Double Elvis [Ferus Type] by Andy Warhol is the anticipated star of Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York on May 9.
Sotheby's states that the artwork, which is valued at between $30m and $50m, "epitomises the artist's obsessions with fame, stardom, and the public image".
The piece is among the standouts from Warhol's oeuvre of Elvis works, which have captured the public's attention for decades due to the two famous names involved in their creation, and their considerable eye appeal.
It was first publicly viewed at the Ferus gallery - from where it takes its name - in Los Angeles in 1963, the same year Warhol produced the piece.
Warhol created 22 Elvis works. Nine reside in museums, while several others are based in important collections.
 Warhol's Double Elvis has a $50m estimate |
The works include single images, doubles, triples and pairs. This is the first Double Elvis to appear on the market since 1995, when one sold for $497,500 at Christie's.
And then there is the famous Eight Elvises version. It sold for a Warhol world record price of $100m in October 2008, confirmation of just how buoyant the market for Warhol is at the moment.
And Paul Fraser Collectibles has opportunities for value-minded collectors to tap into the continuing high demand for the artist.
We have a black cashmere polo necked sweater, owned and worn by Warhol, available to buy today.
Its provenance is superb. Created by Halston in the 1970s, there are several photographs of Warhol wearing the item.
Warhol's 1974 depiction of Brigitte Bardot is also coming to auction. It will appear at Sotheby's in London on May 22 and 23, with a $6.4m estimate.
