The online sale unfolded in two parts, with the initial phase showcasing items from the restaurant itself, while the latter half, concluding on April 24th, delved into the extensive wine cellar. A total of 670 lots were featured from the cellar, spotlighting the international diversity of the restaurant’s esteemed wine collection. Strong prices were achieved, notably with the Burgundy wines, exemplified by the sale of seven bottles of Richebourg 1993 from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, fetching £35,000—more than double the initial estimate range of £14,000-22,000.
Additional highlights included two magnums of Château Lafite Rothschild 1945, realizing £15,000 against an estimate of £6,000-8,000, as well as a pristine assortment of Vintage Champagnes, including magnums of Krug 1971 & 1975, which surpassed its high estimate of £6,000-8,500 per 4 magnums, achieving £9,375.
Tim Triptree MW, Christie’s international director of wines & spirits, and Adam Bilbey, global head of wine and spirits at Christie’s, hailed the exceptionally robust outcome as a fitting tribute to the impeccable cellar of Le Gavroche. They expressed delight with the sale’s results, describing it as the inaugural single-owner sale of what promises to be an exceedingly exciting season ahead.
Remarkable items from the restaurant, such as its distinctive guestbook adorned with signatures from luminaries like Charlie Chaplin, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Barbra Streisand, garnered considerable attention. Surpassing its estimated value range of £3,000-5,000, the guestbook fetched an impressive £37,800 at auction.
According to the auction house, millennials constituted around a third of both bidders and buyers (34%), with nearly two-thirds (60%) of bidders being new to Christie’s, underscoring the broad appeal and allure of the sale.
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