While the total number of photographs on offer in the recent 20th Century & Contemporary Art sales at Phillips in London was relatively small (just 14), they all found buyers, lifting the Total Sale Proceeds above the top of the aggregate pre-sale estimate range. A John Baldessari multi-part work led the way, with help from prints by Cindy Sherman and Barbara Kruger.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 14 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | £1069000 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | £1481000 |
| Total Lots Sold | 14 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 0 |
| Buy In % | 0.00% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | £1736500 |
Here is the breakdown (using our usual Low, Mid, and High price tier definitions):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 0 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | NA |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | NA |
| Low Buy In % | NA |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | £0 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | £0 |
| Mid Total Lots | 3 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 3 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 0 |
| Mid Buy In % | 0.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | £46000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | £43750 |
| Total High Lots | 11 |
| Total High Lots Sold | 11 |
| Total High Lots Bought In | 0 |
| High Buy In % | 0.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | £1435000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | £1692750 |
The top photography lot by High estimate was tied between three lots: lot 33, John Baldessari, Upward Fall, 1986, lot 34, Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #53, 1980, and lot 35, Barbara Kruger, Untitled (You Transform Prowess into Pose), 1984, each estimated at £150000-250000 or £200000-250000. The Baldessari work was the top photography outcome of the sales at £441000 (image above, via Phillips), while the Sherman print sold at £249000 and the Kruger print sold at £225000.
100.00% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there was 1 positive surprise in the sales (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (image above, via Phillips):
Lot 101, Gerhard Richter, Ohne Titel (24.4.89), 1989, estimated at £25000-35000, sold at £77500
The complete lot by lot results can be found here (Evening) and here (Day).
