An extraordinary archive of items from the legendary Studio 54 - New York's former number one night-spot - has been topped by an Andy Warhol dollar sign sculpture.
 A possibly unique piece from Warhol, 2012's best-selling artist |
The archive featured a selection of photographs, furniture, memorabilia and signed items from the exclusive venue, providing a unique opportunity for those that failed to slip past Studio 54's velvet rope in its heyday. It was offered on January 19 in Florida's Palm Beach.
Warhol's sculpture realised $44,000 against a $30,000-50,000 estimate. It is believed to have been given by Warhol - a regular Studio 54 visitor - to owner Steve Rubell, and is potentially a custom-made piece.
Warhol's work is especially popular among collectors at the moment; the artist was named 2012's top-seller. Paul Fraser Collectibles has one of Warhol's iconic black polo neck jumpers for sale.
Studio 54's designer furniture also attracted strong bids, with a Gio Ponti cocktail table selling 70% above its $20,000 high estimate at $34,000. Also featuring was an Ico Parisi multifaceted sphere bar, which sold for $15,000.
 Rubell's unforgiving record provided the best glimpse into the exclusive nightclub's top clientele |
The item that best revealed the club's illustrious history and clientele was the Studio 54 guestbook, in which Rubell would record the names of the VIP guests on any given night and whether they would receive free entry and drinks. Expected to sell for $2,000-3,000, it sold for $6,000 - a 100% increase on the high estimate.
Steve Rubell's personal address book followed, seeing an even greater increase in value. Estimated at just $1,500, it saw spirited bidding, bringing $6,500 and a 333.3% increase on its original valuation.
All items were consigned to the sale by Bill Hamilton, a noted fashion designer who shared an apartment with Rubell, in which the archive has remained for the past 28 years.
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