Auction Results: Contemporary Art Evening and Day Auctions, October 3 and 4, 2019 @Sotheby’s London

With no lots in the evening sale, the photography included in Sotheby’s recent Contemporary Art auctions in London seemed like an afterthought. The top Hiroshi Sugimoto seascape found a buyer, but with an overall Buy-In rate for photography near 60%, even with a few random surprises, the Total Sale Proceeds for photography came in well below the low end of the aggregate pre-sale estimate range.

The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):

Summary Statistics
Total Lots 17
Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate £549000
Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate £806000
Total Lots Sold 7
Total Lots Bought In 10
Buy In % 58.82%
Total Sale Proceeds £253750

Here is the breakdown (using our usual Low, Mid, and High price tier definitions):

Detailed Breakdown
Low Total Lots 2
Total Low Lots Sold 2
Total Low Lots Bought In 0
Low Buy In % 0.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots £6000
Total Proceeds from Low Lots £8750
Mid Total Lots 7
Total Mid Lots Sold 3
Total Mid Lots Bought In 4
Mid Buy In % 57.14%
Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots £85000
Total Proceeds from Mid Lots £51250
Total High Lots 8
Total High Lots Sold 2
Total High Lots Bought In 6
High Buy In % 75.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots £715000
Total Proceeds from High Lots £193750

The top photography lot by High estimate was lot 236, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Bay of Sagami, 1998, estimated at £120000-180000. It was also the top photography outcome of the sales at £150000 (image above, via Sotheby’s).

100.00% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were 3 positive surprises in the sales (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 212, Harold Ancart, Untitled, 2013, estimated at £8000-12000, sold at £25000

Lot 214, Nobuyoshi Araki, Untitled (Kinbaku), 2008, estimated at £2000-3000, sold at £6250

Lot 288, Ed Ruscha, Vacant Lots, 1970-2003, estimated at £5000-7000, sold at £16250

The complete lot by lot results can be found here (Evening) and here (Day).

Send this article to a friend

Read more about: Ed Ruscha, Harold Ancart, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nobuyoshi Araki, Sotheby's

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recent Articles

Erin O’Keefe, I saw the man with a telescope @Sargent’s Daughters

Erin O’Keefe, I saw the man with a telescope @Sargent’s Daughters

JTF (just the facts): A total of 17 color photographs, framed in painted framed and unmatted, and hung against white walls in the main gallery space and the front window. The ... Read on.

Sign up for our weekly email newsletter

This field is required.