Death becomes them
OK, it’s not exactly a Christmassy way to kick off the last Diary page of the year, but death was all the rage at last week’s Bompas & Parr Christie’s auction at the John Soane’s Museum, WC2. From the Victorian horse-drawn hearse parked outside to the candle-lit room reserved solely for guests to make a necklace from a vial of their own tears (last minute Xmas pressie idea perhaps?) the great and good of the art world descended to bid on 10 modern mausoleum designs. The crowd, which included a hooded hermit, entered into fierce battle over the lots to raise just over £6,000 for the museum and cancer support charity Maggie’s.
Quail lays the golden eggs
As the year comes to an end and everyone considers the highlights of 2014, the award for the best canapé goes to… the golden quails eggs at JLL’s 40th retail anniversary celebration at Claridge’s. The tiny eggs, presented on a cracker base with edible golden shavings, were enjoyed by guests as JLL head of retail Tim Vallance toasted the year with a nostalgic remark on how 40 years ago in 1974 Claridge’s could have been bought for just £1m. Bargain.
Blurred Vision?
We’ve all seen the separated-at-birth images where you wonder if similarity is in the eye of the beholder. But there is a lookalike at Deloitte Real Estate so bona fide that friends of said famous person even confuse him with their buddy. Deloitte partner Stephen Peers was at a Damon Albarn concert recently and while grabbing a drink at the bar heard “Dave! Dave!” being yelled in his general direction. Blur bassist turned cheesemaker Alex James had confused Peers with fellow former bandmate and drummer Dave Rowntree. The similarity is uncanny. And Peers plays drums. In fact, have we ever seen them in the same room together?
Snakes in the terrain
More gossip from Deloitte’s Christmas lunch, where Diary heard about the perils of house hunting in south-east Asia. Head of real estate Andy Rothery revealed he had to put plans to relocate to Singapore on ice after a treacherous house viewing. Andy’s wife was drawn to the garden, but before she could step outside the estate agent shouted: “Don’t go out there! It’s full of snakes.” When asked if the poisonous creatures could be removed, the agent replied: “Yes, of course, but how will you get rid of all the rats?”
One minute to avert disaster
Diary has covered more than one case of fat-fingered e-mailing this year, where agents and lawyers have accidentally disclosed confidential information to bidders in a sale process by hitting CC rather than BCC. So it was no surprise to hear that one big US investor has implemented a fail-safe system to avoid such blunders, which effectively delays the sending of e-mails for one minute in case they need to be urgently retrieved.
Museum mulls meaty move
The Museum of London is considering moving to Smithfield Market, which would be a coup for TIAA Henderson after its plans to redevelop the site were rejected in the face of opposition from conservation group SAVE. A key figure in the fight against the plans was Eric Reynolds. That’s the same Eric Reynolds who until recently was on the Museum of London’s board of governors.
Six nuts a-roasting
Special thanks to the team at Cuthbert White for this year’s particularly ballsy Christmas card. There is nothing quite like warming one’s nether regions, kilts aloft, on an open fire to get into the festive spirit. Diary just hopes the chaps’ chestnuts survived the ordeal unscorched.
