[Love Is In The Air]

I know he is not everyone's cup of tea but Steve Lazarides has just launched a big US auction happening on October 31 and appears to be selling off his best stuff/what he's got left from Banksy vaults. Not sure who would want the burner phones but some of the other bits are proper bits of Banksy history...

www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/under-duress-the-banksy-archive-of-steve-lazarides-565

There is a 30 min doc about the sale and Laz below (haven't had chance to watch yet so apologies if not great but thought I would just share all this asap)

[Dice]

Not a COA in sight?

[Love Is In The Air]

Oct 14, 2024 12:26:53 GMT 1 Dice said:

Not a COA in sight?

Good point...even the more run-of-the-mill prints in the auction are described in the accompanying press release as "proof prints".

For example: "Rude Copper," that was numbered 236/250 but rejected by quality control and later hung on the office wall of the POW headquarters....

I suspect Juliens were one of the few auction houses willing to take on the sale then, the big ones would be too worried about upsetting Banksy/Pest. 

[High Contrast]

I mean a lot of these works are lovely .. but is it me or are the estimates way too high?

Any thoughts?

[loui]

Oct 14, 2024 12:35:17 GMT 1 High Contrast said:

I mean a lot of these works are lovely .. but is it me or are the reserves way too high?

Any thoughts?

Better to high then to low. I hope he sells the lot, he’s got kids to feed and pay for their education. We do everything for our kids don’t we, and Banksy is so passé so best not to wait much longer 🤷🏼‍♂️

[7star]

Estimates are way too high for prints without COA! B hates him now what's the feeling going be like after the sale .... I'm sure B doesn't want private letters going made public ..... just because Laz needs a few quid ...... the cease and decist letter is interesting though may bid?

[drip]

I love seeing the weird shit that folk squirrel away, and there's some interesting, quirky and fun stuff there, for sure, but the estimates.......yikes.

Given the recent history between Banksy and Laz, this might be the one time Banksy is fine with his market prices being down.

Now, would anyone like to buy me that original Banksy tag stencil?

[drip]

Oct 14, 2024 12:26:53 GMT 1 Dice said:

Not a COA in sight?

Do you think he applied?

That would've been a fun email.

[7star]

I forsee serious issues when buyers try and get COAS .........

[PC Baby]

Couldn't it be argued that some of those hand-drawn sketches have been appropriated and actually belong to Banksy?

[Happy Shopper]

Scraps off the print shop floor, unsigned, (basically back door prints), and postcards. All of which he probably has tons more of.
The only things really interesting are the original sketches and hand written notes.

[Acme Thunderer]

Who’s Frank and was Damien a flipper?

[mojo]

Oct 14, 2024 13:30:47 GMT 1 Acme Thunderer said:

Who’s Frank and was Damien a flipper?

I would guess it's the late Frank Dunphy, Damiens Manager.  I think Damien probably bought them as gifts for friends/family.

[Pawel]

Weird that he sells the stuff when the market is so low.

[Dice]

Damo’s former manager?

[drip]

....."I wish you all the best in your continued endeavours to separate rich people from their money."

[Devizes /\_/\]

Oct 14, 2024 13:58:57 GMT 1 Pawel said:

Weird that he sells the stuff when the market is so low.

Desperate times means desperate measures? 

[Fuzzyduck121]

A creased up GWB unsigned with no COA and no ability to sell it on ever in any decent auction

a LIITA for sale with no PC for more than a signed one with PC is going for

20 grand for a grannies with a massive cross in sharpie across the middle

is he off his rocker

good luck Steve, you are gonna need it lad

[Midlife Crisis]

What's Steve Lazarides going to do with tte big box of photos and videos of Banksy he's got there

[Wanchope]

As much as I have enjoyed looking through all these pieces,

1.) I feel a lot are so personal to the company etc that I'm surprised they are going up for sale and it feels a shame
2.) Why Juliens? - I find this very strange (maybe he is thinking an American auction house will attract more and larger bids somehow)
3.) Love the Pest control email, but it has just been printed off right? Therefore how many other employees could have printed this off or have emailed themselves with it?
4.) Prices look ridiculously high
5.) Is there not a privacy issue with showing an order list for someone else (in this case Damien Hirst)

[Devizes /\_/\]

30% fees on top too.

[Shoot Again]

Oct 14, 2024 14:35:47 GMT 1 Devizes /\_/\ said:

Oct 14, 2024 13:58:57 GMT 1 Pawel said:

Weird that he sells the stuff when the market is so low.

Desperate times means desperate measures? 

Selling every toilet paper Banksy has ever signed will surely help pay the expensive Retrouvius bills ! ;-)

http://instagram.com/p/DAqih7QqHtp

I'll keep my hard earned money to myself I think...

[drip]

Oct 14, 2024 14:35:47 GMT 1 Devizes /\_/\ said:

Oct 14, 2024 13:58:57 GMT 1 Pawel said:

Weird that he sells the stuff when the market is so low.

Desperate times means desperate measures? 

That's my grindr profile.

[Minecrafter]

This is pure gold - the ship truly has hit the bottom of the ocean 😂

[Lunch Special]

I ain’t gonna lie.

The fact he’s kept all this stuff is impressive to say the least.

As far as COA’s you all sound stupid af.

Like a bunch of carpetbaggers trying to
pull another fast one.

Pretty much in line with your idol sleazy lazarides

[Majestic]

There's selling your soul...and then there's...Laz.

[kaimac]

Laz paper trail is about as solid provenance as you're ever going to get, so I'm sure people will buy without pest control COA. Pretty incredible that he's kept all this stuff.

“It’s got to the stage where [the gallery world] is about nothing other than monetary value and I just can’t work on those terms any more” - Steve Lazarides, 2019

Gonna watch this one closely.

[Boy Wonder]

COA means Certificate of Authenticity. Do you imply that these objects are not authentic? Authenticity is the law of evidence. Either an object is authentic or not. Nothing in between.

[High Contrast]

Oct 14, 2024 16:29:05 GMT 1 Boy Wonder said:

COA means Certificate of Authenticity. Do you imply that these objects are not authentic? Authenticity is the law of evidence. Either an object is authentic or not. Nothing in between.

Agree but there is a reason why all the works you own would be worth 10x more if they had a COA. 

Unfortunately it is what it is , without COA your pool of potential buyers reduces by about 95%

[kaimac]

Oct 14, 2024 16:29:05 GMT 1 Boy Wonder said:

COA means Certificate of Authenticity. Do you imply that these objects are not authentic? Authenticity is the law of evidence. Either an object is authentic or not. Nothing in between.

Not really. If a work doesn't have a COA it can still be authentic, it's just not certified as such. E.g. the di-faced tenners, all the stuff out of the walled off hotel, the rats, the peckham rocks etc.

Pest Control is Banksy's way of controlling the market. Most people aren't going to be able to push against that, but someone like Laz is so unique I think he likely can.