Salvator Mundi: a Bone of Contention – Prominent Art Restorer Speaks OutExclusive Interview with a Jamaican Soul Artist Christine D. JohnsonFrom Peril to Refuge: Afghan Film Archivists Find Sanctuary in Germany Amid Taliban ThreatsPIGUET HISTORICAL AUCTION: The World Swiss Foundation & The Minkoff Collection | Total $3-4 Million
Maurice Leloir’s Four Historical Scenes Sell for €128,600 at BonhamsJacob Jordaens’s Portrait of His Wife Sells for €154,200 at BonhamsRenaissance Portrait Attributed to Conrad Faber Sells for €295,000 at BonhamsJodi the Nanotyrannus Sells for US$47.3 Million at Sotheby’sQianlong Emperor’s Jewel-Encrusted Gold Ewer Sells for US$7.11 Million at Christie’sHockney’s €282,200 Print Leads Warhol and Banksy in €1.06 Million Bonhams SaleMV Agusta Sells for $1.3 Million, Setting an Italian Motorcycle Auction RecordEnigma Machine Sells for £203,600 at Bonhams: Inside the 1941 Cipher DeviceUzo Egonu’s Will Knowledge Safeguard Freedom I Sets Auction Record at £198,900Yusuf Grillo’s One Man Band Sets Artist Auction Record at £461,300Ben Enwonwu’s Anyanwu Sells for £602,100, Setting a Sculpture Record at BonhamsRare Gandhi Portrait Achieves £152,800, Tripling Its EstimateBanksy’s British Cool Mickey Snake Triumphs at Bonhams, Selling for £330,600Whistler’s First Portrait Commission Sells for Five Times Estimate, Fetching $495,000Bridget Riley Stuns Art World as Myrrh Soars to $2.36M at Bonhams

Football (Soccer)

Football Legend Lionel Messi’s Napkin Sold for Nearly $1,000,000

By on • ( 1 Comment )
Detail of the napkin recording FC Barcelona’s commitment to sign Lionel Messi.

A pivotal document in football history, the napkin on which the first promise of a contract was written to secure 13-year-old Lionel Messi for FC Barcelona, sold for £762,000 ($964,000) at Bonhams in an online auction that was held this May 17, 2024. The auction began with a starting price of £300,000 ($380,000). This napkin significantly impacted both the club and Messi, who went on to become one of the greatest footballers of all time. The original napkin, written in blue ink, was offered by Argentine agent Horacio Gaggioli.

Football Legend Lionel Messi’s Historic Napkin Up for Auction at Bonhams, Starting at £300,000

By on
Detail of the napkin recording FC Barcelona’s commitment to sign Lionel Messi.

One of the most pivotal documents in the history of football (soccer) is the famous and unique napkin on which the first promise of a contract was written to secure 13-year-old Lionel Messi for FC Barcelona. It changed the fortunes of both the club and Messi himself, who went on to become one of the greatest players of all time. The original napkin in blue ink is being offered at Bonhams on behalf of Argentine agent Horacio Gaggioli in an online auction running from March 18 to March 27. The starting price is £300,000 ($380,000 US).