The results from the photographs included in the recent Lens on Luxury mixed sale at Bonhams last week were generally forgettable. The top photographic lot was a Horst fashion image, but with an overall Buy-In rate over 40% and just a handful of positive surprises, the Total Sale Proceeds (of roughly $225K) fell 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 | 98 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | $261000 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | $383500 |
| Total Lots Sold | 58 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 40 |
| Buy In % | 40.82% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | $227162 |
Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 96 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 56 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 40 |
| Low Buy In % | 41.67% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | $353500 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | $200282 |
| Mid Total Lots | 2 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 2 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 0 |
| Mid Buy In % | 0.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | $30000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | $26880 |
| Total High Lots | 0 |
| Total High Lots Sold | NA |
| Total High Lots Bought In | NA |
| High Buy In % | NA |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | $0 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | $0 |
The top lot by High estimate was lot 1, Ormond Gigli, New York City (Girls in the Windows), 1960/later, estimated at $12000-18000; it found a buyer at $12800, but it was not the top outcome of the sale. That honor went to lot 123, Horst P. Horst, Alix (Black Satin Dress), 1938/later, estimated at $4000-6000, sold at $20480 (image above, via Bonhams.)
75.86% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were 5 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above, via Bonhams):
Lot 3, Roxanne Lowit, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington: Speaking, Hearing, and Seeing No Evil, Fashion Group Party, Plaza Hotel, NYC, 1989/later, estimated at $5000-7000, sold at $14080
Lot 109, Gleb Derujinsky, Carmen Dell’Orefice in a a Gown by Griffe (Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Seine at Night), 1957/later, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $4608
Lot 112, Ronny Jacques, Park Avenue, New York City (for ‘Harper’s Bazaar’), c1948, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $3072
Lot 121, Bert Stern, Marilyn Monroe in Black Dress (from ‘The Last Sitting’), 1962/2011, estimated at $1500-2500, sold at $5120
Lot 123, Horst P. Horst, Alix (Black Satin Dress), 1938/later, estimated at $4000-6000, sold at $20480
The complete lot by lot results can be found here.
