Filed under: Auctions, Sports

It seems like everywhere I look these days there is a former sports star in trouble. The AP reported on the court-ordered auction of former Nebraska football player Aaron Taylor. The former center and guard’s seven championship rings and his Outland trophy brought in $28,500 today. Bids were taken in person and online and the bronze statue sold for $6,800. The auction was forced by the closure of the Huskers-themed Scarlet and Cream Letter Club restaurant and Taylor’s bankruptcy. The former college player who went on to be drafted by the Indianapolis Colts started the restaurant in Omaha with other former Nebraska players.

The AP reports says that some Nebraska fans donated money to help Taylor try and save some of his memorabilia. Taylor was one of seven Nebraska players who won the Outland Trophy and was awarded All-American honors at two different positions (offensive center and guard).

In his bankruptcy filing earlier this year Taylor said he owed at least $109,543 and had assets worth $5,300 (excluding the value of the rings and trophy). The restaurant owed state and federal taxes including $69,000 owed to the IRS. He had tried to have his memorabilia excluded from the bankruptcy liquidation but under the terms of Chapter 7 he was forced to surrender them.

Former College Football Player Loses Trophy In Bankruptcy Filing originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

I recently mentioned how the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 1921 won the jury prize in Swiss Montres Passion’s 2009 Watch of the Year Award. Well this Parmigiani Pershing Asteria watch won the Prix du Public (publicly voted award) for 2009, in the same magazine. I find it so interesting that the editors at the magazine itself would choose such a quirky classic watch, while the public would vote for a thoroughly modern in appearance sport watch - a women’s version at that. Of course the Parmigiani Pershing comes in male variants as well.

This is one serious sport women’s watch. The 42mm wide case is in white gold with a mother-of-pearl dial - and has all the hallmark features of a diving watch. Inside is a Parmigiani manufacture made 002 Chronograph automatic movement. On the dial there are two charming little features that compliment the easy to read chronograph subdials. At the end of the chronograph seconds hand is (not able to be seen in this image) a small octopus as the counterweight, while the seconds hand/dial for the time itself is a stylized, spinning sea star (starfish).

The luxury watch is also available with various levels of precious jewel decoration. I believe it is a winning watch because the public appreciates its sporty exterior, charming design accents, manufacture made movement, luxurious construction, and modern looks. Quite a departure from what the editors of the Montres Passion magazine took into consideration when giving their award.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Parmigiani Pershing Astéria Watch Wins Public Prize Of Watch Of The Year 2009 In Switzerland originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

The See by Chloe Backstage Crossbody is an unusual bag with a ton of functionality and a great shape.

This attractive little bag (10.75″W x 9.75″H x 3.5″D) is soft, buttery leather with snakeskin-embossed trim, a generous strap (21″ drop) and a “look at me” logo in goldtone hardware. We love the “Backstage” name for it, as this is just the sort of thing we’d expect to see dangling from a runway model when she arrives for work or stuffed on the makeup table as she gets made up. The eye-catching color makes it easy to find post-show, too.

The drawstring closures are enhanced by a hidden magnetic snap, so even though it’s a crossbody, you don’t have to worry about pickpockets. Just worry about someone stealing the whole bag — because it’s gorgeous.

The See by Chloe Backstage Crossbody is available from Bloomingdale’s for $470.00.

See by Chloe Backstage Crossbody, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Though the Vespa furniture is still fresh in our minds, we couldn’t help drooling over an entire range of Chevy furniture spotted over at CarCrazyDesks. Besides the awesome workstations, the catalog includes a C5 barbeque grill from BBQ Vette, which..

Filed under: Wine

Whether you live alone and have trouble going through an entire bottle fast enough or find yourself with half bottles left behind after dinner parties or holiday gatherings, every wine drinker has been faced with the conundrum at one time or another of what to do with leftover, no-longer-drinkable wine.

The important thing to note is that although wine that’s been opened for too long might not taste good for drinking anymore but that doesn’t mean it’s unsafe to ingest. You can certainly pour it out (many people do) but why not do some experimenting with it in the kitchen and try using it in some recipes or try your hand at making your own vinegar?

Ideas for using leftover wine:
- Add flavor and body to tomato-based sauces
- Deglaze pans after roasting meat
- Braise vegetables in it
- Cook it down for use as a sauce and glaze base
- Use it in fondue
- Use it as a marinade for beef, chicken, and fish
- Make your own vinegar by simply letting it sit or by following this recipe

Some argue that you should only cook with wine you would also be willing to drink, but much of what makes wine taste good originally gets lost in the cooking process anyway. It’s really just about personal preference.

