Christie’s kicks off the Fall auction season for photography with a split sale of Evening and Day sessions next week. Led by prints by Edward Weston and Robert Mapplethorpe, several of the notable lots and famous images (from Frank, Lange, Cartier-Bresson, Penn, and others) are rare/early but not necessarily entirely vintage prints, so more active connoisseurship will be needed to vet these offerings with care. Overall, there are a total of 185 lots available in the two sales, with a Total High Estimate of $6874000.
Here’s the statistical breakdown:
| Preview Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000) | 46 |
| Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of low lots) | $345000 |
| Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000) | 115 |
| Total Mid Estimate | $2909000 |
| Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000) | 24 |
| Total High Estimate | $3620000 |
The top lot by High estimate is tied between two lots: lot 15, Edward Weston, Shells 6S, 1927, and lot 106, Robert Mapplethorpe, Flag, 1987, both estimated at $400000-600000 (images above, via Christie’s).
Here’s the complete list of photographers with five or more lots in the two sales, along with the number of lots on offer:
| Multiple Lots For Sale | |
|---|---|
| Robert Mapplethorpe | 21 |
| Henri Cartier-Bresson | 9 |
| Ansel Adams | 6 |
| Walker Evans | 6 |
| Harry Callahan | 5 |
| Hiroshi Sugmoto | 5 |
Other lots of interest include (images above, via Christie’s):
Lot 4, Man Ray, Rayograph, 1922, estimated at $250000-350000
Lot 14, Alexander Rodchenko, Morning Wash (Varvara Rodchenko), 1932, estimated at $50000-70000
Lot 162, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Lillacege Aloe Arboresceus, 1923, estimated at $10000-15000
Lot 196, Andy Warhol, Self-Portrait with Fright Wig, 1986, estimated at $12000-18000
Lot 248, Doug Rickard, @29.942566, New Orleans, LA (2008), 2009, estimated at $5000-7000
The complete lot by lot catalogs can be found here (Photographs: The Evening Sale) and here (Photographs).
