BONHAMS SKINNER PRESENTS A HISTORY-SPANNING RARE SPIRITS SALE
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A bottle of Glenlivet Generations 80-Year-Old bottled by Gordon & MacPhail,
estimated at $44,000 – 55,000.
Boston – Barrels of History: Pre-Prohibition to Today – Bonhams Skinner’s latest offering of rare and fine spirits – will present over 300 lots from master distilleries, online from October 4 – 16. The quality on offer is showcased by an ultra-rare and ultra-aged Glenlivet Generations 80-Year-Old bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, estimated at $44,000 – 55,000. Distilled in 1940, this bottle transports one to another time and place when George Urquhart, a champion of single malts, felt the spark of innovation and decided to lay a barrel down for extended ageing. The dark amber color marks its journey through eight decades in barrel.
The sale will also present a breathtaking array of pre-Prohibition bottlings in excellent condition and a rare of opportunity to taste history offered at a scope seldom seen. Further expressions of American Whiskey through the 20th century make up the backbone of this sale with pioneering names such as Willet, Weller and Van Winkle in great supply. A highlight of these bottles is a Willett Bourbon 23 Years Old, estimated at $8,000 – 12,000, as well as a Pappy Van Winkle 20 Years Old, estimated at $2,000 – 2,600.
Additional sale highlights include:
- A bottle of Bowmore Black Bowmore, 1964, estimated at $10,000 – 15,000.
- A bottle of Macallan El Celler De Can Roca Distil Your World New York Edition, estimated at $8,000 – 10,000.
- A bottle of AH Hirsch 16 Years Old Blue Wax, 1974, estimated at $6,000 – 8,000.
Over 50 lots of well-kept whiskey from the prolific collection of Josh Raynolds (1962-2023), renowned international wine critic and passionate curator of both wine and spirits, will also be offered in the sale. The current offering is headlined by a bottle of E.H. Taylor Warehouse C Tornado Surviving, estimated at $4,000 – 5,000.
Additional highlights of the collection include:
- 3 bottles of Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot “B” 12 Years Old, estimated at $2,400 – 3,200.
- 3 bottles of Stagg Jr. Batch 4, 2015, estimated at $1,300 – 1,700.
- 4 bottles of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch A215, estimated at $1,000 – 1,400.
| Sale: Barrels of History: Pre-Prohibition to Today |
| Location: Online |
| Date: October 4 – 16 |
About The Bonhams Network
Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognised for its bespoke service, and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars.
Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams’ global strategy is a result of recognising the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement.
Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.
Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914), also in Hong Kong.
More information and highlights can be found here.
For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com
