Objects from a life.
September 24, 2009 11:18 AM   Subscribe

This is my wish and no discussion or emotional tumult must come as a result.” - Much of Ingmar Bergman's personal property is up for auction. Including cars, furniture, his stereo, his awards, and yes (possibly, probably) the chess set from the Seventh Seal.
posted by HumanComplex (28 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
The magic lantern that inspired him to become a film maker?

I'd say some of these estimates are rather low.
posted by fire&wings at 11:32 AM on September 24, 2009


If I read that page correctly, the auction estimate for the chess set is only around $1,500? I would have thought it worth 10 times that.

Other than perhaps the set used in the 1972 Fischer-Spassky world championship match, I would think it the most valuable non-precious materials set in the world.
posted by Joe Beese at 11:36 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


If I read that page correctly, the auction estimate for the chess set is only around $1,500?
That's got to be a ludicrous underestimation. Because otherwise, I need to scrounge up $1,500 in 4 days time.
posted by juv3nal at 11:58 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


"White King is missing."

Phooey. PASS.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 12:00 PM on September 24, 2009


Bukowski's? Bukowski's!?

If I had an auction house named that you can be sure the only things ever auctioned off would be half-empty bottles of booze, junked-out cars, seedy motels and down on their luck prostitutes. All would go to the lowest bidder, and no visions of paradise (no matter how fleeting) would be guaranteed...
posted by 1f2frfbf at 12:03 PM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


potsmokinghippieoverlord: "White King is missing."

What can you do? Black captured it.
posted by Joe Beese at 12:04 PM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


"White King is missing."

Phooey. PASS.


That's what really confirms it's provenance for me. The white king is missing because he's been reaped. By Death.
posted by juv3nal at 12:07 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


pah. jinx on you, Mr Beese.
posted by juv3nal at 12:08 PM on September 24, 2009


His daughter, Linn Ullmann, has put her Oslo home up for sale (article in Norwegian) to try and raise enough money to buy a part of his property on the island of Fårö. Apparently, she wants to turn it into a center for the arts.
posted by Dumsnill at 12:16 PM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


Also non-sequitur: Seventh Seal is awesome because it feature the nigh-indomitable Swedish Defense.
posted by juv3nal at 12:24 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Me: pawn to king's knight four
Death: pawn to king four.
Me: pawn to king's bishop three.
Death: queen to rook five.
Me: D'oh!
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:40 PM on September 24, 2009


I like to think he tossed that chesspiece into the ocean in a fit of fury, or buried it somwhere on that island while wallowing in despair.
posted by CynicalKnight at 12:43 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


I want that chess set SO FUCKING MUCH.

Excuse me while I don a cowled robe, grab a scythe and march into Bukowski's to claim it as my own.
posted by Pallas Athena at 12:46 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


And just because there was so much truth in it: this comment on the great game.
posted by Joe Beese at 12:49 PM on September 24, 2009


> If I read that page correctly, the auction estimate for the chess set is only around $1,500? I would have thought it worth 10 times that.

The published estimate is more like a guide to where the auctioneer wants the bids to start. When the bids start below the estimate and don't go up a whole lot, the auction's probably going to end at a loss.

If the auction house is any good, they've already made their own estimates of what the auction should bring in, based on provenance of the items, their collectibility, market conditions, and whether there are any unreasonable fans who'll drive prices up excessively.

I remember thumbing through Christies' art auction catalogs when I was in art school (at the time one of the best, cheapest ways to get high-quality reproductions of fine art, by the way), and seeing estimated prices of $300-1200 for Rembrandt engravings and thinking, "Damn, I could afford one of those!"
posted by ardgedee at 1:02 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Also, this wooden hammer (sold with free! artificial skull) has a very... er... interesting handle.
posted by Pallas Athena at 1:03 PM on September 24, 2009


If the auction house is any good

Yeah, despite their (rather unfortunate) name, Bukowskis has got a very good reputation.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:57 PM on September 24, 2009


"White King is missing."

Upon deciding to quit from film-making after Fanny and Alexander, Bergman gave the White Knight to Stanley Kubrick. The Knight haunted Kubrick throughout the 1980's and 1990s. Kubrick succumbed to it's power shortly after completely Eyes Wide Shut, but not before giving it to David Lynch.

Upon receiving the White Knight, Lynch placed it atop his writing desk. But he soon recognized its sinister power, and set about doing what was necessary to contain its power.

To this day, the White Knight is as Bergman originally left it, save for the cherry red lipstick and dark glasses.
posted by Pastabagel at 2:46 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Google claims that 15 000 Swedish kronor = 2 165.04 U.S. dollars
posted by a robot made out of meat at 3:57 PM on September 24, 2009


I can't imagine what that chess set would go for. I'm not "rich" but I'm single, and I'd probably part with ten times the initial bid just for bragging rights.

There have got to be a lot of really rich people who'd drop $100K on that and never think twice - or businesses for that matter - even in this post-boom world.

That initial bid seems low, but then it probably doesn't really matter what the initial bid is and they probably want to get as many people with poor impulse control and loose money involved as possible.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 5:59 PM on September 24, 2009


The published estimate is more like a guide to where the auctioneer wants the bids to start.

Not true.

I remember thumbing through Christies' art auction catalogs when I was in art school (at the time one of the best, cheapest ways to get high-quality reproductions of fine art, by the way), and seeing estimated prices of $300-1200 for Rembrandt engravings and thinking, "Damn, I could afford one of those!"

Most people could afford a Rembrandt engraving, over 80 of his plates survived and many editions have been issued since his death.

Reading over it again, the low estimate on the brass double bed is 50 Euros, incredible value for a bed of its type regardless of the previous owner!
posted by fire&wings at 6:13 PM on September 24, 2009


The Knight haunted Kubrick throughout the 1980's and 1990s. Kubrick succumbed to it's power shortly after completely Eyes Wide Shut, but not before giving it to David Lynch.

Upon receiving the White Knight, Lynch placed it atop his writing desk. But he soon recognized its sinister power, and set about doing what was necessary to contain its power.


Can we loan it to Michael Bay?
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 6:37 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


This ">woodcut of the dancing silhouettes from the Seventh Seal is so excellent. (Hint to Santa.)
posted by tizzie at 6:40 PM on September 24, 2009


Oops. This.
posted by tizzie at 6:41 PM on September 24, 2009


Reading over it again, the low estimate on the brass double bed is 50 Euros, incredible value for a bed of its type regardless of the previous owner!

It comes flat-packed and you have to assemble it yourself. That's how Bergman keeps his prices so low!
posted by eatyourcellphone at 7:18 PM on September 24, 2009 [3 favorites]


That's how Bergman keeps his prices so low!

Just as long as people don't start writing his name in Verdana.

on preview…
DAMMIT.
/changes user prefs…
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:16 AM on September 25, 2009


Don't miss the auction today! It's streamed at bukowskis.se/live.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:55 AM on September 28, 2009


Bergman items sold off at auction. The chess pieces went for 1 million Swedish crowns (£90,250; $143,000), according to the article.
posted by immlass at 10:07 AM on September 29, 2009


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