The contemporary art world is lately up in arms over flippers, speculating collectors who hoover up paintings by hot emerging artists, only to hype and dump them at auction, ideally for quick 10-100x returns.
It is not clear if the rocking llama market is subject to the same kind of flipping frenzy, but we may soon find out. It looks like this exact rocking llama was sold through this same Chicago auctioneer in 2011 for $250. Is four years the appropriate amount of time to buy and hold a rocking llama, or is it irresponsibly hasty?
As for the rocking llama itself, it definitely is one. They have turned up at various auctions before, and luxuriously marked up at 1stdibs. They have been described as Danish, and as having actual llama, but I think the Icelandic sheepskin is a better call. One auction site mentions a company, Animalia, Inc., but the only other citations are botscraped mirrors. Perhaps an original owner will emerge some day to verify their source. And then we'll all know whether $150-250 is a fair price or the deal of a century.
Oct. 13, 2015, Sale 422 Lot 560: A Fur Mounted Rocking Llama, est. $150-250 [lesliehindman.com]
Aug. 24, 2011, 481: A Fur and Carved Wood Rocking Llama, Height 49 inc [liveauctioneers]
