Los Angeles – Bonhams is pleased to announce a stellar result for its inaugural US sale of 'What Women Want...At Auction' on June 25 in Los Angeles. Known as the ultimate insider's shopping experience, this auction category delivers luxury brands and chic style at desirable prices. Highlights for the well-heeled buyer included a robust selection of designer vintage and contemporary fashions, shoes, accessories, handbags and luxury goods.

Handbags and accessories of note included a classic Hermes black crocodile 'Kelly' handbag (est. $10,000-20,000, sold for $26,250); a large Hermes navy canvas and black leather tote bag (est. $700-1,000, sold for $ 5,625); a Judith Leiber® 'Queen of Hearts' book-form minaudiere (est. $1,300-1,500, sold for $2,375); a Judith Leiber® multicoloured crystal bull frog minaudiere (est. $1,000-1,500, sold for $2,000); a mother of pearl and 18k white gold bracelet, Van Cleef & Arpels (est. $3,500-4,500, sold for $4,375) and a diamond, emerald and 18 karat white gold elephant charm, Cartier (est. $3,200-3,800, sold for $3,750).

Clothing highlights included a black Pierre Cardin dress with silver metal discs down the front (est. $300-400, sold for $4,750); a long sheer black and white Yves St. Laurent gown (est. $400-600, sold for $4,375); a light blue and multi-color Chanel coat together with a blue, yellow and black slip dress (est. $500-700, sold for $3,125); a long sheer multicoloured Yves St. Laurent gown (est. $400-600, sold for $3,125) and a purple rhinestone and embroidery trimmed An Yves St. Laurent jacket together with a silk taffeta ruffle neck blouse, skirt and underskirt (est. $400-600, sold for $2,500).

Since launching in the U.K., 'What Women Want...At Auction' sales have become a unique part of the fashion experience in London. Continuing on the forefront of fashion, Bonhams has brought together some of the most desirable accessories, shoes and handbags on the planet for women in Los Angeles who love to shop and who enjoy the best of everything.

Press Contact: Jannelle Grigsby, jannelle.grigsby@bonhams.com, (310) 567-7990

Bonhams is honoured to have been chosen to conduct a charity sale in memory of the late son of ex-Formula 1 and 500cc motorcycle world champion John Surtees.

Widely tipped as a star of the future, Henry Surtees was tragically killed in a freak accident while driving in the new Formula 2 class at Brands Hatch in July 2009.

An endurance kart race and auction at Brooklands Museum on Wednesday 4 July will raise money for the museum, and for Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust.

Among the star names who will be at the museum on 4 July is ex-F1 world champion Nigel Mansell. Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has also pledged his attendance.

An auction of items donated to the Henry Surtees Foundation will include items signed by current Formula 1 drivers Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, as well as tickets and hospitality for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone from 6 – 8 July.

Malcolm Barber, Group CEO and Managing Director of Bonhams and the auctioneer who will sell the items, said: "I was delighted to be the auctioneer at John's 60th birthday celebrations at Brands Hatch a few years ago and now to act again for the family for this worthy cause is a further privilege.

"With the British Grand Prix this weekend and with some wonderful current Formula 1 memorabilia here for sale it is a great opportunity for enthusiasts and collectors."

The auction will begin at 7pm. To register a bid contact Helen Buckingham at Bonhams by calling 0207 468 5970 or 07436 266394.

Full list of lots in the Henry Surtees sale:

A pair of signed Jenson Button race gloves, used during the European Grand Prix weekend, and donated by his McLaren team. A certificate of authenticity is included.

A signed Fernando Alonso race suit, used during the 2011 season, and donated by the Ferrari team.

A Hibachi steak dinner for eight people at the famous Benihana Japanese Restaurant in Piccadilly or Chelsea, London.

Limited edition print of Nicolas Watts print depicting John Surtees in his Ferrari 158 en route to victory in the 1964 German Grand Prix, signed by John Surtees, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Chris Amon, Tony Maggs, Maurice Trintignant and Jack Brabham.

A day being chauffeur-driven around London in a Maserati Quattroporte, comes with a Maserati goodie bag.

Two pairs of tickets for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone (Saturday and Sunday), along with hospitality in the Shell VIP suite and a tour of the F1 paddock and Ferrari garage.

A box at the O2 Arena for up to 15 people to see Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour on 14 October 2012.

Three one-hour AMG driving experiences at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, including high-speed dynamic exercises and straight-line wet braking.

Jenson Button Vodafone McLaren Mercedes solo scalextrics car signed by Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

Start Champion scalextrics race set, featuring Jenson Button's McLaren Mercedes and Michael Schumacher's Mercedes GP Petronas cars, signed by Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher.

Various items donated by the Marussia Formula 1 team, including:

• A 2011 season team lightweight rain jacket in size XL

• 2010 "Spark" 1/43 scale model of Timo Glock's car

• 2011 driver team cap signed by Timo Glock and Jerome D'Ambrosio

• 2011 race-used gear ratio mounted on bespoke plexglass base as a paperweight, presentation boxed.

Real Racers: Formula 1 in the 1950s and 1960s, book signed by John Surtees. Includes first-person accounts from Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Frank Williams.
A set of six limited edition motoring books, including:

• Phil Hill – A Champion's View

• Mailander – Ferrari

• Christian Huet – Bugatti Atlantic Type 57S

• Maserati – Birdcage to Supercage

• Steve McQueen – The Last Mile

• Pebble Beach poster book

A pair of VIP entry tickets to Pebble Beach Concours in 2012 or 2013.

