"Bidding for the work-crafted from solid 18-karat gold and modeled after a standard Kohler toilet-will begin at the current market value of the gold used in the sculpture, estimated at around $10m based on its weight, according to Sotheby's. (That valuation may fluctuate between now and the date of the sale as the price of gold has been whizzing up lately.)"
"Sotheby's notes that this version of America is the only surviving edition. Another was installed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, where more than 100,000 visitors used it during its year-long display. That edition was later moved to Blenheim Palace in the UK in 2019, where it was stolen just two days after installation. Two men were convicted in connection with the theft earlier this year, and investigators believe the toilet was melted down and destroyed."
A fully functioning sculpture titled America, cast from solid 18-karat gold and modeled on a standard Kohler toilet, will be offered at Sotheby's contemporary evening auction in New York on 18 November. Bidding will open at the current market value of the gold used, estimated around $10m and subject to fluctuation. During the preview from 8-17 November, America will be installed in a loo at Sotheby's Breuer Building headquarters with single-visitor close-up viewings but no use allowed. This edition is the only surviving example after a second edition, used by over 100,000 visitors at the Guggenheim, was stolen and likely melted down.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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