Bonhams Opens Bidding for Discovery on Sunset

The 'Discovery on Sunset' auction at Bonhams brings together an eclectic range of cultural artifacts and fine art. Among the premier offerings is Maximilien Luce's oil painting, Pêcheur et son Chien au Bord de la Rivière, which captures a serene riverside scene with a fisherman and his dog, carrying an estimate of $5,000 to $7,000. Collectors of cinematic history will find interest in the Best Original Score Golden Globe Statuette for Flashdance, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000, representing a peak era of Hollywood dance films. Fine art enthusiasts can also look to William Robinson Leigh's evocative landscape, At the edge of Tinga-Tinga Mcubwa, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000, and Antoine Blanchard's bustling Paris street scene, which carries an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000. Additionally, pop culture collectors are eyeing the historic first issue of Playboy, featuring the iconic Marilyn Monroe centerfold, estimated at $3,000 to $5,000.

This online auction follows a busy summer at Bonhams. In July, the house concluded several notable sales, including California, Western & Hawaiian Art Online, which realized $379,085, and The Art of Hawaiʻi, which brought in $1,706,798. During the same month, the Fine Silver and Wedgwood auction achieved a total of $1,338,141.

For industry professionals tracking market health, this event offers key insights into the collectibles category. Across all tracked houses this year, the collectibles category has realized $20,965,812, maintaining a strong average sell-through of 91.6%, with Sotheby's leading the field. Within Bonhams's own portfolio, the house has achieved a year-to-date total of $18,496,614 across all its sales, with this particular event ranked as the house's # sale of 20 concluded this year.

The sale is currently open for bidding now, allowing collectors to participate in real-time. In terms of Bonhams's year-to-date performance in this sector, the house has realized $6,220,476 with a solid sell-through of 81.4%. Bidders can expect accessible entry points, with key photographic works like Julius Shulman's black and white prints of The Coconut House carrying an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000, and the cinematic lot Breathless also carrying an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000.