'Not a bad hourly rate!' Russell Crowe's delight as he rakes in $3.7MILLION from 'Art of Divorce' auction after selling huge haul of movie memorabilia including armour, costumes and even a chariot
- Russell Crowe's multimillion dollar 'The Art Of Divorce' auction was held in Sydney on Saturday night
- A breastplate from his 2000 Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator sold for $125,000 during the auction
- A Roman chariot replica from the same film also sold in the auction's early stages for $65,000
- The highly anticipated auction saw the Hollywood star net $3.7million in just one night
- Crowe finalised his divorce to Danielle Spencer in December, rumoured to cost him $31 million
Russell Crowe's highly anticipated, multimillion-dollar 'The Art Of Divorce' auction has taken place in Sydney.
A breastplate from blockbuster Gladiator sold for $125,000, a replica Roman chariot for $65,000, and a painting by Charles Blackman for $360,000 during the auction.
The auction, which featured the sale of movie memorabilia, Australian art, musical instruments, his ex wife's jewellery and cars, saw Crowe net $3.7million.
The 54-year-old devised the auction as a way to deal with the end of his nine-year marriage to Danielle Spencer - following their separation in 2012 - and to clear out 'stuff'.
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Russell Crowe's highly anticipated, multimillion dollar 'The Art Of Divorce' auction has been held in Sydney, with a breastplate from blockbuster Gladiator (pictured) selling for $125,000
The Hollywood star (pictured) called the auction and exhibition a 'watershed moment' in his life before it started on Saturday
The auction, which featured this 2001 Mercedes V8 Saloon, saw the Hollywood star net more than an estimated $3.7million
A replica Roman chariot from the film Gladiator (pictured) was sold in the early stages of the auction for $65,000
'In case anyone is interested ... $3.7m at the coal face and around $350k of conversations ongoing ... and a bunch of stuff I didn’t really want to sell coming home ... not a bad hourly rate for a five hour shift . Hope you are happy and busy,' Crowe wrote on Twitter after the event.
The Hollywood star held the highly-publicised exhibition and auction at Carriageworks in Sydney, calling it a 'watershed moment' in his life.
The auction opened on Saturday, which is his wedding anniversary and is also his 54th birthday, months after he finalised his divorce that leaves Ms Spencer with their $11 million house and a rumoured $20 million payout.
'Divorce has its way of making you really examine the things that are essential in life — and the things that are not,' he said in a statement announcing the auction.
'Through the process I had a look around and realized I had a lot of stuff. Career stuff, stuff I’ve collected, and stuff in general. Boxes and boxes of stuff… so in the spirit of moving forward into fresh air, here’s a portion of that collection of stuff.'
The most expensive item sold in the auction was 1960 painting The Suitor, by Charles Blackman, which was bought for $360,000.
Some of the other most hotly-contested film items were Gladiator costumes, including a stunt cuirass worn by Crowe when his character Maximus died.
An online bidder bought the armour - which was valued at only $20,000 to $30,000 - for $125,000.
A pair of black leather wrist cuffs from the same film were snatched for $32,000, while two life-sized prop horses were also up for grabs.
'Look at that, something for everyone,' auctioneer Martin Gallon quipped as the horse lot was announced.
The props were bought for $5,500 each.
Item | Estimate | Result |
---|---|---|
Romper Stomper Doc Martens | $10,000 - $15,000 | $10,000 |
Gladiator stunt cuirass | $20,000 - $30,000 | $125,000 |
Gladiator wrist cuffs | $1,000 - $2,000 | $32,000 |
Wooden training sword | $600 - $800 | $20,000 |
Aluminium prop sword and blade | $3,000 - $4,000 | $70,000 |
Prop horse | $2,000 - $4,000 | $5,500 |
Replica Roman chariot | $5,000 - $10,000 | $65,000 |
Gladiator posters | $500 - $1,000 | $1,400 |
Cinderella Man satin robe | $1,000 - $2,000 | $20,000 |
Leather jockstrap | $500 - $600 | $7,000 |
Leandro Bisiach Snr 1890 violin | $110,000 - $140,000 | $135,000 |
Captain Jack Aubrey costume | $25,000 - $35,000 | $115,000 |
Les Misérables blue wool vest | $1,500 - $2,000 | $12,000 |
Les Misérables black costume | $3,500 - $5,000 | $16,000 |
Mosasaur skull | $35,000 - $45,000 | $65,000 |
Sidney Nolan, Monkey (1964) | $30,000 - $50,000 | $60,000 |
Norman Lindsay, Abundance (1924) | $30,000 - $50,000 | $100,000 |
Elvis Presley black acoustic guitar | $7,000 - $8,000 | $7,000 |
Charles Blackman, The Suitor (1960) | $180,000 - $220,000 | $360,000 |
Original Sydney Cricket Ground numbers | $500 - $1,000 | $2,400 |
Brian Lara signed shirt | $1,000 - $2,000 | $1,700 |
Muhammad Ali face plaque | $800 - $1,200 | $1,900 |
1986 Grammy Award presented to Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Sam Phillips, Rick Nelson and Chips Moman | $200,000 - $300,000 | $150,000 |
The Hollywood star held the highly-publicised exhibition and auction at Carriageworks in Sydney on Saturday night
Crowe (left) took auction-goers by surprise by taking to the stage, saying: 'G'day folks, how you doing? You having a bit of fun?'
