NEW YORK, April 24 (Reuters) – A sailing holiday on the
world’s largest luxury catamaran and a painting and meeting with
artist Peter Lik were among the top selling items in a Green
Auction that raised more than $1.2 million for environmental
charities.
The online and live auction at Christie’s have reaped more
than $6 million over three years for its beneficiaries, which
this year included Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC), the Central Park Conservancy and Conservation
International.
Proceeds will be earmarked for each organization’s
water-conservation projects.
“We’re grateful to be in the position to bring together four
incredible not-for-profit organizations, and to have engaged
passionate support from the artistic, philanthropic, and
business communities,” said Christie’s head of communications
Toby Usnik, one of the event’s conceivers.
A live auction at Christie’s on April 11 generated nearly
$600,000 through the sale of four fantasy lots curated by each
of the benefiting nonprofits, along with opportunities to donate
directly to their specific environmental programs.
Oceana’s sailing holiday fetched $150,000, while NRDC’s
Clean by Design Program, which helps to prevent water pollution
and waste from industrial textile mills, elicited donations
totaling $185,000.
In the online auction bidders paid $85,000 for Lik’s work
“Beyond Paradise” as well as a meeting with the artist in Las
Vegas, and $13,500 to meet Harrison Ford on the set of his
upcoming film “42.”
Tickets to a James Taylor concert and a backstage tour and
meeting with the singer-songwriter went for $5,800.
Top prices included a 1989 Fender American Vintage guitar
signed by Pearl Jam, which sold for $28,000, and a two-week
Kenyan safari which went for $26,000.
Susan Rockefeller, philanthropist and environmentalist, who
along with her husband David Rockefeller has co-chaired the
Green Auction since its inception, also designed two necklaces,
each accented with a Swarovski crystal and selling for $100,
which are still being sold online at charitybuzz.com.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; editing by Patricia Reaney)
