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Friday, December 14, 2018 Lifestyle | Features Fashion mogul Berge’s radical chic library goes on sale

evolutionary tomes by Karl Marx and the Russian anarchist plicit “Funeral Rites” from 1953. Other expensive tomes in the Berge Mikhail Bakunin from the library of one of richest men in fash- sale are likely to be a series of Renaissance masterpieces led by the Rion go under the hammer today in Paris. The fourth part of the first French translation of Plutarch’s “Lives of the Noble Greeks and sale of the late style mogul Pierre Berge’s collection of rare books- Romans” from 1508. Printed on parchment with 54 large painted one of the richest in private hands-are expected to make several mil- illustrations, it is expected to make up to 600,000 euros. lion euros. It includes a first edition of Bakunin’s seminal “Statism Bidding for a 1580 first edition of French philosopher’s Michel and Anarchy” which was secretly printed in Switzerland in 1873, the de Montaigne’s “Essays” could go to around half a million euros. only one of his books published during his lifetime. A 1542 copy of the landmark illustrated botanical work “Notable It will be sold alongside a proof of his old rival Karl Marx’s “Das Commentaries on the History of Plants” by the Swiss naturalist Kapital” which includes the communist thinker’s corrections. The Leonhart Fuchs has a similar estimate. “This fourth sale of his publisher’s contract for the work and letters between Marx and his books reflects the Pierre Berge that we knew and loved,” said an- French editor, his friend Friedrich Engels and the French proto-an- tiquarian books expert Benoit Forgeot, who put the sale together archist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon went for 1.7 million euros ($1.9 with Sotheby’s. million) at a separate sale by auctioneers Ader Nordmann’s in Paris “It is the man interested by a thousand things-obviously liter- on Tuesday. The star lot in the Berge sale is likely to be the very ature his main passion-but also mythology, botany, gardens and first numbered print of a rare luxury edition of Marcel Proust’s politics,” he told AFP. Berge, who founded the Yves Saint Laurent “Swann’s Way”, the first volume of his masterpiece, “Remembrance fashion house with the eponymous designer, his longtime lover, of Things Past”. was a supporter of left-wing causes and gay rights. He died in Sep- tember 2017 after making sure that his and Yves Saint Laurent’s Proust, Plutarch, Montaigne fortune would go to their philanthropic foundation. The vast art With an asking price of between 600,000 and 800,000 euros collection the couple put together was sold off in what was dubbed it leads what auctioneers deemed a treasure trove of French litera- “the sale of the century” in 2009 for 340 million euros ($409 mil- In this file photo French businessman Pierre Berge poses at his office in ture bookended by a rare first edition of Jean Genet’s sexually ex- lion at the time). —AFP Paris, France. — AFP

Faulkner marks decade The Fizz’s Jay Aston says UK in music with festive song will never win Eurovision again

ewton Faulkner is marking a decade he Fizz star Jay Aston 2019. She said: “The Fizz should the obvious person to do it with. in music with the release of his new doesn’t believe the UK can be on the panel to pick the song, We were recording a new album Nfestive single ‘Wish I Could Wake Tever win the ‘Eurovision for sure.” The Fizz have just re- at the time, which we had got Up’. The 33-year-old singer/songwriter first Song Contest’ ever again. Jay and leased their first ever festive halfway through, and we went came to attention with his hit song ‘Dream her bandmates - Mike Nolan and album, ‘Christmas With The Fizz’, from that to record ‘Jingle Bells’ Catch Me’ in 2007 from his double platinum- Cheryl Baker and former member which is made up of covers of in May, which was quite fun. It selling debut LP ‘Hand Built By Robots’, and Bobby G - were crowned the classic songs and a couple of was very hot in the studio but it to mark 10 years of his signature percussive winners of the annual competi- original compositions. Jay - who was fun. “Mike essentially chose guitar-playing, the flame-haired star is put- tion back in 1981 when known as this year overcame her battle the tracks, but we all threw a few ting out a romantic acoustic ballad. Bucks Fizz with their pop classic with mouth cancer - admits pro- ideas in the hat but they were Speaking about the inspiration for the ‘Making Your Mind Up’, and their ducer Mike Stock was the driv- songs we liked and songs we track, Newton said: “This song’s about performance will always be re- ing force behind the LP and he wanted to cover. Mike wanted to wanting to wake up next to someone special membered due to the skirt rip- encouraged the trio to pick their do ‘Mull of Kintyre’ and we at Christmas, and how that person can make ping dance routine. favorite songs for the album. wanted to do ‘White Christmas’, any day, Christmas or not, seem so much Jay, 57, still watches Eurovi- She said: “We’d spoken about because we’d done it live a few better just by being there.” As well as the sion every year but she holds out doing a Christmas album for times. I think it’s a really good single, Newton has also announced a Best no hope that a British represen- years and after we did our album album and I think it’s come out Of album, ‘The Very Best Of Newton tative will ever take home the last year with Mike Stock he was great.” —Bang Showbiz Faulkner...So Far’, comprised of his original prize again because our Euro- material and covers including Queen’s ‘Bo- pean cousins just won’t give us is out on Friday when tickets for the tour go hemian Rhapsody’. the points needed for victory. on general from 9am from On the album, he said: “The Best Of feels Speaking exclusively to BANG newtonfaulkner.com. ‘The Very Best Of like a real milestone, I’m so proud of it as a Showbiz, she said: “I’m not sure Newton Faulkner...So Far’ is due to be re- body of work and the second disc was so we can win again, I think it would leased in March. much fun to make. “I love the challenge of be miraculous if the UK could covering songs, which probably is reflected win. We have sent some good Newton Faulkner’s 2019 tour dates are in my song choices. “For people that have things over and we’ve always as follows: seen me live before, there are some old fa- come in the bottom five. There’s 22 April, Bournemouth - 02 Academy vorites and there’s also some tracks no one no way we would want to do it 23 April, Exeter - Great Hall has ever heard me do.” Newton will also again, I wouldn’t mind reading 24 April, London - Palladium head out on a UK and Ireland tour in sup- out the points though.” 26 April, Birmingham - 02 Institute port of the double-sided LP, kicking off on Although Jay is despondent 27 April, Liverpool - 02 Academy April 22 at Bournemouth’s O2 Academy, be- about the UK’s chances of win- 29 April, Gateshead - Sage Gateshead fore wrapping at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket ning again, she would like The 1 May, Leeds - Becketts Student Union on May 6. Fizz to be part of BBC show ‘Eu- 2 May, Dublin Academy He said: “It’s going to be awesome to be rovision: You Decide’ and help 4 May, Manchester - Albert Hall doing a tour where the challenge isn’t to do select the artist and track which 5 May, Leicester - De Montfort Hall as much new stuff as possible, but just to do will represent the UK when the 6 May, Glasgow - Old Fruitmarket — the best set, with the best songs from any competition heads to Israel in Christmas With The Fizz point in my career.” ‘Wish I Could Wake Up’ Bang Showbiz