Gunter Sachs art collection to be auctioned in UK

AAA??May. 19, 2012?11:51 AM ET
Gunter Sachs art collection to be auctioned in UK
AP

A visitor looks at a 1986 self-portrait 'Pink Fright Wig' by Andy Warhol, right, on display in the same room as a 1974 portrait of Brigitte Bardot by Andy Warhol, center, and a portrait of Gunter Sachs by Andy Warhol, left, at the auction house in London, Friday, May 18, 2012. The paintings are part of Gunter Sachs Collection and are to be auctioned on May 22 and 23 with an estimated price of 3 to 4 million pounds (US$4.74 to 6.32 million or 3.73 to 4.94 million euro) for the portrait of Brigitte Bardot, an estimated price of 2 to 3 million pounds (US$3.16 to 4.74 million or 2.49 to 3.73 million euro) for the self-portrait and an estimated price of 400,000 to 600,000 pounds (US$631,822 to 947,733 or 497,380 to 746,070 euro) for the Gunter Sachs portrait. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

A visitor looks at a 1986 self-portrait 'Pink Fright Wig' by Andy Warhol, right, on display in the same room as a 1974 portrait of Brigitte Bardot by Andy Warhol, center, and a portrait of Gunter Sachs by Andy Warhol, left, at the auction house in London, Friday, May 18, 2012. The paintings are part of Gunter Sachs Collection and are to be auctioned on May 22 and 23 with an estimated price of 3 to 4 million pounds (US$4.74 to 6.32 million or 3.73 to 4.94 million euro) for the portrait of Brigitte Bardot, an estimated price of 2 to 3 million pounds (US$3.16 to 4.74 million or 2.49 to 3.73 million euro) for the self-portrait and an estimated price of 400,000 to 600,000 pounds (US$631,822 to 947,733 or 497,380 to 746,070 euro) for the Gunter Sachs portrait. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

A visitor takes picture of a life-sized mannequin hatstand by Allen Jones on display at the auction house in London, Friday, May 18, 2012. The hatstand is part of Gunter Sachs Collection and is to be auctioned on May 22 and 23 with an estimated price of 30,000 to 40,000 pounds (US$47,387 to 63,182 or 37,303 to 49,738 euro). (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

A Sotheby's employee poses with a 1974 portrait of Brigitte Bardot by Andy Warhol on display at the auction house in London, Friday, May 18, 2012. The painting is part of Gunter Sachs Collection and is to be auctioned on May 22 and 23 with an estimated price of 3 to 4 million pounds (US$4.74 to 6.32 million or 3.73 to 4.94 million euro). (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

LONDON (AP) ? A modern art collection, including works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Salvador Dali, will be sold next week in London, Sotheby's said Saturday.

The works were collected by German-born photographer Gunter Sachs, best known for his playboy lifestyle and brief marriage to French actress Brigitte Bardot. He committed suicide at the age of 78 in May 2011.

Sachs had collected hundreds of art works over his lifetime and was friends with many key artists of the 20th century, including Warhol, Dali and Georges Mathieu.

Warhol's portrait of Bridget Bardot, Sachs' second wife, is one of the works being auctioned. A white plaster bust of Bardot by Alain Gourdon also is for sale.

Sotheby's will auction the 300 pieces on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it expects them to fetch more than 20 million pounds ($32 million).

Sachs made his name as a photographer, documentary filmmaker and art collector. He lived a jet set lifestyle, spending time with top artists in Paris and New York.

Oliver Barker, a contemporary art specialist at Sotheby's, said: "Gunter's unique contribution was his sex appeal, his handsome good looks," and his "the promotion of American art in Europe in the 1970s."

Associated Press

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