NEW YORK, Oct 21, 2010 / FW/ — It’s official, ‘Barbie by Stefano Canturi’ is the world’s most expensive Barbie doll. The custom-designed Barbie sold for a record $302,500 at Christie’s New York.
Wearing a black strapless party dress, pink peep-toe stilettos, and a stunning diamond necklace featuring a one-carat Fancy Vivid pink diamond, the World’s Most Expensive Barbie® went on the auction block at Christie’s New York on October 20, fetching a new world auction record price of $302,500 for a Barbie® doll.
Designed head-to-toe by fine jewelry designer Stefano Canturi, this one-of-a-kind Barbie® sold within Christie’s blockbuster “Jewels: The New York Sale” with 100% of profits being donated by Stefano Canturi to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Bidders in the room and on the phone competed for ‘Barbie by Stefano Canturi’ (pictured at left), who wears a CANTURI JEWELS collar necklace set with carré-and baguette-cut diamonds in the designer’s signature geometric ‘Cubism’ pattern. Three carats of white diamonds comprise the dazzling necklace, which is centered on a one-carat emerald cut Fancy Vivid purplish-pink diamond (pictured at right), a registered tendered stone from the Australian Argyle mine. The successful buyer was an Asian private collector.
Australian designer, Stefano Canturi spent four weeks designing the doll’s frame, hair style, makeup, dress, shoes, nail polish, and of course, her exquisite jewels, creating the world’s most expensive Barbie®.
Due to a successful partnership with Christie’s and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Canturi rewardingly achieved his goal of making certain the auction of this iconic doll resulted in a meaningful contribution to the many women who inspire him and for whom he designs. The pink color of the diamond reflects the pink ribbon and its strength is a tribute to the strength of all women fighting breast cancer.
Christie’s has achieved exceptional prices for rare and unique Barbie® dolls offered from private collections. In September 2006, Christie’s South Kensington set the previous world auction record of $17,091 for the most expensive Barbie® doll sold at auction.
The doll, created in 1965 and known as Barbie in “Midnight Red” was from the largest known private collection of Barbie® dolls, nearly all of which were sold by Christie’s in a single landmark sale. Barbie in “Midnight Red” was from the largest known private collection of Barbie® dolls, nearly all of which were sold by Christie’s in a single landmark sale.
Complete results of Christie’s Jewels: The New York Sale will be available at the sale end, and online at www.christies.com .
