The results from Christie’s various owner 20/21 Photographs sale in New York last week weren’t particularly noteworthy. The overall Buy-In rate inched up higher than normal (to over 42%), and without enough positive surprises to pick up the slack, the Total Sale Proceeds fell just below the pre-sale estimate range.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 145 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | $4214000 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | $6252000 |
| Total Lots Sold | 83 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 62 |
| Buy In % | 42.76% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | $4194250 |
Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 39 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 20 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 19 |
| Low Buy In % | 48.72% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | $287000 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | $142875 |
| Mid Total Lots | 77 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 42 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 35 |
| Mid Buy In % | 45.45% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | $1850000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | $1035625 |
| Total High Lots | 29 |
| Total High Lots Sold | 21 |
| Total High Lots Bought In | 8 |
| High Buy In % | 27.59% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | $4115000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | $3015750 |
The top lot by High estimate was lot 233, Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keeffe, 1918, estimated at $400000-600000; it sold for $413000. The top outcome of the sale was lot Alfred Stieglitz, From the Back-Window, -291, 1915, estimated at $250000-350000, sold at $473000.
93.98% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were a total of 5 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above, via Christie’s):
Lot 243, Robert Frank, Bar – Gallup, New Mexico, 1955/1967-1968, estimated at $80000-120000, sold at $245000
Lot 253, Irving Penn, Callot Swallow-Tail Dress, 1974/1978, estimated at $20000-30000, sold at $81250
Lot 259, Michael Cooper, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967, estimated at $50000-70000, sold at $161000
Lot 262, Irving Penn, Rock Groups, San Francisco, 1967/1980, estimated at $12000-18000, sold at $43750
Lot 307, Duane Michals, The Most Beautiful Part of a Woman’s Body, 1986, estimated at $4000-6000,sold at $13750
Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
