Painting from Clapton's collection nabs record price

[Palehorse]

(CNN) -- British guitarist Eric Clapton added a few million pounds to his fortune Friday, when a painting out of his private collection garnered a record sum at auction in London.
(pictured above)
"Abstraktes Bild (809-4)" by German painter Gerhard Richter sold for more than $34 million, the highest price ever for work by a living artist, Sotheby's said.
The record sum ballooned the monetary value of the painting by over tenfold from its previous auction price in 2001, when it sold within a group of three paintings from the 809 series that together fetched a total of $3,415,750.
In a five-minute bidding battle, an unnamed caller beat out two competitors, who also phoned in their offers, to take Richter's work, which translates into English as "Abstract Picture (809-4)", for up to double the sum the auction house estimated it would take. . .

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/13/world/art-record-price/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Multiplied his investment by 10 over 11 years. Not too bad for a former coke-head. 

[followsthewolf]

Who'd a thunk -- ol' "Slowhand" had a talent for investing in art, too.

[Palehorse]

Who'd a thunk -- ol' "Slowhand" had a talent for investing in art, too.

I know right? For a man who spent at least 2 or 3 decades struggling on and off again with addiction, he sure has managed to keep his affairs in order and make some smart choices to balance things out. (His bad ones were really bad).

He recently sold some of his memorabilia for 1.7 million as well. That made me wonder what is going on with him and made me concerned he may have been experiencing some financial issues. But I'd say this big influx of cash should quell that, if it is indeed the case.

[Henry Hawk]

he has come a long way since Derek and the Dominos...

[Anne]

Maybe he has a good decorator or someone who bought art for an investment for him. Doesn't seem like something he would do himself.

[followsthewolf]

Of course not. He'd be 'way too backward to make a good decision for himself -- he being disconnected from the arts and not very creative himself.

[Palehorse]

People are cruel. . . I read on his web site a comment by some jackwagon stating he should have invested that money in a child rail and / or a nanny. (Referring of course to the loss of his child via a fall from a window.)

That was a REALLY cruel thing to say to Mr. Clapton.