What to Do with Leftover Wine originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

Each year the popular (in Switzerland) watch magazine Montres Passion releases a few “Watch of the Year” prizes. The most important of which is the jury award that the magazine itself gives based on their editorial considerations for the best watch. The second most important category is their public chosen prize.

Winning the 2009 Watch of the Year prize is the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 watch. To be honest it is not one of my favorites, but I can’t deny that it is interesting and attractive. The very classic looking watch is a remake of a timepiece originally made by Vacheron Constantin in the 1920s based upon a request by an American client of theirs. He wanted something that could be read easily, without having to turn his arm as much toward himself.

The watch is 40mm wide and cushion shaped in a 18k rose gold case. You can easily see how the dial itself is skewed. Inside is Vacheron Constantin manufacture made Calibre 4400 manually wound movement with subsidiary seconds dial. As an homage to classic watches, a timepiece like this is hard to beat, but I am curious as to why that alone allowed for it to be judged Watch of the Year 2009 by the learned watch editors in Switzerland. You’ll soon see how it compared with the public prize.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 Watch Wins Editor’s Prize For 2009 Watch Of The Year In Switzerland originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch who is known for his extravagant ways, has done it again. The oil tycoon blew away a staggering $52,000 on lunch at Nello’s in New York. Abramovich was accompanied by nine of his friends, and all of them gorged…

Filed under: Gadgets

You’ll never be able to go back to 10-pack cheapo emery boards after having this beautiful accessory in your purse! The Swarovski Nail File, created by designer Craig Coulton for the design competition organized by Designboom, consists of two filing blades (regular and smoothing) that fold out to reveal a shining layer beneath them. Crystals are embedded along each side of a silver, gold, or platinum body. Seems there’s just no end to many ways that crystals can beautify everyday objects.

Swarovski Crystal-Embellished Nail File originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the world of celebrities, cars make the stars. Whether it is an economic downturn or the planet running out of gas, stars would never seize to look for the best of the gas-guzzlers around. While the year 2009 saw the car makers scramble to build…

Filed under: Auctions, Art

If you want art with an unique history, go to Freeman’s auction house in Philadelphia tomorrow. More than 200 contemporary and modern art pieces formerly owned by Lehman Brothers will be going under the gavel. The efforts of David Hockney, Robert Indiana, Frank Stella and Roy Lichtenstein will be represented at the auction. The collection is valued at between $500,000 and $750,000, and most of the lots do not have reserve prices. Those that do (there are only around a dozen) only have minimums of $10,000.

This is an auction that’s sparked some interest among art collectors.

Anne Henry, vice president of Freeman’s, told The Associated Press, “Our phones have been ringing off the hook,” continuing, “The pieces are interesting, in great condition and appeal to all kinds of collectors.” Specific lots include an Alexander Calder print estimated at $800 to $1,200, a set of nine Walker Evans photographs which are estimated at $1,000 to $1,500 and a Roy Lichtenstein print of the Statue of Liberty, which is expected to go for between $15,000 and $25,000.

Lehman Brothers didn’t get much time to enjoy the pieces it purchased. Some were acquired only a few months before the storied investment bank collapsed in September 2008, crushed by the weight of $600 billion of debt.

Of course, this auction pales in comparison to that of former Lehman CEO Richard Fuld. He sold 16 pieces at a Christie’s auction last year, bringing in only $13.5 million, nowhere close to the $20 million estimate.

If you can’t make tomorrow’s auction, Freeman’s will be holding two more: one for paintings and sculpture on December 6, 2009 and a no-reserve auction of 450 prints on February 12, 2010.

Lehman Art: Fire Sale Auction in Philly originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

While the Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica Sonnerie may be the most complicated wrist watch in the world, this Patek Philippe Caliber 89 pocket watch made in 1989 remains the most complex timepiece in the world. With a staggering 33 complication, both side of the dial are filled with hands and subdials. The pocket watch is very thick and weights1.1kg! The case is done in 18k yellow gold. It was made to honor the 150th anniversary of the important Swiss brand. While I am not prepared to engage in list making, you can learn all the Caliber 89’s functions here.

Coincidentally, for auction house Antiquorum’s 35th anniversary, a Patek Philippe Caliber 89 pocket will be auctioned off. Even in these rough times, record amounts for Patek Philippe watches have been achieved at auction. So perhaps it is a good time to auction the Caliber 89 off. In 2004, this same watch was sold at auction for $5 million. The watch took 5 years to research and 4 years to make. It is estimated to yield between $4.4 - $5.4 million, but has an estimated value of $6 million. The auction will be held on November 14-15, and the Patek Philippe Caliber 89 will be lot 364, the final lot of the auction.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Patek Philippe Caliber 89, Most Complex Timepiece On The Planet To be Auctioned Off originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apparel

Let’s not confuse luxury with the spending of wealth. Even high end goods, when arrayed on a retail rack become merely another store purchase. The pre-fabricated feel of that experience is decidedly undifferent from purchasing a fast food burger for a dollar. When you’re paying for a designers work that’s produced in standard sizes by factories, what exactly are you buying that’s so different than you’ll find at Target? A label? Our father’s brands may not exactly going to set our hearts aflutter, should we wish to be snappily-dressed young men.

