Olympia Auctions 🇬🇧 London, by adrscib on Jan 27, 2007 18:15:01 GMT 1, I have the following confidential information which I would like to disclose. (Some of you might already be aware but it seems no one started the argument in this board).

In my opinion we're in for a general renewed interest in our idol. This info was sent to me in January but now I am willing to share it with you. This is a press release from Sotheby's to its members (can be accessed if you become a member so there is nothing top secret)...

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7
(On view: February 2 and 4-6)
Contemporary Art

The Olympia Contemporary Art sales offer contemporary works at affordable prices (estimates start at £1,000) and key international artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries are always represented – there
are regular offerings of household names such as Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Julian Opie, Keith Haring, Sarah Lucas, Gerhard Richter. In addition to the older, more established artists on the contemporary scene, the sales also regularly introduce new, younger, more cutting edge artists to the auction world and recent examples have included the likes of Bansky, Chiho Aoshima and Tam Ochiai. The Olympia Contemporary sales present an exciting mix of old and new talent. Following a very successful 2006 for the Contemporary Art department at Olympia, 2007 looks set to be as
equally promising and exciting.

Highlighting the forthcoming February sale will be three (now increased to 7) works by the urban artist Banksy, all of which have come from private collections closely acquainted with the anonymous artist. The works will come to the market at a time when interest in Banksy is stronger than ever. His acrylic and spraypaint stencil on canvas entitled Bombing Middle England and illustrated on the previous page, is the most valuable of the three works on offer. This piece was commissioned directly by the vendor in 2001 and is unique – it has an estimate of £30,000-£50,000. Balloon Girl (illustrated on the front cover) is from an edition of 25 and is expected to fetch £7,000-£10,000 while his Bomb Hugger carries an estimate of £18,000-£25,000. The Brighton-based street artist Antony Micallef, will also feature in the sale and it will, very excitingly, be the first time that a work by him appears at auction. Micallef has close associations with Banksy given that they are represented by the same agent.


Works to be auctioned:

1) BOMBING MIDDLE ENGLAND
acrylic and spraypaint stencil on canvas
30,000 – 50,000 GBP

2) Glory
spray paint on found lithographic print in artist's frame
20,000 – 30,000 GBP

3) BOMB HUGGER
acrylic and spraypaint stencil on canvas
18,000 – 25,000 GBP

4) Untitled
acrylic and spraypaint stencil on canvas
8,000 – 12,000 GBP

5) PRECISION BOMBING
acrylic and spraypaint stencil on canvas
15,000 – 20,000 GBP

6) BALLOON GIRL
spraypaint stencil on primed canvas
7,000 – 10,000 GBP

7) Ballerina with Action Man parts
painted resin
15,000 – 20,000 GBP

Micallef work:

UNTITLED
acrylic on primed canvas
5,000 – 7,000 GBP