Selling for “33.6 Times the Original Estimate”: A Rare and Valuable Find at Christie’s Auction House

In 1836, Cosimo Buonarroti wrote a letter to Sir John Bowring, offering the work of his illustrious ancestor Michelangelo. The letter and a completed diagram were found on the back of another drawing that had been in a private collection for decades. This small line, accompanied by the letter, was initially estimated to be worth between $6,000 and $8,000.

However, New York’s Christie’s announced that the piece sold for “33.6 times the lowest estimate,” without revealing any details about the buyer. The small line shows a marble block with the word “simile” in English, believed to have been drawn while Michelangelo was working on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Although not signed by Michelangelo, research has confirmed that the small drawing is the work of the great Italian artist. Fewer than 10 of Michelangelo’s works are thought to be privately owned, with most housed in the Casa Buonarroti museum in Florence. The auction house did not disclose any further details about the buyer of the piece, but its significance adds to its value and historical importance.

The small line on this frame accompanied by a letter from Michelangelo’s last direct descendant was initially estimated to be worth between $6,000 and $8,000. However, New York’s Christie’s announced that it sold for “33.6 times