Maurizio Cattelan's iconic gold toilet is set to return to the art market this November with a prestigious auction at Sotheby's. The 18-karat solid gold masterpiece, which first made headlines in 2016 after being installed at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, has been the subject of much attention and speculation since its theft from Blenheim Palace last year.
Sotheby's describes the edition as the only one in existence, following the recovery of the stolen piece, which was presumed to have been melted down for its 98 kilograms of gold. The starting bid for the toilet will be pegged to the artwork's weight in gold, fluctuating with market prices until the hammer falls. As of October 31, 2025, the starting bid is approximately $10 million.
Cattelan, a contemporary provocateur known for pushing the boundaries of art and challenging conventional notions of value, has built on Duchampian traditions by questioning what defines a work of art. His use of gold as a medium not only adds to the piece's monetary worth but also underscores its conceptual significance.
David Galperin, Sotheby's Head of Contemporary Art in New York, describes Cattelan's toilet as "Cattelan's tour de force," a work that holds up a mirror to the art world and confronts uncomfortable questions about the institutions of the market and museum. The piece continues Cattelan's exploration of artistic production and the mechanisms by which value is ascribed.
The gold toilet is being sold alongside other notable works, including Constantin Brancusi's "Bird in Space" (1928) and Jeff Koons' "Bunny" (1986). Its sale comes at a time when global uncertainty has driven up demand for gold, making it an attractive investment.
Cattelan's auction record stands at $17,189,000 for his 2001 sculpture "Him," which sold at Christie's New York in May 2016. This month's Sotheby's auction is likely to break records, with the value of gold continuing to rise due to strong demand. The gold toilet is a doubly secure asset, both in terms of its brand recognition and the precious material itself.
As Cattelan's work continues to dominate headlines at auctions, one thing is certain: this November will be marked by another spectacular performance from one of the most fearless and innovative artists of our time.
Sotheby's describes the edition as the only one in existence, following the recovery of the stolen piece, which was presumed to have been melted down for its 98 kilograms of gold. The starting bid for the toilet will be pegged to the artwork's weight in gold, fluctuating with market prices until the hammer falls. As of October 31, 2025, the starting bid is approximately $10 million.
Cattelan, a contemporary provocateur known for pushing the boundaries of art and challenging conventional notions of value, has built on Duchampian traditions by questioning what defines a work of art. His use of gold as a medium not only adds to the piece's monetary worth but also underscores its conceptual significance.
David Galperin, Sotheby's Head of Contemporary Art in New York, describes Cattelan's toilet as "Cattelan's tour de force," a work that holds up a mirror to the art world and confronts uncomfortable questions about the institutions of the market and museum. The piece continues Cattelan's exploration of artistic production and the mechanisms by which value is ascribed.
The gold toilet is being sold alongside other notable works, including Constantin Brancusi's "Bird in Space" (1928) and Jeff Koons' "Bunny" (1986). Its sale comes at a time when global uncertainty has driven up demand for gold, making it an attractive investment.
Cattelan's auction record stands at $17,189,000 for his 2001 sculpture "Him," which sold at Christie's New York in May 2016. This month's Sotheby's auction is likely to break records, with the value of gold continuing to rise due to strong demand. The gold toilet is a doubly secure asset, both in terms of its brand recognition and the precious material itself.
As Cattelan's work continues to dominate headlines at auctions, one thing is certain: this November will be marked by another spectacular performance from one of the most fearless and innovative artists of our time.
. I mean, what's next? Paying top dollar for a trash can? The art market is just as fake as Cattelan himself. It's all about the hype and the gold content 
. If he melted down the toilet for its gold and made a new one, wouldn't that be, like, way more authentic? And another thing, why do we need to auction it off again? Can't people just appreciate art for what it is, without having to break the bank? The value of art should come from the experience it provides, not just its price tag 
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I think $10 million is way too low for that toilet! I mean, it's solid gold, we're talking 18-karat here... That thing could melt a hole in your wall if you left it on fire. The fact that they're selling it alongside other famous art pieces just makes me think they're trying to milk this thing for all it's worth. What's next? Selling a chair from IKEA as " conceptual art"? 
. But hey, if it's just gold, and people are paying that kind of cash for it... I guess it's not too far off from what some folks spend on yachts or private islands 
. It's all about perception, right? Like Cattelan's trying to make us question what art is, but at the end of the day, someone's gonna pay top dollar for it 
but isn't it crazy that some people would actually pay millions just to sit on a toilet made of solid gold?! i mean, what's next? paying to sit on a chair made of diamonds? 
i mean who needs a masterpiece when you have a 24-karat toilet that's been stolen like 3 times already? 
, all about the Benjamins 
, but i guess that doesn't matter when the dollar signs start talking 
. The gold toilet's return to the art market is gonna be EPIC 
! Cattelan's masterstroke in questioning what defines a work of art has got everyone talking 
. Adding 18k solid gold makes it not just a masterpiece, but also a solid investment opportunity 
. And with Cattelan's auction record bein' broken every other week, it's like he's just tryin' to see how much gold he can melt...I mean, sell 
, I mean who wouldn't want a solid gold toilet, right? But at the same time, $10 million seems like way too much cash to be spent on a piece that's just, like, a toilet... or is it? 
. It's all about the art market being unpredictable, right? You never know what'll happen next. Maybe this auction will be a record-breaker... or maybe it won't 
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