A factory tour of the Morgan Motor Company for two people, including a test-drive and a signed book entitled Morgan 100 Years written by Charles Morgan and Gregory Houston Bowden.

Freddie Mercury's black and white harlequin stage costume sold for £22,500 at Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia sale on Tuesday 3rd July, in London. Bidders competed fiercely for the iconic costume, pushing the final price well above the pre-sale estimate of £8,000 - 12,000.

The Queen singer's memorable costumes reflected his artistic nature and were central to his flamboyant performance style. The harlequin costume was one of the musician's most recognisable stage designs, which he wore at a number of high-profile concerts in the 1970s.

A pair of Freddie Mercury's ballet pumps also exceeded the pre-sale estimate of £1,500 - 2,000, selling for £4,000 to an overseas internet bidder. Mercury wore the white leather ballet shoes during Queen's legendary Hyde Park performance in the long, hot summer of 1976. The concert was a free event organised by leading entrepreneur Richard Branson and attracted one of the largest audiences for a concert in London. A crowd of more than 150,000 people gathered in the park on an unusually hot day in September to see the great rock band perform.

Several other important pieces of Popular Music Memorabilia in the sale included an early 1970s Roger Water's Pink Floyd Fender Precision bass guitar (£11,250) and corresponding amplifier (£2,750), Michael Jackson's military-style jacket (£10,625), part of a collection of almost 40 lots relating to the star, and Kurt Cobain's Sonic Youth t-shirt, worn during the final Nirvana concert in 1994 (£8,750).

Chris Martin's Yamaha piano, which was used to compose Coldplay's popular song, 'Trouble', was another of the top lots, selling for £6,250. The instrument's case bears the logos of the Thompson Twins and the Tindersticks, suggesting that both bands owned the piano before Coldplay.

A rare pair of British Goldfinger film posters, discovered by the vendor under a carpet in her home, sold for £4,375 and £1,875.

Stephanie Connell, Director of the Entertainment Memorabilia department commented "We are delighted Freddie Mercury's stage costume, which is such an important and instantly recognisable piece of rock and roll history, achieved almost three times its low estimate in our Entertainment Memorabilia sale. A packed room, with frenzied internet bidders from around the globe made for an extremely exciting sale. We are looking forward to our forthcoming sales in 2012 both in the US and UK."

Values stated include buyer's premium, details can be found at www.bonhams.com

A stunning bust with an extraordinary story that moves between the worlds of early African exploration, opera, art and romance sold for £97,250 at Bonhams sale of Fine European Furniture, Sculpture and Works of Art on July 5th in London.

In a packed sale room, bidders competed for the magnificent sculpture, which depicts the African Queen, Selika, a principal character in the Opera L'Africaine. Selika's story is a dramatic tale of love and loss as she takes desperate measures to save her lover's life, by marrying a Portuguese explorer.

The striking figure was created by an Italian sculptor, Luigi Pagani (1837 - 1904) in white marble and patinated bronze and stands at an imposing 33-inches tall (85cm). The story of this tragic and intriguing character is set to music by a German composer, Giacomo Meyerbeer and was first performed in Paris on the 25th April in 1865 to rapturous applause.

François Le Brun, Head of European Furniture at Bonhams comments:
"This striking and unusual figure is a stunning example of 19th century sculpture, which deserves a great deal of admiration. It has been exciting to see so much interest in this fascinating piece, which goes hand in hand with a dramatic story."

A fine example of French Grand Opera, very popular toward the latter 19th century, L'Africaine stages impressive scenes with elaborate costume and spectacular finales. It tells a mythical story set around the Portuguese Explorer Vasco de Gama based on the 'discoveries of the new world'. Nelusko and Selika both King and Queen of their native East-India are found and captured by the Portuguese explorer and returned to Lisbon as proof of his discovery of new and uncharted territory. The jealous Nelusko loves Selika, but she decides to marry Vasco de Gama in a bid to secure Nelusko's life.

Later, Vasco is reunited with his former love Inez who believed him dead. The opera ends with Inez and Nelusko in despair over the marriage, taking their own lives by inhaling the scent of a deadly blossom from the Machineel tree. It is an opera rich with tales of romance, intrigue and despair.

Further top selling lots in the sale included exquisite French late 19th century furniture. A fine bureau, ornately decorated, ormolu-mounted satiné, oeil de vermeil and kingwood parquetry, by Millet sold for £49,250, an ormolu-mounted maple, mahogany, citronnier and fruitwood marquetry breakfront commode sold for £43,250 and a rare ebony and ebonised Japanese lacquer bureau sold for £39,650.

Values stated include buyer's premium. Details can be found at www.bonhams.com

Burgundy topped the bill at Bonhams sale of Fine & Rare Wines in London yesterday, with Romanée-Conti making the top five lots - a dozen 1985 vintage made £92,000 with two cases of 1988 vintage both reaching £69,000 and a case of six bottles of 1993 vintage selling for £29,900.

