The results of Swann’s early season sale of photographs and photobooks were solid but generally routine. The overall Buy-In rate came in just above 25% (decently strong given all the books) and there were a handful of positive surprises, but in the end, the Total Sale Proceeds slid just below the pre-sale estimate range.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 269 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | $972850 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | $1411850 |
| Total Lots Sold | 200 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 69 |
| Buy In % | 25.65% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | $940960 |
Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 240 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 178 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 62 |
| Low Buy In % | 25.83% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | $760850 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | $524850 |
| Mid Total Lots | 28 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 21 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 7 |
| Mid Buy In % | 25.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | $501000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | $291110 |
| Total High Lots | 1 |
| Total High Lots Sold | 1 |
| Total High Lots Bought In | 0 |
| High Buy In % | 0.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | $150000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | $125000 |
The top lot by High estimate was lot 95, Bernd & Hilla Becher, Industrial Facades (12 prints), 1978, estimated at $100000-150000; it was also the top outcome of the sale at $125000.
86.50% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range, and there were 7 surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):
Lot 3, Francis Frith, Sinai and Palestine album, 1862, estimated at $4000-6000, sold at $16250
Lot 17, Charles Arnold, Album of1 9th century Chicago, 1891-1892, estimated at $7000-10000, sold at $21760
Lot 40, Engineering/Construction, Album of large scale construction projects, 1938-1940, estimated at $3500-4500, sold at $9375
Lot 56, André Kertész, Washington Square Park, NYC, 1954/1967, estimated at $5000-7500, sold at $16250 (image above, left, via Swann)
Lot 158, Robert Adams, The New West, 1974, estimated at $600-900, sold at $2000 (image above, middle, via Swann)
Lot 172, Robert Capa, Death in the Making, 1938, estimated at $1200-1800, sold at $3750 (image above, right, via Swann)
Lot 242, Irving Penn, Select group of 7 signed titles, various dates, estimated at $600-900, sold at $3750
Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