True luxury is more accurately described as getting exactly what you want. Your things are customized to your tastes. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune for goods exactly tailored to you; making luxury unique from price. Speaking of tailoring, that’s just the area that Boston’s Blank Label wants to address. Being based in the cradle of the American Revolution has apparently rubbed off on the upstart clothing maker. The brand launches today, October 31st, and it’s aimed at changing the way young men buy clothes, with prices that young men could actually afford.

Starting with custom men’s shirts, Blank Label will eventually branch out to offer more clothing. The shirts are handmade by experienced tailors for Blank Label. The materials and workmanship are pleasing, and the website lets you build your own shirt with the options you want. French placket? Sure! High style always looks better when it fits correctly, something that’s difficult to do when you’re buying a name off the rack, designed for the most common compromise. Not having to compromise or settle for something someone else designed? Sounds like luxury to us.

Personal Tailor: Boston’s Blank Label Launches Custom Menswear Website Today originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Earlier a bunch of you lamented that we didn’t have the $100 million listing in Charlottesville, Virginia up yet. Thanks to a kind gentleman for directing me toward the listing which has now gone live. The Wall Street Journal broke the story that Virginia winemaker and philanthropist Patricia Kluge has put Albemarle House, her 300-acre English country estate up for sale for $100 million,making it one of just a handful of listings in the nine-figure range. Kluge is the former wife of John Kluge, a billionaire who founded the Metromedia. She has been living in the area for a while making wine and working on a development called Vineyard Estates which is selling multi-million homes in the area.

Her estate is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and James Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland on over 300 acres. On the grounds there are three ponds, a pool as well as a pool house, log cabin, a greenhouse and several staff cottages. The main house was completed in 1985 and spans over 25,000 square feet with 45 rooms. The home was designed by architect David Easton and his team and includes a theater, library, recreation room with spa and sauna, a card room and an Islamic gallery featuring an antique Syrian fountain. It’s a bit of a pastiche, gilded Versailles-like rooms contrast with simpler spaces that have a more Early American style. Should you have some leftover cash after buying the home you can turn the front grounds into an 18-hole golf course. Arnold Palmer has already designed it.

Any guesses on a final sale price?

Continue reading Albemarle, The $100 Million Listing

Albemarle, The $100 Million Listing originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

One of my favorite watch designers, Alain Silberstein has paired up with one of my favorite independent watch makers MB&F to create this limited edition of 8 pieces Horological Machine 2.2 (HM2.2) “Black Box” watch. It uses the existing HM2 watch and adds Alain Silberstein’s special character. The telltale signs of his involvement are the three multicolor shapes on right-hand dial, the shapes of the hands and indicators, and the character rick face of the moon phase. You also have both MB&F (Max Busser & Friends) and Alain Silberstein’s signature or logo on the rear of the watch.

This HM2.2 Black Box version of the HM2 watch is done in black PVD coated titanium and silicium. The combination of design cues makes the watch look like a nice little Bauhaus inspired instrument. If you’ve worn one of these watches you know how large it is - but cool looking. 59mm wide and 38mm tall. Relatively thin for a watch like this at 13mm thick. Movement is an automatic (with a blue 22k gold version of the signature battle ax rotor) and has two distinct faces. On the left is a small moonphase indicator and retrograde date. On the right is the time via retrograde minutes an jumping hour. I actually feel like this HM2.2 version of the watch is more legible than the original, and certainly presents a unique presentation on the already unique watch. Really nice, and just for a few people who can get one of the eight MB&F “Black Boxes” out there.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

MB&F HM2.2 Watch Designed By Alain Silberstein originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wine

As we noted in our recent report about the just-unveiled 2009 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, one of the most exclusive gifts on offer this year is a HALL Artisan Wine and Art Experience for $20,000, including a bespoke bottling from the renowned artisanal Napa Valley winemaker. If that’s out of your range you can still enjoy the HALL experience this holiday season with wines from their Napa Valley Collection. The collection includes HALL’s signature Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from select fruit from their five estate vineyards encompassing more than 500 acres. The flagship is the Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, a “sumptuous wine that is the amalgam of the finest wines of the vintage.” The 2006 Kathryn Hall vintage was sourced predominately from the estate’s Sacrashe Vineyard and captures the “deep, dusty essence” of its hilltop site, helping to earn a 95 point rating from Wine Enthusiast.