Whilst prices of young Bordeaux, particularly the first growths, have fallen over the last year, demand remains strong for older vintages. Chateau Lafite from a private Belgian cellar saw prices well above estimate - the 1962 vintage making £3,795 a dozen (estimate £2,600-3,200), the 1963 £2,185 a dozen (estimate £1,200-1,500), 1964 £3,680 a dozen (estimate £2,600-3,200) and 1971 £2,990 a dozen (estimate £2,000-2,600). The 1982 vintage made £21,850, down on the level achieved in 2011 but still faring much better than recent vintages.

A case of Chateau Gruaud Larose 1961 made £2,185 (estimate £1,500-1,800), a dozen Mouton Rothschild 1970 made £1,610 (estimate £1,100-1,300) whilst six bottles of Chateau d'Yquem 1962 made £2,530 (estimate £1,800-2,400).

A private English cellar of rare wines also produced good prices - six bottles of Chateau Latour 1959 made £6,325 (estimate £4,400-5,200) with particularly strong bidding on vintage Port - two bottles of 1896 vintage sold for £978 (three times the estimate of £300-360), one magnum of Quinta do Noval 1927 sold for £897 (estimate £500-600), four bottles of Graham 1935 for £1,610 (estimate £1,200-1,400) and seven bottles of Rebello Valente 1942 made £1,150, over twice its estimate of £420-500.

Outside France, demand was strong for a six bottle vertical of six vintages of Penfold's Grange - 1981-1986 making £1,265 (estimate £750-850) and six bottles of 1992 Henschke Hill of Grace hitting £1,380 (estimate £950-1,100). Strong bidding on a wide selection of Italian wines saw a case of Tenuta di Trinoro 2000 make £1,265 (estimate £880-1100) and £1,840 secure six bottles of Masseto 1995 (estimate £1,600-2,000).

"The diversity and range of wines offered in this auction resulted in our best sale this year with a total sale value of almost £700,000" commented Richard Harvey, International Director for Fine & Rare Wines.

"The result fully vindicates our aim to produce sales with an interesting variety of wines to appeal to drinkers rather than investors".

Values stated include buyer's premium. Details can be found at www.bonhams.com

Video also shows sale of Rolls-Royce, which realised £4.7 million, a new world auction record for the marque.

For the first time, Bonhams can offer exclusive video footage of the historic moment a 1929 4½-litre supercharged 'blower' Bentley became the most valuable British car ever sold at auction, selling for just over £5 million. Click here to view this video.

The footage captures the excitement and atmosphere of anticipation that accompanied the sale, which began with an opening bid of £2 million and concluded with the single-seater being sold to an anonymous telephone bidder for a premium inclusive price of £5,041,500.

The Bentley was the ex-Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin race car that, in period, raised the Brooklands Outer Circuit record to 137mph.

The video footage, captured during its sale at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, also shows another record-breaking sale. Click here to view this video

'The Corgi' 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp 'Silver Ghost' Double Pullman Limousine sold for £4.7 million including premium, the highest price achieved for a Rolls-Royce at auction.

Robert Brooks, Chairman of Bonhams, said: "Bonhams has sponsored this event from its inception some 20 years ago. These results again prove the value of provenance and rarity, offered for sale in the best possible surroundings."

Click here to see the auction of the 1929 4½-litre supercharged 'blower' Bentley.

Click here to see the auction of 'The Corgi' 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp 'Silver Ghost' Double Pullman Limousine

Top lots at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed sale:

Lot 204 – Ex-Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin, The Hon. Dorothy Paget-owned, Brooklands Outer Circuit Lap Record Breaking 1929-31 4 ½ litre supercharged ' Blower' Bentley single seater £5,041,500

Lot 272 – "The Corgi" 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Double Pullman Limousine £4,705,500

Lot 206 – Ex-works Le Mans 24-hour race, Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin / Earl Howe, Italo Balbo, Johnny Wakefield 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 Spider Lungo £2,689,500

Lot 202 – 'Floretta' – ex-works, ex-Wil-de-Gose, John Pole, 'Sam' Clutton / Dr Bob Ewen / Jack Williamson / George Daniels 1908 Itala Grand Prix Car £1,737,500

Beloved Victorian image of childhood sells for almost £300,000 and boosts funds for a Blackpool primary school

Philip Hermogenes Calderon's 'Captain of the Eleven', one of the most popular British Victorian images of childhood, was the top lot in Bonhams' 19th century paintings, drawings and watercolours sale on 11th July, selling for £289,250. In a sale that realised over £2.14 million, the Calderon painting set a new world record for the artist.

The star sale marks a fantastic result for the Blackpool primary school that put the painting up for sale. The work has hung in the school for the past eighty-six years, but was offered for sale at Bonhams in order to raise crucial funds. A school spokesman explained:

"The painting was donated to the school in 1926 by a local councillor. It has hung in our hall since then and has been part of the history of our school. The Governors and staff are passionate about ensuring all our children receive as many opportunities as possible to broaden their life skills and equip them for their adult lives. As education has changed over the years so too has our work at the school. Serving an area of high deprivation we strive to deliver exciting, inspirational teaching to raise our children's aspirations and unleash their potential. By taking the decision to sell our painting the Governors are ensuring we can continue to overcome the barriers faced by our families to secure a brighter future for our children."

