It was only a matter of time before the tradition of split Evening and Day sales common to the Contemporary Art auction markets found its way over to the photography side of the house. This season, Phillips has divided its various owner Photographs offerings into two sections, the Evening sale generally populated by lots with high estimates of $60000 and up, the Day sale with the lower priced material. The Evening sale is headlined by a Helmut Newton nude triptych, with Man Ray and Drtikol nudes adding vintage heft. Overall, there are a total of 241 lots available across the two sales, with a Total High Estimate of $8912500.
Here’s the statistical breakdown:
| Preview Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000) | 82 |
| Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of low lots) | $557500 |
| Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000) | 124 |
| Total Mid Estimate | $2815000 |
| Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000) | 35 |
| Total High Estimate | $5540000 |
The top lot by High estimate is lot 18, Helmut Newton, Walking Women, Paris, 1981, estimated at $700000-900000 (image above, left, via Phillips).
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 | |
|---|---|
| Irving Penn | 14 |
| William Eggleston | 10 |
| Helmut Newton | 9 |
| Robert Mapplethorpe | 6 |
| Diane Arbus | 5 |
| Peter Beard | 5 |
| Henri Cartier-Bresson | 5 |
Other lots of interest include (images above, via Phillips):
Lot 2, Tina Modotti, Sugar Cane, 1929, estimated at $70000-90000
Lot 9, František Drtikol, Nude, 1925, estimated at $80000-120000
Lot 10, Man Ray, Reclining Nude with Satin Sheet, 1935, estimated at $300000-400000
Lot 153, Diane Arbus, Barefoot Child Jumping Rope, 1963, estimated at $25000-35000
Lot 289, Nan Goldin, Suzanne with Mona Lisa, Mexico City, 1981, estimated at $8000-12000
The complete lot by lot catalogs can be found here (Evening) and here (Day).
