A gold toilet that fetched $12.1 million (£9.3 million) at auction was bought by Ripley's Believe It or Not!, after its first casting was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019.
The artwork, America, created by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, is made from more than 15 stone and 13 pounds (101.2 kg) of solid 18-carat gold and is fully functional.
Initially installed in a public bathroom at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, the piece garnered international attention when it was stolen by a gang of thieves three years later.
After the first toilet was reported stolen, auction house Sotheby's revealed a second casting, which went under the hammer in New York City. The auction had a starting bid set by the gold's market value, estimated around $10 million (£7.6 million).
Ripley's, a well-known entertainment company famous for its unusual attractions, confirmed their role as the buyer through an Instagram post, stating they were 'flush with excitement.' The company is now exploring opportunities for display and possible public interaction with the artwork.
The last transaction placed the golden toilet among high-value artworks, as it became Cattelan's second-most expensive piece at auction, behind his notorious kneeling Hitler sculpture, which sold for $17.2 million (£11.9 million).
In a surprising twist, Ripley’s commented on whether visitors might actually be allowed to 'take the ultimate golden seat,' indicating the potential for creative public engagement.
The original toilet had seen over 100,000 visitors at its time in the Guggenheim before its unconventional heist made headlines worldwide.
The bizarre tale of theft and the extravagant sales price highlights the intersection of art, value, and popular culture, making this golden toilet a cultural phenomenon.
