Vol.1
The Mickey After many Turns 

This is a truly remarkable work of art.

Back in 1989, Mr. M, who owned a classic car museum in Gotemba at the time, began to develop a passion not only for automobiles but also for contemporary art—particularly Pop Art—and took an interest in works by Andy Warhol. Through my close connection with New York-based private dealer Nicholas Sands, he acquired several works, including a canvas from Warhol’s “Shoes” series (1980), and visited me multiple times to purchase various pieces.

Among these, the work featuring Mickey Mouse was especially beloved by his daughter. Initially, I had considered it part of my gallery collection and had no intention of selling it. However, Mr. M repeatedly asked, “How much would it take for you to part with it?” Half-jokingly, I replied, “Three hundred million yen.” To my surprise, he accepted the price, and the transaction was finalized a week later.

Some years later, after the burst of the economic bubble around 1998, Nicholas informed me that the work was now in the hands of a collector in New Jersey. Surprised that it had been sold without my knowledge, I asked Nicholas whether the current owner was willing to sell. He indicated that the collector might let it go for $900,000 USD. I offered Nicholas a $50,000 commission to handle the negotiations, and thanks to his efforts, the piece returned to me—like a boomerang.

Finally, in 2011, the work was sold once again, this time to a collector in Hong Kong for $2,300,000 USD.

The journey of this piece—traversing continents, returning unexpectedly, and increasing in value over time—reflects its unique history and extraordinary appeal.