Ritz Paris hotel to auction 12 million euros worth of memorabilia

Record ID: 1112462

  • Title: Ritz Paris hotel to auction 12 million euros worth of memorabilia
  • Date: 11th April 2018
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 11, 2018) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) AUCTIONEER, STEPHANE AUBERT, SAYING: "We start with quite low estimations [of lot prices] since the first price is 100 euros. You could have a collection of eight ashtrays at 100 euros, the ashtrays have the name 'Ritz' on them. And you then have much higher prices - the torch carriers for example, they are large lamps, which are estimated to be around 10, 15 thousand euros. But there are many objects estimated to be between hundred and one thousand euros. This is the range of the majority of the lots in this sale." VARIOUS OF METAL AND MARBLE TORCH CARRIERS VALUED AT 8-10 THOUSAND EUROS ROOM DECORATED IN STYLE OF RITZ HEALTH CLUB, CONTAINING THE RITZ HOTEL'S FIRST BATH VALUED AT 1500-2500 EUROS VARIOUS OF BATH TAPS (SOUNDBITE) (French) AUCTIONEER, STEPHANE AUBERT, SAYING: "Perhaps the most unusual object one can find is the Ritz's first bathtub. It's probably the oldest object in this sale. Cesar Ritz, the founder of the Ritz, wanted his guests to have the greatest comfort, and he placed in every one of the rooms, every one of the suites, a beautiful bathroom, and there we discovered, when we did the inventory, this bathtub, which had been a little forgotten, and which we are selling in this auction." VARIOUS OF THE ENTRANCE HALL TO EXHIBITION, METAL HANGING LANTERN VALUED AT 500-700 EUROS
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2018 13:11
  • Keywords: Ritz hotel auction Artcurial Coco Chanel luxury hotel Ernest Hemingway Paris France
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0058AZKEAH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The prestigious Ritz hotel in Paris is preparing to auction off close to 3,500 artefacts accumulated over the last century, including 1930s beds, sofas, Hemingway-era bar stools, and items from the Coco Chanel suite.
    The hotel underwent an extensive four year renovation, re-opening in June 2016, and after this overhaul decided to auction off the vast quantity of decorations and furniture pieces that no longer had a place in the newly modernized design.
    Artcurial, the auction house handling the sale, has reconstructed a selection of the most luxurious rooms in their offices, allowing potential buyers to view the objects in their natural environment, with dressers, beds, and tables set up identically to the actual hotel.
    Among the most interesting pieces are the hotel's first bathtub - stemming from the hotelier Cesar Ritz's revolutionary idea to furnish each of his guests' rooms with its own individual bath.
    With 120 years of history, the Ritz has hosted some of the most world's celebrated figures. Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel, and the billionaire Rockefeller family are just some of the guests who have made the Ritz their home away from home, with Chanel even dying in the luxury hotel.
    The auction will take place between April 17-21.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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