Solid gold toilet set for auction with $10 million starting price
Sotheby’s calls the work an “incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value.”
Sotheby's, one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles, has announced the auction of a solid gold toilet, described as the world's most valuable lavatory.
The piece, titled "America", was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and is both a fully functional toilet and a sculpture.
The auction, scheduled for 18 November in New York, will start at roughly $10 million, reflecting the value of the 101.2kg (223 pounds) of gold used to make it.
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Sotheby's calls the work an "incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value."
Cattelan, known for provocative works like the duct-taped banana "Comedian" and the kneeling Hitler sculpture "Him", said "America" satirises extreme wealth.
The artist noted, "Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise."
Two versions of the toilet were made in 2016. The one being auctioned has been privately owned since 2017. Its counterpart was displayed at the Guggenheim Museum, where visitors could book a three-minute session to use it. That version was also shown at England's Blenheim Palace in 2019 but was stolen shortly after.
The toilet will be on display at Sotheby's New York headquarters from 8 November. Visitors can view it up close, but it will not be functional this time.
