Unique piece of Banksy car door art disappears under the auctioneer's hammer

You know them well: the girl with the balloons, the flower thrower or the famous rat in a beach chair. Walking through the streets you may stumble upon a Banksy gem.

You know them: the girl with the balloons, the flower thrower or the famous rat in a beach chair. Walking through the streets of the United Kingdom you may be surprised by a gem by artist Banksy. But a work by the anonymous Brit also occasionally turns up at auctions. This was also the case recently at auction house Julien's. 

Banksy's artwork can be found on street walls, buildings and public spaces around the world. The true identity of the Briton is not yet known and is therefore carefully kept secret; it is one of the greatest mysteries in the art world. Known for his satirical street art, murals and installations, the anonymous artist's work often addresses themes such as politics, war, social inequality and consumer society.

Soon, somewhere in the world, an enthusiast will clear a spot on his wall to hang a car door by the artist. The door is part of a larger mural titled ''Crazy Horse'' and is now appearing for auction at Julien's auction house in California.

Includes decorative traffic cone

Crazy Horse debuted in 2013 as part of an installation in New York near Ludlow and Stanton on the Lower East Side. The work shows stampeding horses that are about to attack a group of people. The images were further intensified by an audio element. A phone number that, when called, played clips of a 2007 Apache airstrike in Baghdad. The particular airstrike, which tragically resulted in the deaths of two correspondents, was carried out by a helicopter with the callsign “Crazy Horse 18,” where the artwork therefore owes its poignant title to it.

How much should such an original Banksy artwork executed on a car door cost? The sales price is estimated at between €100.000 and €200.000. A nice bonus: you don't even have to free up space on the wall. It lot namely also includes a custom-made display stand accompanied by a paint-splattered traffic cone from the installation.

On February 15, the work will go under the auction hammer of Julien's.