Ivy auction catalogue: Seven iconic mementoes up for grabs
There's no turning back now: fixtures and fittings from celebrity hotspot The Ivy go up for auction tomorrow night, with the money raised going to Child Bereavement UK – and City A.M. has had a sneak peek inside the catalogue.
Sotheby's has set up the auction room to look like the restaurant. Prospective bidders for the auction, titled "Made in Britain", will even enter the auction room through the original Ivy doors.
Alongside the place settings, wine glasses and champagne buckets you'd expect are a host of artworks, by artists who have frequented the restaurant, from Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst to Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.
Want to own a piece of Ivy history? Here's a glimpse of the iconic mementoes up for grabs.
1. Doors, £800-£1,200
Designed by architect MJ Long in 1990, the doors were commissioned by Jeremy King and Chris Corbin to "not be too inviting". Charming.
2. Banquette, £800-£1,200
The oka-and-leather banquette, listed in the catalogue as "The Best Seat in the House", was made in 1990.
3. Place settings, £200-300 for two
Do your dinner parties need a touch of celebrity glamour? These place settings are up for grabs in bundles of two, four or six – but at £100-£150 per person, they don't come cheap. Individual napkins are also up for grabs.
4. Stained glass window, £100-£150
Perhaps one of the most recognisable parts of The Ivy, the art deco-style stained glass windows aren't quite the pieces of history you might imagine: they were made in the 20th century.
5. "Internalite" Ladies sign, £100-£150
Looking for a classier way to point your guests in the direction of the lavatory? This "Internalite" sign was made around 1930. Unfortunately, though, the gents' sign doesn't appear in the catalogue.
6. Cocktail shakers, £80-£120
These shaker have been used to "mix drinks for the great and the good", says The Ivy – although the glass and silvered metal shakers are "of recent manufacture".
7. Welcome mat, £30-£50
It may be "of recent manufacture", but this mat is a sure-fire way to let your guests know the kind of person you expect to walk through your door…
… and five artworks you can pick up at the auction
1. Damien Hirst, Cineole, £4,000-£6,000
2. Francis Bacon, Study from Human Body (Sabatier 8), £12,000-£18,000
3. Lucian Freud, Head of a Man, £20,000-£30,000
4. Antony Gormley, Horizon Field, £3,000-£5,000
5. David Hockney, Anne and Davic, Central Park, N.Y Dec 1982, £3,000-£5,000