'Captain of the Eleven' was painted in 1882 and became a lasting and much loved symbol of childhood innocence. In 1898, the image was published in the Pears' Annual – a large format Christmas Annual issued by Pears Soaps between 1891 and 1925, which contained Christmas stories, advertisements and presentation prints. After inclusion in the Pears' Annual, it was reproduced in countless posters, postcards and presentation cricket bats, throughout the 20th Century.

Bonhams Director of 19th Century Paintings, Peter Rees said, "Calderon's painting of a young boy, in his cricket whites, with clear complexion and cherubic face, was the perfect image to represent the Victorian view of children as models of truth and honesty. We are thrilled with the reception of the painting in Wednesday's sale and particularly pleased that the price realised will help improve resources and facilities at the primary school."

Other top lots in the 19th century sale included Archibald Thorburn's fine snow-scene, 'Blackcock and Grouse in flight', which sold for £193,250 and Rudolf Ernst's meticulous Orientalist painting, 'After Prayers', which realised £145,250. A pencil portrait by Dante Gabriel Rossetti made £56,450.

Values stated include buyer's premium, details can be found at www.bonhams.com

Carmel — Bonhams is excited to announce its auction of jewellery and watches to be held August 17, alongside its 15th Annual Sale of Exceptional Motorcars, Motorcycles and Related Automobilia at Quail Lodge in Carmel, Calif., during Pebble Beach Car Week.

Driving the sale will be jewellery and watches by Tiffany, David Webb, Franck Muller, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and Cartier.

The front-runner of the auction's offerings will be a diamond cuff bangle bracelet, centering a marquise-cut diamond, surrounded by a sun-burst of marquise and round brilliant-cut diamonds (est. $15,000-18,000). Another fabulous bracelet on offer will be a multicoloured sapphire and diamond wide bracelet with various-shaped rose-cut diamonds interspersed amongst multicoloured sapphires (est. $7,500-9,500).

Impressive watch examples will include Corum diamond and 18k gold Rolls Royce radiator wristwatches in men and women's styles (est. $8,500-9,000 and est. $3,500-5,500); a Rolex stainless steel bracelet wristwatch (est. $3,000-5,000); a Girard Perregaux, BMW Oracle Yachting 1998, stainless steel automatic chronograph strap wristwatch (est. $3,800-4,000); and a Chopard stainless steel automatic wrist chronograph with date (est. $2,500-3,500).

Of the sale, Deborah Boskin, Jewellery Specialist at Bonhams, had this to say, "The sale has a wonderful array of contemporary and signed jewellery and watches, sure to appeal to the sophisticated buyer."

Unique automobilia-themed cufflinks and brooches will also be on offer, such as a pair of diamond, ruby and eighteen karat gold British taxicab cufflinks (est. $1,500-2,000) and a diamond, ruby, emerald and black onyx classic car brooch (est. $1,000-1,500). Especially unique will be a pair of fourteen karat gold oil derrick cufflinks (est. $600-800).

Two stellar highlights to round out the sale will include a graduated round brilliant-cut diamond rivière necklace, suspending a single pear-shaped diamond ($5,000-7,000) and a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond pavé-set dome ring (est. $4,000-6,000).

The sale's illustrated catalogue will be available online in the weeks preceding it, for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com.

Jewellery and Watches Auction Preview: July 20-21, San Francisco; July 27-29, Los Angeles; August 15-17, Quail Lodge in Carmel, Calif.
Bonhams 15th Annual Sale of Exceptional Motorcars, Motorcycles and Related Automobilia: August 16–17, Quail Lodge in Carmel, Calif., featuring Motorcycles on August 16 at 2 pm; Automobilia on August 17 at 11 am; Jewellery and Watches on August 17 at 12 pm; and Motorcars on August 17 at 1 pm.

Auctions are today a common ingredient of historic motoring events and the Goodwood Revival is no exception. Bonhams, as a founder Sponsor, will return this September to hold an auction of Collectors' Motor Cars and Automobilia.

Amongst many outstanding lots consigned are; the ex-Works/Lord Selsdon & Lord Waleran,1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans Team Car, 1927 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 'S', the ex-Works, 1964 Austrian Alpine winning, 1965 Targa Florio,1964 Austin-Healey 3000 MKIII Works Rally/Race Car and 1931 Invicta 4½-Litre S-Type Low-Chassis Tourer 'Bluebird'.

Please bookmark this page as the lot preview is constantly being updated.

One of the best sword collections to come to the market in recent years – 150 Victorian and Georgian swords including one once owned by a British Prime Minister, Lord Grenville who was PM from 1806 -1807 – will be sold on July 31st at Bonhams in Oxford.

A particularly interesting weapon in this collection of British swords, believed to have been presented to Lord Grenville, is valued at £2,500 to £3,500. The whole collection is estimated to be worth £160,000. Gary Bates is a leading Canadian collector of militaria.

Lord Grevile's sword, a Georgian Agate Hilted Mameluke presentation sabre, made by Salter & Co, has two large panels originally containing inscriptions now removed. It would appear that the inscription has been deliberately removed to hide the identity of the recipient.

The Mameluke hilt has an agate grip with gilt rosettes, gilt crossguard cast with scrolls and trophies, the outer face with a removable disc which reveals the owner's crest. The crest is that of William-Whyndham Grenville, 1st and last Lord Grenville of Wooton-under-Burnwood, Bucks. 1759 -1834.

