*~*~*~*~*UPDATE!!!!!!!!!1*~*~**~*~*~*~:
Sotheby's earlier reported Lot #8, consisting of 63 love letters between Callas and her husband, did not sell during the Lot I auction.
However, we've just heard that they finally did sell Lot #8, all 63 love letters, during the evening 6:30 pm Lot II auction.
YAY FOR EVARY1!!!!!!!!!!
@ the Milan Sotheby today are two seperate auctions for "Maria Callas e il suo Pigmalione: Gli anni con Giovanni Battista Meneghini" (Maria Callas and her Pygmalion: Her life with Giovanni Battista Meneghini). Earlier this afternoon (@ 3pm to be exact), Lots 1-156 were sold -- and starting @ 6:30, Lots 157-317 will have their go.
According to a Sotherby rep, the only items that failed to go to the highest bidder at this afternoon's auction were the 63 love letters (all written in pencil: see above)from Callas to her husband, Meneghini. Sotheby's valued the letters at around 70,000.00 euros ($103,000.00 USD). However, the bidding didn't go higher than 38,000.00 euros ($56,000.00), and remained unsold. Here's the official description of Lot #8:
63 signed love letters to her husband, with 12 telegrams, 18 notes, 12 postcards, 2 signed photos, 1947-1950, "This remarkable series document the initial love affair and marriage of Callas and G. B. Meneghini, her early career throughout Italy and her tours of South America in 1949-1950."
