WARHOL Andy (1928-1987) and HARING Keith (1958-1990) Untitle - Lot 265

WARHOL Andy (1928-1987) and HARING Keith (1958-1990) Untitled / Silkscreen on genuine five-dollar bill / Hand-enhanced by Keith Haring / Hand-signed on front by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring / Postmark FEB 15 1977 (one of the very first), front / Numbered Tony Shafrazi Gallery vignette, annotated "Unique" and dry-stamped with the signature of Lucio Amelio, Keith Haring's Naples gallery owner. Reverse: Numbered Tony Shafrazi Gallery vignette, annotated "Unique" and dry-stamped with the signature of Lucio Amelio, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol's gallery owner in Naples, Italy, and the hologram "Verification of authenticity"/. Certificate of authenticity from ORO Cartier s.p.a and envelope with Lucio Amelio's ink stamp / 6.6 x 15.5 cm These works, on authentic American dollar bills, are the result of a joint project initiated by Andy Warhol with the participation of his friends Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat. Andy Warhol liked to present his art in original ways, not hesitating to transform everyday objects, thereby increasing their value. In the 1980s, Andy Warhol used various American dollar bills to transform them into works of art. They were hand-signed by one, two or three of these artists, and often screen-printed. These bills were then sent by post by Andy Warhol, to be cancelled by the World Post Office and reused as works of art for his friends and acquaintances, offering a few copies as mementos of friendship. The postmark now enables us to authenticate these works and the period concerned. The first known shipment bears a U.S. postmark dated April 1, 1976. Subsequent shipments date from February 15, 1977 and February 10, 1987 (shortly before Andy Warhol's death). The silkscreens found on the first shipments are often monochrome, some of them reworked by hand by the artist concerned. The postage stamp and postmark can be found on the various bills, along with the label of Keith Haring's American gallery (Tony Shafrazi) and the stamp of the gallery representing Keith Haring in Italy (Lucio Amelio), where the majority of these works originated. An American hologram of authenticity appears on each bill, accompanied by an Italian certificate of authenticity. The value of these unique works depends on the signatures on the banknote, the quality of the silkscreen, any personalization and the year of mailing, rather than the condition of the banknote itself.