USA: SOTHEBY'S AUCTION HOUSE HOSTS FINAL SESSION OF SALE OF POSSESSIONS FROM THE PARIS HOME OF THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR

Record ID: 229759

  • Title: USA: SOTHEBY'S AUCTION HOUSE HOSTS FINAL SESSION OF SALE OF POSSESSIONS FROM THE PARIS HOME OF THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR
  • Date: 28th February 1998
  • Summary: NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 27, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF SOTHEBY'S 0.08 2. PAN OF AUCTION ROOM 0.23 3. CU WOMAN IN ROOM PAN TO HER PEN AND PAPER 0.32 4. MCU MAN BIDDING 0.37 5. SV MEDIUM VIEW AUCTIONEER SAYING "ALL DONE THEN AT 5,000...SOLD AT 5,000." 0.46 6. MCU SOUNDBITE DIANA BROOKS PRESIDENT OF SO
  • Embargoed: 15th March 1998 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA2T973SEHOEX655OMRZX21DHFB
  • Story Text: Sotheby's auction house hosted the 18th and final session of the marathon nine-day sale of possessions from the Paris home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor on Friday (February 27).

    The sale has fetched three times the pre-sale estimate of seven million dollars U.S.

    A sale of history that made history ended on Friday (February 27) as the Sotheby's auction of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's property wrapped up in New York.

    Friday's session topped off two weeks of auction mania, with the sale of clothes, books pictures and other memorabilia belonging to the Windsors.

    Sotheby's says the sale was historical in that every lot offered (around 40,000 items) was sold, with a total taking of almost 23 million dollars, triple original estimates.

    Over the course of the auction most items sold for much more than their estimated price, including a piece of wedding cake and a doll that sold for thousands of dollars.

    One item that did fetch far below expected however was the ceremonial sword worn by the Duke of Windsor when he was the Prince of Wales.

    Originally estimated to bring 40,000 or so dollars, it failed to sell when it was offered on the first day of the auction.

    It was re-offered Friday, and sold for 22,000 dollars.

    The auction was the brainchild of Mohammed al-Fayed, who bought the Windsors' Paris villa, and all it contained.

    The auction of the Windsors' possessions was originally scheduled for last September, but the sale was postponed after the deaths of Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana.

    All money raised by the auction will go to a charity.

    The duke became King Edward VIII in January 1936 after the death of his father, George V.But on December 10 1936, he abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson.

    He was given the title of Duke of Windsor and married Simpson in June 1937.


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