The auction was momentarily paused as a woman (pictured) sang 'Happy Birthday' to Crowe, who turned 54 on Saturday
Crowe (pictured) took to the stage to introduce his favourite auction item; an 1890 violin made by Leandro Bisiach Snr
Crowe briefly appeared during the middle stages of the auction, where he talked to the audience on his 54th birthday
The most expensive item sold was 1960 painting The Suitor (pictured), by Charles Blackman, which was bought for $360,000
One bidder won a wooden training sword with a bid of $20,000, while an aluminium prop sword and spare blade went for $70,000.
The auction was momentarily paused as a woman sang 'Happy Birthday' to Crowe, who turned 54 on Saturday.
Crowe then took auction-goers by surprise by taking to the stage, saying: 'G'day folks, how you doing? You having a bit of fun?'
'It's been a lot of fun putting it (the auction) together for you.'
He then introduced what he described as one of his favourite auction items; an 1890 violin made by Leandro Bisiach Snr and used by Crowe in Master and Commander.
'I'm told by a luthier, who should know these things, that he can detect the hands only of Leandro Bisiach Sr on the violin ... It was made by the patriarch of the company,' Crowe told the crowd.
The violin sold for $135,000.
A leather jockstrap worn by Crowe in Cinderella Man was won by a telephone bidder for $7000.
The uniform Crowe wore as Captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander (pictured) sold for almost $100,000 more than its estimated price
One bidder won a wooden training sword with a bid of $20,000, while an aluminium prop sword and spare blade (pictured) went for $70,000
A leather jockstrap (pictured) worn by Crowe in the 2005 movie Cinderella Man was won by a telephone bidder for $7000
Auction items included a fully-functioning replica Roman chariot from the film Gladiator (2000), along with two life-size prop horses used during its production
The veteran actor says the 'highly personal collection' was started numerous years ago, with many of the 227 items listed collected during his failed marriage
'The Art Of Divorce' auction was devised by Crowe (right) as a way to deal with the end of his nine-year marriage to Danielle Spencer (left), following their separation in 2012
Meanwhile, the uniform Crowe wore as Captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander sold for almost $100,000 more than its estimated price.
The outfit was sold for $115,000 after it was listed with a price guide of between $25,000 to $35,000.
Earlier in the auction, a leather pair of Dr Martens boots from the 1992 movie Romper Stomper, was bought for $10,000.
Arguably one of the auction's most bizarre items - a dinosaur skull from the late cretaceous period - sold for a staggering $65,000.
The event attracted a colourful mix of clients that were as varied as the items up for grabs - some wearing ball gowns, others sporting beanies.
Celebrity names were also drawn to the event, including journalist Piers Morgan who bought Jonah Lomu's signed All Blacks jersey and Shane Warne's Test jersey.
He told Daily Mail Australia: 'When I went through the list of auction items, I realised there were two that I just had to have.'
'Shane is the greatest bowler of all time and Jonah was the greatest rugby player of all time. To now be the owner of their international jerseys makes me incredibly proud and happy.
'It's even more special that they came from Russell's private collection as I'm a massive fan of his work as an actor.'
Sotheby's Australia chief executive Gary Singer said the event had been one year in the making.
'It's cathartic having a bit of a clean-out,' Mr Singer said in a statement.
'[Crowe said] It's a watershed moment in my life. I need to deal with it in some way, to understand',' he revealed.
The veteran actor said the 'highly personal collection' was started numerous years ago, with many of the 227 items listed collected during his failed marriage.
As part of the sale, Crowe parted with numerous artworks, 28 watches, 19 varieties of diamond jewellery and curiously, the jockstrap he wore in 2005's Cinderella Man
The priciest item up for grabs, the 1986 Grammy Award presented to the late Johnny Cash, was estimated to sell for up to $300,000, however it only sold for half that amount.
The priciest item up for grabs, the 1986 Grammy Award presented to the late Johnny Cash, was estimated to sell for up to $300,000, however it only sold for half that amount
A 1917 500cc Precision motorcycle (left) formed part of 'The Art of Divorce' auction taking place on Saturday night
Arguably one of the auction's most bizarre items - a dinosaur skull (pictured) from the late cretaceous period - sold for a staggering $65,000
'I am not sure when the collecting bug took hold. Maybe as a child with coins, or maybe with stamps, or maybe at around 11, with football cards,' Crowe said.
Crowe married Ms Spencer in 2003, before the couple went on to have two sons.
Auction items included a fully-functioning replica Roman chariot from the 2000 film Gladiator, along with two life-size prop horses used during its production.
As part of the sale, Crowe parted with numerous artworks, 28 watches, 19 varieties of diamond jewellery and curiously, the jockstrap he wore in 2005's Cinderella Man.
The priciest item up for grabs, the 1986 Grammy Award presented to the late Johnny Cash, was estimated to sell for up to $300,000, however it only sold for half that amount.
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