Grenville was an orator and statesman of high repute and filled some of the most important ministerial offices during the reign of King George III. He was elevated to the peerage in 1790.

He was appointed a Major commanding in the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry 31/05/1798, though holding no prior appointment in the regiment since its inception in May 1795. He held this position until the signing of the Peace of Amiens.

Upon the renewal of hostilities in 1803, he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the (1st or Southern Regiment) Buckinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry. Lord Grenville held this position until his retirement in 1813, and this sword possibly dates from this time. He served as Prime Minister from 1806-1807.

The second half of the Gary Bates collection will be offered for sale by Bonhams on the 5th December 2012.

GARY NORVILE GEORGE BATES
Gary Bates was born in Brandon, Manitoba on the 6th May 1935. As he was the only boy born in Brandon on that day, and it was the date of King George V's Silver Jubilee, he was given the middle name of George by his Anglophile parents.

His first sword was a WWII dress sword belonging to a friend's father. When he enquired about the price, he was told to go down to the basement and help himself, 'if you can find it, you can have it'.

This fuelled Gary's interest in antique weapons, although at first he concentrated on firearms. In the late 60s, however, he discovered swords, and at first he bought every sword he could find but soon his interest focused on British swords. In the early 1970s he paid his first visit to England which coincided with the London Arms Fair. This was a great spur to his interest which was followed up by visits to virtually every London Arms Fair for the next forty years.

Gary's first love was Georgian swords, but as it became more and more difficult to find pieces which lived up to his high standards, he began to buy Victorian and even later examples. He concentrated on swords in fine condition, and virtually every sword in his collection can be described as excellent or better. Presentation and regimentally marked swords also figure large in the collection.

The archive of Australia's first ever double Olympic Medal winner Bobby Pearce (1905-1976), will be one of the highlights of Bonhams Olympic Games Sale on 25 July 2012. This important collection comprises Olympic Gold Medals as well as Olympic memorabilia including letters, photographs and posters. The archive has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £30,000 – 50,000 ($44,000 - $73,000 AUD). The Olympic Games sale will be held at Bonhams Knightsbridge, London saleroom during the run up to London 2012.

Henry Robert "Bobby" Pearce was born in Double Bay, Sydney, in 1905. His family were known for their sporting pedigree, his father, Harry Pearce, was Australian Professional Sculling Champion, his uncle, Sandy Pearce, played Rugby League for Australia's national side and his Grandfather, Henry (Footie) Pearce, was a noted Sydney Waterman.

He started rowing early under the tutelage of his father and won his first open race at 14. Despite reservations as Pearce was still an amateur, by 1928 such was his reputation that he was the obvious choice for Olympic Games selection. He went to Amsterdam 1928 as the only Australian rower at the Amsterdam Games and was hugely successful, endearing himself to the crowd by actually stopping during his heat with the French Rower Saurin to allow a group of ducks to cross the course, and then going on to win by twenty lengths. He defeated the American entrant Kenneth Myers in the final, who was so disgusted that he smashed his boat.

This win made him the first Australian to win a rowing Gold Medal, and the only Australian prize winner at the 1928 Games. He returned via England, but was denied a chance to row at Henley, because as a carpenter he was considered an artisan.

In 1930 he went to Hamilton, Ontario, to compete for Australia in the British Empire Games, again winning a Gold Medal, and as work was difficult to find in Australia, decided to remain in Canada, where he was given a job by The Distillers Company as a salesman. No longer an artisan, he was able to travel to Henley the following year, where he won the Diamond Sculls, one of the three premier amateur sculling prizes. Although a Canadian resident, Olympic rules meant that he was chosen to compete again for Australia at the Los Angeles Olympiad in 1932, driving across America to compete, with his sculling boat on the roof of his car. His win there made him the first to retain an Olympic Rowing gold medal.

After 1932 he turned professional competing in the Professional Championship of the World in a wager match at Toronto, where he won the race by a staggering quarter of a mile. He retained the title and went on to defend it successfully in 1934 and 1938, relinquishing it undefeated after WW2.

Regarded by many as the best Sculler ever produced by Australia, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986.

His son Bob Jnr, who lives in Canada, is delighted to be offering the collection through Bonhams. He says: "This is a remarkable archive of Olympic and Australian memorabilia, paying homage to my father's great sporting achievements. I would hope that a suitable home for this collection could be found in Australia."

Los Angeles - Bonhams is pleased to announce its July 29 Period Art & Design auction highlighted by a Continental Renaissance Revival carved walnut partners desk once owned by celebrated fashion designer and author Prince Egon von Furstenberg. This highly sought after pedestal desk is ornately decorated with intricate scroll work that boasts foliate trim and figural adornment. Consigned by von Furstenberg's daughter, Princess Tatiana, the piece is expected to bring $2,500-3,500 during the summer auction.

Von Furstenberg began his career in New York as a a buyer for Macy's. In the evenings he took classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology. His professional achievements included product licencing, fragrances, haute couture, interior design and two top selling books under "The Power Look" title on the subjects of taste, fashion, and home decoration.

