What to Know
- Personal belongings of Anthony Bourdain, including his chef's knife and vinyl records, were auctioned off online last month
- More than 202 items were auctioned off -- and some were sold for record prices!
- Record price of $231,250 was achieved for a Bob Kramer knife at auction, iGavel Actions revealed; It's estimated value was $4,000-$6,000
Personal belongings of Anthony Bourdain, including his chef's knife and vinyl records, were auctioned off online last month — bringing in far higher bids than expected and raising nearly $2 million.
The 202 items on auction sold for amounts far higher than their estimates — bringing in $1,846,575 including buyers premium, according to iGavel Auctions.
Over 200 items ranging from a draft of Bourdain's 1995 novel to an oil painting were up for grabs from Oct. 9 through Oct. 30, according to Lark Mason Associates. "A significant portion" of the proceeds will benefit the beloved TV host's scholarship fund for students at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) — a cause dear to the late chef's heart, the auction house said.
"We are tremendously grateful that such a generous portion of these auction proceeds will support the Anthony Bourdain Legacy Scholarship at The Culinary Institute of America," Tim Ryan, president of the CIA, said in a statement.
Bourdain's assistant and collaborator Laurie Woolever shared similar sentiments.
"I'm pleased to see that Tony's art, furnishings, watches, books and collectibles have found new homes with people who appreciate his sensibilities, and that the sale of these items will allow future generations of CIA students to explore the world," she said in a statement.
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Some of the auction items could be seen on display at Lark Mason Associates' New York City location at 227 E. 120th Street during the bidding period.
One of the most significant items in the auction is Bourdain's custom knife made by famous American bladesmith Bob Kramer, whose knives have become a sort of status symbol for chefs around the country, Bourdain once said.
The steel and meteorite blade is one of a kind and comes with a certificate of authentication. Its estimated value was between $4,000 and $6,000, but it was sold for a record price of $231,250, according to iGavel Auctions' website.
A U.S. Navy jacket from the USS Nashville with a "Tony Bourdain" patch fetched $171,150. A handwritten menu by Henry Miller, signed and given to Bourdain by his son Tony Miller, fetched more than $19,300.
"The overwhelming strong results were just what we hoped it would be," Lark Mason, Jr., owner of Lark Mason Associates and iGavelauctions.com, said in a statement. "Anthony Bourdain connected with many, many people and he was beloved and an intensely original person who lived life fully. The numerous bidders wanted something to remember him by and to promote the Anthony Bourdain Legacy Scholarship at The Culinary Institute of America. We are honored to be contributors to this process through this auction."
Bourdain's other assets after he died by suicide in June 2018 while he was in France working on his CNN series "Parts Unknown" were left to his 12-year-old daughter.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 provides people in distress, or those around them, with 24-hour support. Or, to connect with a counselor through the Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741741.
