Cambi Auction House closes 2025 with a tight schedule between author fashion, glass design, and pop icons of international collecting.
Which auctions conclude the year for Cambi Auction House
The grand finale of the Milanese Cambi Auction House is structured in a series of thematic sales: Fashion Vintage, Venini 1970-2020, Wristwatches, in addition to Posters and Collectibles. In this way, the house closes the 2025 calendar with a cross-offer between fashion, design, graphics, and pop culture.
The sessions are held in December and follow one after the other, creating a true journey through the taste of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first century. Moreover, the catalog setup favors rare and well-preserved specimens, designed for a demanding collector audience.
What does the auction dedicated to vintage fashion offer
The program opens on Tuesday, December 16, with a sale that brings together 168 lots dedicated to fashion between the 20th and 21st centuries. The focus is on bags and accessories from the most famous international maisons, with particular attention to the rarity of editions and preservation.
Among the standout pieces is a Chanel Flap Bag in leather, a limited edition produced between 1991 and 1994, with an estimate between 3,000 and 5,000 euros. However, the true protagonist is the leather goods signed by Hermès, which has been at the center of growing interest in international auctions for years.
In the catalog, a Hermès Birkin 35 in red leather, made around 2001 (estimate 5,500–7,000 euros), and a Kelly 40 from 1996 in ivory leather, valued between 6,000 and 7,000 euros, are highlighted. Additionally, the maison offers a Birkin 40 in brown leather dating to around 2002, also estimated at 6,000–7,000 euros, confirming the centrality of the French brand in the vintage luxury market.
The great travel classics are not missing: the catalog includes two rare travel trunks by Louis Vuitton. One of these, in canvas and leather, is equipped with drawers, a hanging rod, and an internal suitcase, with an evaluation between 7,000 and 12,000 euros. Overall, the selection looks both at collecting and contemporary use of the objects.
Why does the Venini 1970-2020 auction attract design collectors?
Also on December 16, in the spaces of via San Marco, Cambi presents a substantial selection of Venini glass. It consists of 250 pieces from a private Milanese collection, with a chronology ranging from 1970 to 2020.
The core includes both iconic masterpieces of Murano glassmaking and more recent experiments, testifying to the evolution of glass language over more than fifty years. Moreover, the monographic cut of the catalog offers an in-depth look at the work of a single manufacturer, a feature appreciated by scholars and design specialists.
What does the Posters and Collectibles auction on December 17 include?
Wednesday, December 17, is the turn of the Posters and Collectibles section, which Cambi defines as “a catalog dedicated to visual culture and iconic objects of the twentieth century.” The common thread is the dialogue between graphic art, advertising, cinema, music, and design.
The catalog features vintage film and advertising posters, propaganda posters, but also collectible items, memorabilia, vintage toys, gadgets, vinyl records, and various curiosities. That said, the selection shows how contemporary collecting now extends well beyond the boundaries of traditional art.
What are the pop lots and nerd culture icons?
Among the lots related to the pop imagination, a figure of Darth Vader produced for the 40th anniversary of Star Wars, with an estimate between 250 and 350 euros, stands out. Next to it is an Iron Man Mark XXI version from the Marvel cinematic universe, valued at 200–300 euros, and a figure of Wonder Woman linked to the DC Comics world, estimated at 250–450 euros.
The absolute top lot in this segment comes from the universe of Japanese anime: a complete set of 64 Pokémon cards from the Jungle 1999 series, with an evaluation between 800 and 1,600 euros. Additionally, the presence of an intact first-generation set makes it particularly appealing to international trading card collectors.
Which author posters lead the catalog?
Among the historical posters, the work of Jean D’Ylen for Branca vermouth, with an estimate between 1,900 and 3,800 euros, stands out. This is accompanied by works by great protagonists of Italian advertising in the twentieth century, often contested in specialized auctions.
Of particular note is the poster by Fortunato Depero for Campari bitter, valued at 2,000–4,000 euros, and that of Francesco Nonni for Fonte Meo mineral water, with an estimate of 2,000–3,500 euros. However, the heart of the catalog is represented by the core dedicated to Leonetto Cappiello, considered one of the fathers of Italian advertising art.
The catalog includes as many as seven posters signed by Cappiello, including an advertisement for Campari bitter from 1921, estimated at 2,000–4,000 euros, and a poster for the Livorno bathing season of 1901, valued at 3,000–5,000 euros. Additionally, the iconic Campari Spiritello from 1921 is present, with an estimate between 3,000 and 5,000 euros, a work that perfectly synthesizes the artist’s graphic imagination.
What does the auction dedicated to wristwatches consist of?
On December 17, at 4 p.m., it closes in grand style with the appointment dedicated to the excellence of international watchmaking between the 20th and 21st centuries. The sale brings together a curated selection of vintage and contemporary watches from the most prestigious Swiss and international maisons.
Among the names in the catalog are Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, and Vacheron Constantin. Additionally, the presence of iconic specimens, limited editions, and rare models makes the session particularly interesting for those seeking investment opportunities in high-end collecting.
Compared to other generalist auctions, Cambi’s proposal seems to focus on a contained but high-level selection, where each watch is chosen for quality, state of preservation, and historical relevance. Overall, the year-end calendar of the Milanese house offers collectors a range of cross-opportunities, from luxury fashion to historical posters, passing through design and pop culture.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
