PROF. SERGIO ANSUINI | ROME, OCTOBER 24, 2025
The Frieze Art Week, the major art fair held in London from October 15 to 19, concluded with more than satisfactory results. A lively atmosphere welcomed over 90,000 visitors from 108 countries. In addition to collectors and buyers, many international celebrities were spotted, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Helena Bonham Carter, and Madonna.
From Regent’s Park, culture and art captivated London. Countless events characterized the week with great cultural cohesion, broad creative capacity, and a vibrant interest in interdisciplinary work.
Exhibitors expressed satisfaction with both the scale and quality of sales. Among the leading galleries, Hauser & Wirth stood out for selling a work by Gabriele Münter (1877–1962). The painter was Wassily Kandinsky’s companion for twelve years. She was part of the Der Blaue Reiter group and, before the Great War, contributed to the most important avant-garde exhibitions.
The work Der Blaue Garten (1909) was sold for 3.01 million dollars. The gallery also sold, among many others, the following works: René Magritte (1898–1967) Le Domaine Enchanté for 1.6 million dollars, Paul Klee (1879–1940) Befestigter Ort (1929) for 1.69 million dollars, and Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968) Jacquette (1956) for 1.35 million dollars.
The gallery Robilant+Voena included among its sales a Lucio Fontana Concetto Spaziale, Attese for 1.04 million dollars. Particularly noteworthy was the sale completed by Vito Schnabel of a four-handed painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) and Andy Warhol (1928–1987) for 6 million dollars. The artistic collaboration between Warhol and Basquiat, promoted between 1983 and 1985 by gallerist Bruno Bischofberger, produced around 160 works. Initially, the collaboration also involved the Italian artist Francesco Clemente, but after fifteen joint works, it continued only with the two American artists.
The major Modern and Contemporary Art auctions held alongside the London and Paris fairs achieved significant results. The coming week is expected to be quieter, with attention mainly focused on Oriental and Middle Eastern Art.
The “London Motor Week,” taking place from October 27 to November 2, includes the St James’s Motoring Spectacle. It is a free, one-day event showcasing cars in all their forms. It serves as a preview of the RM Sotheby’s London Auction, which begins the following day.
The week concludes with the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the world’s longest-running and one of the most iconic automotive events. Under the patronage of the Royal Automobile Club, it celebrates the pioneering history of the automobile. The start is scheduled for Sunday, November 2, 2025, from Hyde Park.
The Automotive Auction by Sotheby’s, held on November 1 at The Peninsula London, 1 Grosvenor Place, offers dream cars. Among the various lots:
Lot 135: Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Spider, 1937, Zagato style. 8-cylinder engine, 2,905 cc, twin-turbo derived from the Grand Prix. Estimate: 3,500,000 – 5,500,000 GBP. Only 38 examples of this model were produced. It is probably the most important model in Alfa Romeo’s history.
Lot 139: Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider America, 1955, by Pininfarina. Estimate: 450,000 – 600,000 GBP. Sold and kept in Italy until 2011, it has had well-known owners worldwide. It was built exclusively in 1955 in 240 units. Production began on April 7 and was completed on May 18, 1955.
In the UK, in addition to standard license plates, which are part of the vehicle registration process, it is possible to obtain personalized ones. These are known as “Cherished” plates. They can be purchased and transferred to another vehicle through the DVLA (the British agency responsible for vehicle registration) or through specialized auction platforms.
Lot 109: “Cherished” license plate 1 F – Valuation: 800,000 – 1,200,000 GBP.