By SCM Staff Writer I Nov.19.25
LONDON, UK – A solid gold toilet bowl, famously dubbed ‘America’, has been sensationally sold at a secretive Sotheby’s auction for a staggering $12.1 million (£9.7 million) after just a single bid.
The fully functional 18-karat gold lavatory, the work of controversial “banana-strapper” artist Maurizio Cattelan, was snapped up in a flash, leaving onlookers stunned by the eye-watering price tag for a porcelain throne replacement.
Sotheby’s, the legendary auction house, is keeping the identity of the flush new owner locked tighter than a bank vault, revealing only that the staggering sum was achieved after a single, swift bid.
The golden loo, which once caused an international sensation, has proved that some people really do have money to burn, or at least, a very expensive place to spend a penny.
The golden commode is the brainchild of Italian provocateur Maurizio Cattelan, who is perhaps best known for taping a banana to a wall with duct tape and calling it art (‘Comedian’), which sold for $120,000. He is the master of high-brow, high-price stunts.
A Truly ‘Golden’ History: The 18-karat fixture first made waves in 2016 when it was installed in the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, where it was hooked up to the building’s plumbing and was available for visitors to use.
Over 100,000 people reportedly waited in line for their chance to sit on the golden seat.
The ‘Royal’ Heist
The toilet gained global infamy in 2019 when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, where it was on loan.
Thieves ripped the toilet from the wall, causing significant flooding. It has never been recovered, though the one sold at Sotheby’s is believed to be a replacement or another casting.
The Name ‘America’: Cattelan chose the title to be a biting satire on the extremes of wealth in the US.
The irony of an object of such obscene luxury being fully functional for an everyday human need was the whole point of the joke.
