Not for Everyone: Odd but Costly Items (Photos)
-
Mathias Rajani, Danish luxury product company Aesir's chief commercial officer, holds a model of his company's new mobile phone during a press presentation in Moscow September 5, 2011. It doesn't do email, the internet, have a camera, games or GPS navigation, but a new mobile phone from Denmark is literally solid gold. Danish retailer Aesir said it hopes to sell its $57,400, limited-edition 18-carat gold phones to Moscow's fashion-forward elite. Photo: REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin -
A model displays the Sun-Drop diamond during a media preview in Hong Kong October 6, 2011. The 110.03 carats diamond has been graded Fancy Vivid Yellow, the highest color grading for a yellow diamond. The diamond will be sold in auction at Sotheby's Geneva on November 15 and expected to fetch US$11-15 million. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu Photo: REUTERS/Tyrone Siu -
A silver openface keyless lever chronograph watch (L) and an oversized silver hour angle aviator's wristwatch with indirect sweep centre seconds are pictured during an auction preview at Christie's in Geneva April 1, 2011. The items signed Longines, formerly the property of Air Marshal Italo Balbo and received probably from Col. Charles Lindberg for the wristwatch, are expected to sell between CHF 30,000 and 50,000 (US$ 30,000 and 50,000) when they go into auction May 16, 2011 in Geneva. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Photo: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse -
A fine and rare famille-rose "peach" vase, Tianqiuping, with a seal mark and period of Qianlong, which is estimated to fetch 10.3 to 15.4 million dollars, is shown during a Sotheby's preview in Hong Kong September 7, 2011. The auction house will hold its Autumn sale in early October, with a total of over 310 lots of imperial Chinese porcelains which estimated a total vale of over 150 million dollars. Photo: REUTERS/Bobby Yip -
Christie's Islamic art specialist Sara Plumbly holds a Fatimid bronze gazelle dating from the late 10th to early 11th century Egypt valued at £800-£1 million (US$1.6-1.3 million) at Christie's in London April 4, 2011. The piece will go on auction in London on April 7, 2011 along with other art of the Islamic and Indian world. Photo: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett -
An emerald and diamond tiara is displayed at Sotheby's auction house in London May 4, 2011. The tiara is estimated to sell for CHF 4.6-9.2 million ($5-10 million) when auctioned in Geneva on May 17. Photo: REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth -
An employee holds a fourteenth century Mamluk candlestick at Sotheby's in central London April 1, 2011. Estimated to sell at auction for between 2-3million pounds sterling, the piece forms part of the London sale of Islamic arts on April 6. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville -
Sotheby's employee John Dinklemeyer adjusts Paul Gauguin's "Jeune tahitienne", a sculpture carved during the artist's first trip to Tahiti between 1891 and 1893, at Sotheby's in New York, March 24, 2011. The intricate wooden bust is expected to sell for as much as $15 million when it is auctioned on May 3, according to Sotheby's. It depicts a young, unidentified Tahitian woman and includes jewelry which Gauguin made himself using seashells and pieces of red coral. Picture taken March 24. Photo: Reuters -
Two unmounted emeralds weighing 17.97 and 15.99 carats are pictured during an auction preview at Christie's in Geneva April 1, 2011. The item, formerly the property of Empress Eugenie (portrait) are expected to sell between CHF 200,000 and 300,000 (US$ 200,000 and 300,000) when it goes into auction May 18, 2011 in Geneva. Photo: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse -
A Christie's employee models The Rosebery pearl and diamond tiara, bracelet and brooch at Christie's in London June 6, 2011. The tiara is expected to sell for £1-1.5 million (US $ 1.6-2.5 million) and the bracelet and brooch, which will be sold together, are expected to earn £300,000-400,000 (US $500,000-660,000) when they are auctioned in London on June 8. Photo: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett -
A Sotheby's employee poses with artist Andy Warhol's artwork "Debbie Harry" at Sotheby's Auction House in London June 17, 2011. The piece is expected to realise up to £5.5million ($9.1 million) when it comes to auction at Sotheby's on June 29, 2011. Photo: REUTERS/Luke MacGregor -
A Sotheby's employee poses with "Gudrun (633)" by Gerhard Richter from 1987 at Sotheby's in London October 7, 2011. The piece is estimated to sell between 3.5 million - 4.8 million pounds ($5.5 million - 7.5 million) when it is auctioned in New York on November 9. Photo: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett -
A Gujarati mother-of-pearl and black composition overlaid wooden pen box from northwest India, valued at £100,000-150,000 (US $160,000-240,000), is displayed at Christie's in London April 4, 2011. The piece will go on auction in London on April 7, 2011 along with other art of the Islamic and Indian world. Photo: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett -
A Sotheby's employee poses for a photograph with an 18 carat gold sculpture of Kate Moss entitled "Microcosmos (Siren)" by Marc Quinn at Sotheby's in London October 7, 2011. The piece is estimated to sell between 500,000 - 700,000 pounds ($777,000 - 1.1 million) when it is auctioned in London on October 13. Photo: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett -
An employee views 'Whispering Wall II' by Burhan Dogancay at Sotheby's in central London April 1, 2011. Estimated to sell at auction for between 120-180 thousand pounds sterling, the piece forms part of the London sale of contemporary Turkish art on April 7. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville -
A Bonhams employee poses with the Bulgari crossover ring set with 3.72 carat fancy vivid blue diamond and 3.93 carat diamond at Bonhams auction house in London September 21, 2011. The piece, dated circa 1960, is anticipated to achieve upto 800,000 pounds( $1.3 million) when it comes to auction this afternoon. Photo: REUTERS/Luke MacGregor -
Christie's Islamic art specialist Sara Plumbly holds a gold and turquoise-hilted knife valued at £400,000-£600,000 ($650,000-$970,000)at Christie's in London April 4, 2011. The piece will go on auction in London on April 7, 2011 along with other art of the Islamic and Indian world. Photo: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett -
A Sotheby's employee poses with artist Alberto Giacometti's artwork "Trois hommes qui marchent II" at Sotheby's Auction House in London June 17, 2011. The piece is expected to realise upto £15million ($24.23 million) when it comes to auction at Sotheby's on June 22, 2011. Photo: REUTERS/Luke MacGregor -
A Hello Kitty figurine, studded with a total of 19,636 Swarovski crystals, is displayed during a press preview of Swarovski's Hello Kitty collection at an event entitled "House of Hello Kitty" in Tokyo on June 29, 2011. The figurine, limited to 88, will be on sale worldwide with a price tag of 1,155,000 yen ($14,246). Photo: REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao -
A visitor views detail of a page of the sixteenth century folio 'Faridun in the Guise of a Dragon Tests His Sons' at Sotheby's in central London April 1, 2011. Estimated to sell at auction for between 2-3 million pounds sterling, the piece forms part of the scholarly collection of Islamic and Indian Art assembled by the late Stuart Cary Welch. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville
Previous
Next
There are some items in this world that may not be particularly practical -- or indeed usable -- in your day-to-day life. Astonishingly, these items can cost you an absolute fortune, should you ever actually want to purchase them.
Start the slideshow to view some of the world's odder (but neverthless costliest) items. Could you afford one, you think?