Additional highlights from the July auction include an impressive 19th century portrait of a British officer, thought to be Captain Thomas Penrice (est. $3,000 - 5,000); an oil on canvas titled "The Kremlin in the snow," attributed to Vasily Sitnikov (est. $6,000 - 8,000); a pair of mid-20th century Mexican sterling silver Modernist four-branch candelabra by Maestro Gonzalo W. Moreno, Mexico City, (est. $6,000 - 8,000) and more than 100 lots of books formerly from Serendipity Books.

Bonhams will be once again be holding an auction of Collectors' Motor cars, motorcycles and automobilia at the world famous Beaulieu Autojumble. Held at the Beaulieu National Motor Museum, the Autojumble is the biggest outdoor sale of motoring items and paraphernalia in Europe.

Already consigned are many interesting and eclectic cars, including a 1972 Ferrari Dino Spyder, a1922 Wolseley H.7 (one of only ten known survivors), a horse-drawn phaeton and a the only known example of a 1948 DOT AA Truck.

The famous official poster for the 1948 London Olympics is the leading lot among a selection of items from the 'Austerity Games' to be offered at Bonhams Olympic Games sale in Knightsbridge on 25 July.

Designed by Walter Herz, it shows an image of the Ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower, Discobolus, superimposed on a picture of Big Ben with the hands on the clock set at 4.00 – the time of the official opening of the Games. The poster for sale was customised to advertise the Yachting Events which were held in Torquay between 3-6 August. It is estimated at £2,000-4,000.

The London Olympics took place as the world was slowly recovering from the shocks and privations of the Second World War in an atmosphere of make and mend. The athletics track, for example, was cobbled together by covering Wembley Dog Track with cinders. Food rationing was still in place in the UK and members of the British team had to supplement their diet with whale meat and food parcels from fellow citizens. The resumption of the Games after a gap of 12 years was seen as an important symbolic gesture of a determination to get back to normality. A record 59 nations took part though Germany and Japan were not invited and the Soviet Union declined its invitation.

Also featured in the sale is a large collection of programmes, tickets and booklets covering most of the major events from the Games, which ran from 29 July to 14 August. It is estimated at £1,000-1,500.

Bobby Pearce collection sells for almost £50,000 amid London 2012 Olympic excitement

The archive of Australia's first ever double Olympic Medal winner Bobby Pearce (1905-1976), was the top selling lot at Bonhams Olympic Games Sale held on 25 July in London. The important collection, comprising Olympic Gold Medals, as well as letters, photographs and posters, sold for £49,250 to an Australian buyer, bringing the treasured items back home.

Henry Robert "Bobby" Pearce was born in Double Bay, Sydney, in 1905. His family were known for their sporting pedigree. His father, Harry Pearce, was Australian Professional Sculling Champion, his uncle, Sandy Pearce, played Rugby League for Australia's national side and his Grandfather, Henry (Footie) Pearce, was a noted Sydney Waterman.

He started rowing early under the tutelage of his father and won his first open race at 14. Despite reservations as Pearce was still an amateur, by 1928 such was his reputation that he was the obvious choice for Olympic Games selection. He went to Amsterdam 1928 as the only Australian rower at the Amsterdam Games and was hugely successful, endearing himself to the crowd by actually stopping during his heat with the French Rower Saurin to allow a group of ducks to cross the course, and then going on to win by twenty lengths. He defeated the American entrant Kenneth Myers in the final, who was so disgusted that he smashed his boat.

This win made him the first Australian to win a rowing Gold Medal, and the only Australian prize winner at the 1928 Games. He returned via England, but was denied a chance to row at Henley, because as a carpenter he was considered an artisan.

In 1930 he went to Hamilton, Ontario, to compete for Australia in the British Empire Games, again winning a Gold Medal, and as work was difficult to find in Australia, decided to remain in Canada, where he was given a job by The Distillers Company as a salesman. No longer an artisan, he was able to travel to Henley the following year, where he won the Diamond Sculls, one of the three premier amateur sculling prizes. Although a Canadian resident, Olympic rules meant that he was chosen to compete again for Australia at the Los Angeles Olympiad in 1932, driving across America to compete, with his sculling boat on the roof of his car. His win there made him the first to retain an Olympic Rowing gold medal.

After 1932 he turned professional competing in the Professional Championship of the World in a wager match at Toronto, where he won the race by a staggering quarter of a mile. He retained the title and went on to defend it successfully in 1934 and 1938, relinquishing it undefeated after WW2.

Regarded by many as the best Sculler ever produced by Australia, Bobby Pearce was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986.

Values stated include buyer's premium, details can be found at www.bonhams.com

A fine portrait of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, by the well known Scottish portrait painter Allan Ramsay, is one of the outstanding lots in Bonhams Scottish Sale Part I in Edinburgh on 20 August. It is estimated at £80,000 - 100,000.

John Campbell of Stonefield, better known as Lord Stonefield, was a prominent Scottish lawyer. The Ramsay portrait, regarded as one of the artist's finest, is notable for the assertive gaze of the sitter and the exquisite rendering of the intricate costume. It was painted in 1749, the year before Campbell's marriage to Lady Grace Stuart, daughter of the 2nd Earl of Bute, and the year after he was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates. He was appointed Lord of Session in 1762 and sat for 39 years on the bench until his death in 1801.

Lord Stonefield had seven sons, all of whom predeceased him. His second son was Colonel John Campbell who achieved fame as the defender of Mangalore during the Second Anglo-Mysore war. He held the fortress for eight months against the siege led by the famous Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan.

