Second Gold Toilet Casting Expected Auction After Blenheim Heist

Maurizio Cattelan's artwork "America," a fully functional toilet made from over 101 kilograms of solid 18-karat gold, is set to be auctioned by Sotheby's in New York with a starting price equivalent to the gold's market value, roughly $10 million. This piece is a second casting, as the first was stolen in a high-profile heist from Blenheim Palace in 2019, with the thieves subsequently convicted and sentenced. The golden toilet serves as a provocative commentary on wealth and the art world's values, having been displayed at the Guggenheim Museum in 2016 where it was used by over 100,000 visitors. Sotheby's will offer prospective buyers a close inspection of the artwork, which will remain unused for protection. The theft of the original sparked discussions around the audacity and symbolism of stealing a toilet as an art piece, with Cattelan expressing a hope that the act was a form of Robin Hood-inspired protest. The auction highlights the intersection of art, luxury, and cultural critique embodied by Cattelan's work.