The Kathryn Hall Cabernet has a nose of effusive, high-toned exotic fruits, truffle, blackberry jam and crushed stone minerality, with a lasting richness and dense sweet texture on the palate. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is notable for balanced acidity, ripe, vivid citrus flavor and a clean lingering finish, with aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon-lime, gooseberry, orange blossom and guava. The 2005 Napa Valley Merlot features Intense aromatics of cedar oak accented by scents of roasted coffee beans and a hint of violets and roses. An open, textured palate of ripe briar fruit, dusty mocha and black pepper finishes with a surge of plum and soft tannin. The 2005 HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon shows rich, concentrated aromatics of currant, blackberry, and ripe cherry complemented by hints of toasty oak. Flavors of leather and nutmeg coalesce with plum and vanilla in the concentrated mid-palate and settle into a seductive, chewy finish.

HALL Wines for the Holidays from Napa Valley originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

It’s hard to resist the urge to cover a house in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween. The historic town on the Massachusetts North Shore has become a Halloween headquarters. It’s also got some beautiful old real estate. The Boston Globe highlighted one example as their house of the week and I’m picking up another today. The George Nichols House was built in 1816 and is located in Salem’s McIntire Historic District on Chestnut Street, a street which features many fine Federal period homes. This one has nine bedrooms total and is topped by a widows walk. The home has been beautifully restored but has newer details including a media room, wine cellar and lap pool. A separate brick carriage house offers parking as well as an apartment. No ghosts or witches here (although hose taxidermied birds in the library are a wee bit creepy), just a beautiful brick home. This home is listed at $1.8 million with Merry Fox Realty.

[Thanks, Chris]

Continue reading The George Nichols House, Estate of the Day

The George Nichols House, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As flatscreen TVs become popular, so are the innovative ways of hanging and mounting them in the living room, however, to avoid making it the focal point of your home décor, here’s the SB concept. The French design studio’s SB Concept is TV lift.

Filed under: Jewelry, Men’s Style

We’re not sure why you’d want a topographical map etched on a set of sterling silver cufflinks. However, like the judiciary, if it’s legal then we don’t need to concern ourselves with your intentions, and neither, for that matter, will Fluid Forms. The German company will be glad to etch a section of the huge prairie deal you just closed in Montana — or that Arcadia to which you and Mary Jane retired after senior Prom — onto a small sliver of 925 silver for some ‘links, a brooch, even a pendant.

And because, like the Earth, you’re made of many things, Fluid Forms’ work isn’t limited to corporeal jewelry in silver. If it can be rendered in three dimensions, they can probably fashion it. Their Serene Salt & Pepper Shakers are particularly intriguing, the QR barcode belt buckles are a geek fashionista’s dream, and they make Earth Bowls that look like they do their best work supporting your fruit collection. If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to see if we can have them create a topographical map of… Mary Jane…

Fluid Forms Cufflinks Keep You Close to the Land originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whether to wear briefs, boxers or boxer briefs is an important decision in a man’s life. Luckily for those of us who wear boxers, there are some high end boxer shorts available. These may not be the most expensive boxers in the world, but we’ve put together a list of the most expensive luxury boxers […]

Filed under: Estates

Howsham Hall is gorgeous but is it cursed? In September, Country Life ran a story that says that the stately and fabulously restored 17th century mansion near the Malton area of North Yorkshire, England comes with a curse. The Curse of Kirkham apparently reaches way back to 1610 when Sir William Bamburgh built the hall by taking stone and timber from the nearby Kirkham Priory, a former religion community which had been destroyed by Henry VIII during his rampage against monasteries. The plundering of materials from the site was considered to be sacrilege and the curse says that all male heirs of the estate will perish and no true happiness will ever come to the family or its successors. Ouch.

But the home’s charms are enough to make anyone want to tempt fate. It is on sale for only the fourth time in 400 years and offers both exceptional formal rooms and practical family areas. The home is situated around a central courtyard with the front door entrance porchway leading into the great hall. Rooms touched with columns and moldings and marble fireplaces are updated with modern touches. We only have a few listing pictures but they show an extraordinary residence. There is also planning permission for an indoor swimming pool to be created within the courtyard. The home has over 80 acres that include formal lawns, a cricket pitch, pastureland and river frontage with the opportunity to moor a boat.

Those with deep pockets and no fear of curses can purchase this home for £6 million through Savills.

Continue reading Howsham Hall, Estate of the Day

Howsham Hall, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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