The sale also features another Ramsay portrait painted in 1852 when he was coming to the end of his first and very successful London period. It shows a young army officer, George Glanville, wearing a red military coat and is estimated at £30,000-40,000.

The 1929 Grindlay-Peerless JAP 500cc 'Hundred Model' that is one of only two of its kind known to survive lapped Brooklands at over 100mph in 1937.

An extremely rare racing motorcycle from the 1920s that lapped the famous Brooklands race circuit at over 100mph is expected to generate intense competition among bidders at the Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale on Sunday 21st October 2012.

One of only two of its kind known to survive, the 1929 Grindlay-Peerless-JAP 500cc 'Hundred Model' (estimate £50,000 - 70,000) won the Brooklands 'Gold Star' award in 1937 in the hands of prominent VMCC member, the late Edmond 'Boy' Tubb.

When Grindlay-Peerless rider C W G 'Bill' Lacey became the first man to cover 100 miles in an hour on British soil in August 1928, the Coventry factory lost no time in bringing out a replica of his machine, the Brooklands 'Hundred Model', of which only five or six were ever made.

Offered for sale by the Tubb family, this Grindlay has been displayed at the Brookland Museum since the late 1980s, and used by the Brooklands Society on numerous demonstration runs in recent years.

Other notable early consignments for the Stafford sale include a collection of three Velocettes owned by world-famous motorcycling authority and prolific author, the late Jeff Clew.

The collection includes a 1930 KTT racer (estimate £20,000 - £25,000), an ultra-rare 1929 Speedway model (estimate £7,000 - £10,000), and a 1957 Valiant (estimate £36,000 - £40,000), all of which have been displayed at the Haynes Motor Museum in Dorset since Jeff's passing in 2009.

Raced at Brooklands and in the Manx Grand Prix by its first owner Harold Lamacraft and later at Brooklands by Bert Perryman, the KTT was restored by Jeff in the 1960s to be as close as possible to original specification. Since the completion of this restoration in 1967, it has been ridden on closed roads over part of the Isle of Man TT course for the Manx Grand Prix's 50th anniversary in 1973, and also at 'Brooklands Revived' events.

Veloce Ltd made only 21 Speedway (dirt-track) models, and Jeff's re-creation uses a genuine 415cc 'KDT' engine (basically an over-bored 350cc KTT unit), which is housed in a KSS roadster frame modified to dirt-track specification by many-times grass-track champion Lew Coffin.

A classic racing motorcycle from the post-war era, the 1957 Matchless G45 was delivered new to Australia, spending several years in museums there after its retirement from active competition. Repatriated from Western Australia in 2004, it was overhauled by a marque specialist and has had only one outing to date: the Festival of 1000 Bikes at Mallory Park in 2008.

Other highlights of what promises to be another sensational sale include a recently restored 1910 Rex 5hp De Luxe V-twin that has participated in the Pioneer and Banbury Runs since completion in 2007 (estimate £14,000 - £18,000) and a 1930 Brough Superior 'Overhead 680' restoration project (estimate £20,000 - £30,000).

Ben Walker, Director of the Bonhams Motorcycle Department, said: "Brooklands machines rarely come to market so we are truly honoured to be offering not one but two important examples at our Autumn Stafford sale.

"The ex-Edmond 'Boy' Tubb 1929 Grindlay-Peerless represents the period of 'no fear' motorcycle racing when Brooklands was the centre for the world's most epic speed record attempts.

"Jeff Clew is sorely missed by all and we look forward to continuing his legacy through the sale of his much-loved and highly-prized Velocettes, one of which has Brooklands and Manx Grand Prix history."

San Francisco — The Period Art & Design auction, August 19 at Bonhams in San Francisco, will present special selections of furniture from the iconic San Francisco bars Henry Africa and Eddie Rickenbacker's, as well as contemporary furniture designed by Thomas and Margaret Saydah, featured in Serendipity Books in Berkeley, Calif., prior to its closing.

Property from these collections are among the more than 400 lots to be offered in the sale, which will also include a large selection of English and French clocks, sculptures by Miguel Berrocal, fine paintings and various rugs and carpets.

Norman Hobday, who passed away in 2011, served for 50 years as the keeper of the now-closed San Francisco bars Henry Africa and Eddie Rickenbacker's. The bars displayed a large collection of classic motorcycles, toy trains and antique lamps. Bonhams is proud to offer items from his collection.

Offerings from the Norman Hobday Trust will include a classical style mahogany centre table, along with an Edwardian mahogany bowfront chest of drawers (est. $500-700) and a large grouping of Vienna bentwood chairs (est. $300-500), among others.

Also offered will be furniture from Serendipity Books, which opened more than 40 years ago in Berkeley. Its founder, Peter Howard (1939-2011), has been eulogised as "one of the most imaginative booksellers of his generation." Howard stocked not only individual titles, but entire collections. He wanted people to search for their books, looking carefully and hopefully finding not only what they were looking for, but far more.

Furniture from Serendipity Books, as designed by Thomas and Margaret Saydah, will include several hardwood rocking chairs (each est. $1,500-2,500), a contemporary mixed hardwood coffee table (est. $1,800-2,500), a glass display case (est. $1,000-1,500), a pair of contemporary ebonized and mixed hardwood chairs (est. $400-600), and much more.

