Robbie Williams sells two iconic Banksy pieces for millions at auction

Virgin Radio

3 Mar 2022, 15:41

The artworks from his own personal collection sold for £7m.

Robbie Williams has sold two iconic artworks by Banksy at auction .

The former Take That singer put versions of Kissing Coppers, Girl with Balloon and Vandalized Oils (Choppers) from his personal collection up for bidding in January.

The auctioneers, Sotheby's, sold two of the three paintings yesterday for quite a handsome price.

Vandalized Oils (Choppers) went for just under £4.4m, which is way above its initial estimate that stood between £2.5m and 3.5m.

Meanwhile, Girl With Balloon went for an eyewatering £2.8m after being priced at £2m to £3m.

The former was first graffitied under Waterloo Bridge in London in 2002, and Williams acquired the painting directly from Banksy a few years later in 2006.

Both Girl With Balloon and Vandalized Oils (Chopper) are some of the most famous paintings from the anonymous street artist, so it is no surprise they sold for such a high price.

As some of you may remember, the canvas version of Girl With Balloon went on auction back in 2018 and was shredded immediately after it sold for £1m.

Vandalized Oils (Chopper) comes from a series of paintings that mimic traditional oil paintings but with one of the artist's iconic stencil figures inserted into the scene.

These artworks have made it into exhibitions in the likes of The Louvre, The Tate and New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Speaking about the auction earlier this year, Hugo Cobb of Sotheby’s said: “These works unite the cultural legacies of two of Britain’s biggest stars: Robbie Williams and Banksy.

“Like their creator and like their owner, they are acerbic, iconic, irreverent and unique.”