and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, for installation in February 2005. On February 12, 2005, Christo and Jeanne-Claude debuted The Gates, a spectacle the likes of which New York had never seen. Over 23 miles of walking paths through Central Park, the artists erected 7,503 gates, each one supporting a fabric flag suspended like a curtain. The gates were each 16 feet tall, giving the project the feeling of major infrastructure. The installation drew millions of visitors to the city and generated an estimated $254 million for the local economy. For sixteen days in 2005 The Gates tempted millions of people to visit Central Park. Four million visitors came to see the artwork in its brief run, from February 12 to 28. These saffron gates encouraged visitors to explore the park, take photos, and take new paths through the park.
As written in Bloomberg News: "The Gates was a coup for New York. The artists' sweeping gesture came at a time when the city was still reeling from the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Gates was less an act of healing than an expression of resolve. New Yorkers came together for a public demonstration whose meaning was wide open (and the topic of every conversation). In an era before Instagram or smartphones, it was a live civic spectacle, proof that a vision could serve as a beacon to the public commons. On brisk winter days, the gates fluttered like flags. People rallied around them. Witnessing the gates as a visitor felt peaceful – even underwhelming. It was supposed to be."
From its inception in 1904 through the onset of World War II, Rolls Royce was universally regarded as the builder of the very finest automobiles. The cars created during this era were “coach-built” in that separate, Rolls Royce-authorized shops built exquisite bodies designed to satisfy the wishes of individual buyers. Accordingly, rarely were any two Rolls Royces identical.
For some owners, Rolls Royces were so special that rather than trade them away after years of use, on occasion the older bodies were discarded to be replaced by “special” bodies. For those who enjoyed the sporting life, the “Shooting Brake” (British for “woodie”) became just the thing. For touring a grand estate, transporting the family to a cricket match, or traveling on a cross country expedition, there was simply nothing else like these ruggedly stylish, hand crafted “one off” vehicles.
It is believed that approximately fifty Rolls Royce Shooting Brakes were made. Today, approximately half that number survive. At the height of his career, Andy Warhol owned one. Andy’s was sold years ago for around $750,000. Earlier in the century, King Edward VIII used his Rolls Royce Shooting Brake to secretly shuttle Wallis Simpson into Balmoral Castle. In one of the most fabled romances in history, the Shooting Brake played a critical role in the lives of the couple later to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The car being sold here, serial # GRW34, started out as a 1933 Rolls Royce sedan bodied by Corsica. After WW II, the original body was replaced by the Shooting Brake body crafted in the Channel Islands by Jersey Coachbuilders. An abundant file includes many documents tracing the history of this unique, and quite wonderful, vehicle.
In the 1950’s, GRW 34 was purchased from Rolls Royce in London by Mr. And Mrs. Logan Lewis of Macon, Georgia. Dedicated automotive enthusiasts, the Lewis’ maintained a stable of outstanding cars including an ex-Fangio raced Maserati and a Jaguar SS 100. Documents that come with the Rolls include letters by the Lewis’ describing their “thrilling” journey picking up the Shooting Brake on the New York City docks and driving it down to Macon.
Mr. Lewis passed away in the 1960’s when his widow sealed the garages where their cars were stored. A discovery of the collection was made in the late 1980’s and several of the cars sold. The afore-mentioned Maserati went on to win major awards including at Pebble Beach.
The current owner met with Mrs. Lewis in the 1980s but was only able to acquire the Shooting Brake following her passing in 2002. Over the last seventy years, GRW34 has had only two owners.
Once acquired by the current owner, it was decided that after the long period of storage, the engine should be properly and expertly re-built. The work was performed by Pierce Reed, one of the finest Rolls Royce specialists in existence. Today, the car runs beautifully. The wood is solid and all original. The interior and engine compartment have a fine patina. In recent years, it has appeared in approximately half a dozen automotive concours, winning a major award in each. These honors include Best Unrestored Car, Best Rolls Royce, People’s Choice and Best in Show. GRW34 is garaged in Connecticut.
Please note: The Flying Lady radiator cap shown in the photographs does not come with the car as it was misplaced some time ago and has not been found. The radiator cap on the car currently is original to this car and was used by owners who, for whatever reason, preferred the car to have a more understated appearance. Original Rolls Royce 20/25 Flying Lady radiator caps can be found online where prices average $1,000. The car does have a vintage Owner's Manual, hand crank, wheel cover wrench and other tools. Two vintage wicker picnic baskets are included. An extensive file of documents from the very building of the car in the 1930’s through the conversion into a Shooting Brake is included. There is also a series of correspondences between Mr. Logan Lewis and the Rolls Royce London dealer (Jack Barclay) when Lewis purchased the car and then drove it from the port of New York to his home in Macon, Georgia.
FYI: The car was road-tested Sunday, May 9th and ran excellently. The engine ran smoothly and quietly without shimmies or shakes. The car is garaged and being sold from the owner's home in Connecticut. Although the buyer is responsible for the cost of transporting, the owner is willing to assist in any way possible.
Andy Warhol’s car with the street sign “Merkur Str."
Those who are interested in participating can view the catalogue online, and leave advance absentee bids, as well as bid live as the sale is taking place at Liveauctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.
Interested bidders should also review the Terms & Conditions, as well as the Bidder Agreement form, and the Absentee Bid form.
Guernsey's welcomes inquiries from the media regarding both past and upcoming events. PDF copies of the press release and links to media coverage of the Urban Gems auction are available below:
• "Keith Haring’s Fridge Door Heads to Auction’" (News.Artnet.com - May 12)
• "Keith Haring’s Fabulous Friends Left Their Mark on His Fridge Door’" (New York Times - May 11)
• "Art market: New York spring auctions start – culture’" (World Today News - May 10)
• "Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Christo & More to be Auctioned by Guernsey's" (Gothammag.com - May 4)
• "Guernsey's to Present URBAN GEMS Auction in May" (BroadwayWorld.com - April 28)
• "Keith Haring refrigerator door at auction" (TellerReport.com - April 25)
• "Keith Haring refrigerator door at auction" (Sueddeutsche.de - April 24)
• "Guernsey subasta trabajos de Keith Haring, Andy Warhol y Christo" (Elespecial.com - April 21)