The sale will also offer a large collection of English and French clocks, including Louis Philippe and Naopoleon III style mantle and carriage clocks, with estimates ranging from $200-1,200; and six sculptures by Miguel Berrocal: Mini Maria, Mini David, Mini Cariatide, Portrait de Michele, Mini Zoraida and Mini Christina (each, est. $600-800).

There will be offerings of contemporary Made in California art, such as Space of Being, a gold leaf, silver leaf and mixed media on panel by Max Gimblett (est. $6,000-8,000) and an oil on canvas by Horst Trave, 10-10-1960 (est. $3,000-5,000), as well as California and Western art, such as Edith Hamlin's oil on canvas board, Tucson (est. $2,500-3,500).

There will also be several European paintings available, including an oil on canvas still life of flowers in a decorated vase, attributed to Franz Werner von Tamm (est. $4,000-6,000); an 18th century, Italian School oil on canvas of a pair of floral still lifes (est. $4,000-6,000); and an oil on panel of figures and two horses outside of a barn by Wouter Verschuur II (est. $2,000-3,000).

Contemporary highlights will include a set of 13 chromed metal and caned wood Cesca chairs by contemporary furniture designer Marcel Breuer (est. $800-1,200), a Michael Taylor cut velvet upholstered tufted sofa (est. $1,500-2,500) and a set of five Michael Taylor Baroque style side chairs (est. $800-1,200).

The sale's illustrated catalogue will be available online in the weeks preceding it, for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com/perioddesignusa.com.

Auction Preview: August 17-19, San Francisco
Auction: August 19, San Francisco

Press Contacts:
Joalien Johnson: (415) 503-3348, joalien.johnson@bonhams.com Jannelle Grigsby: (310) 567-7990, jannelle.grigsby@bonhams.com Julie Saunders Guinta: (917) 206-1681, julie.saunders@bonhams.com

The July auction of 19th Century Paintings, Drawings and Watercolours saw some excellent prices across the sale, with a total of £2.1 million, and a selling rate of 70%.

Among the highlights were a world-record £289,000 for Philip Hermogenes Calderon's iconic image, "Captain of the eleven," a wonderful depiction of Victorian childhood.

Bonhams continues to dominate the market for Archibald Thorburn, achieving £193,000 for his magnificent watercolour "Blackcock in flight." We now hold four of the top five world auction records for the artist.

Orientalist Art was well represented in the sale, with strong prices achieved for works by Rudolf Ernst (£145,000), Anders Zorn (£103,000) and Otto Pilny (£66,000) among others. Among other highlights were strong prices for works by Louis Grimshaw, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Clarke Wontner and Heywood Hardy.

The Department is currently collecting for its next auction of 19th Century Paintings, on Wednesday 23rd January.'

Los Angeles – Bonhams Los Angeles is delighted to announce its inaugural Urban Art auction which will be held on October 29, 2012. The sale in Los Angeles follows the success of "Art in the Streets" exhibition at the city's Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA).

This auction, the first of its type to be held in America, features historical works by pioneering graffiti artists, as well as pieces by contemporary artists who have redefined the genre. Since 2008, when the first sale was held in our London galleries, Bonhams has consistently proven itself to be the market leader, achieving a number of world-record prices and a significant following. Our London auctions regularly include the work of some of the biggest names in the field, including Banksy, Blek le Rat, Shepard Fairey, JR, Futura 2000 and Os Gemeos, while also introducing a number of emerging artists.

Highlights from the Los Angeles auction include Banksy's iconic "Lenin on Rollerblades (Who Put the Revolution on Ice?)" (est. $30,000-50,000) and "Winnie the Pooh" (est. $50,000-80,000).

Urban Art continues to be one of the most exciting and rapidly developing sectors of the art market. Bonhams is excited to be hosting the next auction in LA and entries are still being invited. Urban Art specialist, Gareth Williams, who first launched the highly successful format in London, comments, "We are bringing the sale to Los Angeles because of the huge level of interest we have received from Californian collectors. Last year's critically acclaimed "Art in the Streets" exhibition at MoCA and the numerous sell-out shows by leading Urban artists, seems to have captured the public imagination here.

The success of street art also lies in its universal accessibility. It is freely available for the public to view and carries none of the exclusive connotations often associated with the fine art world. It is also an ephemeral art form, disappearing as quickly as it appears and in an attempt to address this many artists have created permanent artworks which remain true to their street roots. DIY techniques, such as stencil spray painting, wheat pasting, and the incorporation of street furniture/ found objects are integrated with re-appropriated street imagery. The works are often politicised and champion the underdog."

William's own fascination with DIY culture has inspired him to write his new book Cut and Shut on the phenomenon of Creative Salvage in design and art. The book examines the early careers of a number of pioneering furniture makers / artists such as Joe Rush, Tom Dixon, Ron Arad and Mark Brazier-Jones – all of whom operated in London in the early 1980s. With no professional training, these creators defied convention by producing work from materials as diverse as concrete, scaffolding, scrap metal, broken glass, military vehicles and found objects.

The Bonhams illustrated auction catalogue will be available online in the weeks preceding the sale at www.bonhams.com/urbanart

Preview: October 26-29, Los Angeles

Auction: October 29, Los Angeles