Auction Results: Photo Auction Autumn 2023, November 18, 2023 @OstLicht

With just 40% of the lots that sold selling at or above their estimate ranges at the Autumn Photo Auction at OstLicht in Vienna last week, even with an overall Buy-In rate near 25%, there were just too many passed lots and low priced purchases to generate much excitement. The top lot Robert Frank print failed to sell, leaving the top lot honors to a print by Ren Hang. In the end, the Total Sale Proceeds came in at roughly €640K, below the low end of the aggregate pre-sale estimate range.

The summary statistics are below (all results include the 20% non-EU buyer’s premium):

Summary Statistics
Total Lots 211
Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate €734300
Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate €916500
Total Lots Sold 156
Total Lots Bought In 55
Buy In % 26.07%
Total Sale Proceeds €639840

Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions):

Detailed Breakdown
Low Total Lots 200
Total Low Lots Sold 146
Total Low Lots Bought In 54
Low Buy In % 27.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots €686500
Total Proceeds from Low Lots €449040
Mid Total Lots 11
Total Mid Lots Sold 10
Total Mid Lots Bought In 1
Mid Buy In % 9.09%
Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots €230000
Total Proceeds from Mid Lots €190800
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 54, Robert Frank, ‘Candy Store, 86th Street’, New York City, 1955/1979, estimated at €26000-36000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 109, Ren Hang, Untitled, 2010s, estimated at €14000-16000, sold at €45600 (image above, via OstLicht).

Just 41.03% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were a total of 4 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above, via OstLicht):

Lot 57, Philippe Halsman, Dalí portfolio, 1948-1964/1981, estimated at €4000-5000, sold at €11400

Lot 68, Bert Stern, Marilyn Monroe at Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles 1962, from the series ‘The Last Sitting’, 1962/1992, estimated at €5000-6000, sold at €13200

Lot 87, Luigi Ghirri, Amsterdam, from the series ‘Still life‘, 1981, estimated at €6000-8000, sold at €22800

Lot 109, Ren Hang, Untitled, 2010s, estimated at €14000-16000, sold at €45600

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

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Read more about: Bert Stern, Luigi Ghirri, Philippe Halsman, Ren Hang, OstLicht Photo Auction

One comment

  1. Pete /

    The Bert Stern photograph is eye-catching. It seems to be described online as a ‘crucifix’ Marilyn. I’m not sure if the negative was initally marked so as a fail but the glowing orange marks, done so un-selfconsciously on the stagey black and white portrait, brings it unexpectedly to life.

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