SURREAL EROTIC SCULPTURE BELT BUCKLE

SALVADOR DALI ENGAGES IN HIGH SPEED EROTICISM

 RARE SCULPTURED BRASS BELT BUCKLE

THIS ARTWORK MAY HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BY SALVADOR DALI.  NO OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION EXISTS THAT CAN PROVE IF THIS ARTWORK WAS DESIGNED BY DALI.  HOWEVER, IT CANNOT BE DISPUTED THAT DALI WAS AN AVID FAN OF PIRELLI MOTOR SPORTS AND ENGAGED IN BUSINESS AND ARTISTIC DEALINGS WITH PIRELLI AS EVIDENCED BY THE LASTING IMPRESSIONS OF DALI IN HIS HOME SURROUNDED WITH PIRELLI ARTWORKS CREATED BY DALI.  THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF CONTROVERSY OVER THIS BELT BUCKLE. 

THE EDITION WAS MOST LIKELY LIMITED TO APPROXIMATELY SEVERAL HUNDRED IN SMALL EDITIONS OF 100 AND SOME PROOFS WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE RARITY AND INFREQUENCY THIS ARTWORK IS SEEN AT AUCTION.  THE MEDIUM IS BRASS.  SALVADOR DALI'S SIGNATURE IS PLATE SIGNED OR ETCHED WITHIN THE ARTWORK LOWER RIGHT.  THIS ARTWORK IS NOT NUMBERED IN THE NUMBER PLATE AREA.  I HAVE SEEN SOME IN THE MARKETPLACE NUMBERED AND SOME BLANK.  BLANK ONES MAY BE PROOFS OR FROM SMALLER EDITIONS HORS COMMERCE.  THIS BUCKLE IS THE MINI EROTIC RACING EDITION.  THERE IS ALSO A LARGER BUCKLE WHICH HAS A DIFFERENT EROTIC RACING IMAGE.  CURRENTLY, I HAVE ONE EXEMPLAR OF EACH EDITION IN MY INVENTORY AND LISTED IN MY GALLERY IF ONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOTH EDITIONS PLEASE SEE MY OTHER ITEMS. 

REGARDING PROVENANCE, THIS MINI BUCKLE WAS OBTAINED FROM A PRIVATE PARTY IN GREAT BRITAIN IN JUNE, 2010.  IT IS MY EXPERIENCE THAT THIS BUCKLE IS MORE RARE THAN THE LARGER BUCKLE.  IT IS ALSO MY OPINION THIS BUCKLE WAS CREATED IN THE 1960'S OR 1970'S.  SALVADOR DALI DIED IN 1989.  MOREOVER, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT DALI CHALLENGED THE VALIDITY IF THESE BUCKLES.  THEREFORE, THESE BUCKLES CIRCULATED FOR TWO OR THREE DECADES AND WERE NOT CHALLENGED BY ANY AUTHORITY RELATED TO DALI.    

I HAVE RECENTLY INVESTIGATED THE HISTORY OF THIS ARTWORK.  A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PIRELLI HAS RECENTLY STATED TO ME VIA EMAIL THAT THAT PIRELLI DOES NOT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION REGARDING THIS ARTWORK.  THEREFORE, IT MAY HAVE BEEN CREATED WITHOUT OFFICIAL PERMISSION FROM PIRELLI.  THIS ARTWORK IS APPROXIMATELY 40 YEARS OLD AND IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND ANYONE WHO STILL HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS EDITION.  ANY INFORMATION FROM OTHER EXPERTS OR OWNERS OF THIS ARTWORK WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.  NEVERTHELESS, THIS ARTWORK IS VERY RARE AND COME TO AUCTION INFREQUENTLY WHICH VERIFIES ITS RARITY.  

THIS ARTWORK WOULD LOOK GREAT FRAMED IN A SHADOWBOX WITH A LOW FIERY LIGHT SOURCE.  THE MEASUREMENTS ARE:  7.5 CM X 4.5 CM AND APPEARS TO FIT A 1.5 INCH LEATHER BELT. 

REGARDING COMPARABLE SALES, PLEASE FIND BELOW A LINK TO THE QUAIL LODGE SALE AT BONHAM'S AUCTION HOUSE WHERE A SIMILIAR DALI PIRELLI BUCKLE FROM THE LARGER SIZE EDITION WAS REVIEWED BY BONHAM'S PRIOR TO AUCTION AND SOLD FOR $1500 ON AUGUST 15, 2008 IN CARMEL, CALIFORNIA, USA:

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.

REGARDS,

LAURENT ASHTON