The way she were: Barbra Streisand auction results

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

What makes this lamp worth $30,000? Well, it’s the work of Dirk Van Erp (1859-1933), an Arts and Crafts designer whose work has a market value starting between $5,000 and $15,000.

It doesn’t hurt that this particular lamp also happened to be owned by the one, the only Barbra Streisand, pictured above as Hamlet in a portrait that sold for $2,375. On Saturday and Sunday, the superstar songbird raised more than $600,000 for her nonprofit foundation by selling memorabilia, antiques and home furnishings through Julien’s Auctions.

The 30-grand copper lamp topped the results. Barbra’s baby grand, a 1972 black lacquer Yamaha piano, brought in $11,250.

The bargain? A pair of antique silk Chinese slippers sold for $62.50. Such a deal.

Visit our updated photo gallery to see more results, including the fate of three Art Deco glass lamps that Streisand put up for sale because she fell out of love with the 1920s-’30s style. You can read about that in her Q & A.

-- David A. Keeps