World’s Most Valuable Toilet Auctioned with $10 Million Start Price

A solid gold toilet, crafted by renowned Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, is set to be auctioned with a starting price of approximately $10 million. Sotheby’s announced the auction, scheduled for November 18, 2023, in New York, describing the piece as an incisive commentary on the relationship between art and commercial value. Titled “America,” this fully functional toilet carries significant historical weight, having gained notoriety when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019.

The auction house is promoting the toilet not just for its artistic merit but also for its literal worth, given that its value corresponds to the over 101.2 kilograms (223 pounds) of gold used in its construction. David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s, referred to Cattelan as “the consummate art world provocateur,” highlighting the artist’s knack for stirring conversations about value and art.

Cattelan’s previous works have also garnered immense attention, including “Comedian,” which featured a banana duct-taped to a wall and sold for $6.2 million last year. Another piece, “Him,” depicting a kneeling Adolf Hitler, fetched $17.2 million at a Christie’s auction in 2016. Cattelan himself has pointed out that “America” satirizes the excesses of wealth, emphasizing that regardless of the meal’s price—be it a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog—the outcome remains the same.

Initially created in 2016, two versions of “America” exist. The one being auctioned has been privately owned since 2017, while the other was displayed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, attracting over 100,000 visitors who could interact with the piece. The Guggenheim once offered to lend the toilet to former U.S. President Donald Trump when he inquired about borrowing a Van Gogh painting.

The toilet’s infamous theft occurred shortly after it was displayed at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Burglars broke in and removed it from the plumbing system within days. Two men were convicted earlier this year in connection to the theft, although the toilet remains missing; authorities suspect it was melted down for its gold value.

Galperin refrained from speculating on the auction’s potential outcome, noting that Cattelan’s works often challenge the notion of value in the art world. “America” stands out due to its intrinsic worth, which sets it apart from other artworks lacking such material value. He explained that the auction raises essential questions about how value is assigned to art, especially when the raw materials carry significant worth.

From November 8 until the auction date, “America” will be on display at Sotheby’s new headquarters in New York, located in the Breuer Building. This time, the toilet will be showcased in a bathroom setting where visitors can view it closely but will not have the opportunity to use it, a departure from its previous exhibits where appointments could be made to experience it firsthand. Visitors will be able to see the striking piece, but as Galperin quipped, this time they can look but they cannot flush.