Auction Results: Photographies, June 6, 2023 @Christie’s Paris

The results from the recent Photographies sale at Paris (online) were largely uneventful. The top lot Helmut Newton print didn’t sell (so a Robert Mapplethorpe self-portrait took the top lot honors), but the combination of a respectable overall Buy-In rate of 20% and a few positive surprises led to Total Sale Proceeds (of roughly €890K) that fell just 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 65
Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate €933000
Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate €1324000
Total Lots Sold 52
Total Lots Bought In 13
Buy In % 20.00%
Total Sale Proceeds €894222

Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions). Given recent currency fluctuations, we have once again re-adapted our local currency thresholds to match roughly $10000 and $50000 break points between categories.

Detailed Breakdown
Low Total Lots 26
Total Low Lots Sold 23
Total Low Lots Bought In 3
Low Buy In % 11.54%
Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots €189000
Total Proceeds from Low Lots €223272
Mid Total Lots 33
Total Mid Lots Sold 26
Total Mid Lots Bought In 7
Mid Buy In % 21.21%
Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots €685000
Total Proceeds from Mid Lots €498330
Total High Lots 6
Total High Lots Sold 3
Total High Lots Bought In 3
High Buy In % 50.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots €450000
Total Proceeds from High Lots €172620

The top lot by High estimate was lot 25, Helmut Newton, Roselyne at Arcangues, 1975, estimated at €90000-110000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 9, Robert Mapplethorpe, Self-portrait, 1985, estimated at €60000-80000, sold at €75600 (image above, via Christie’s).

98.08% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were a total of 4 surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above, via Christie’s):

Lot 2, Adam Fuss, Untitled (Sunflower), 1993, estimated at €4000-6000, sold at €18900

Lot 5, Nan Goldin, French Chris on convertible, NYC, 1979, estimated at €6000-8000, sold at €18900

Lot 52, Peter Beard, Hunting Cheetahs on the Taru Desert, Kenya (for ‘The End of the Game’), 1960/1997, estimated at €6000-8000, sold at €18900

Lot 66, Bruce Weber, Lisa Marie, Palm Beach, 1986, estimated at €2000-3000, sold at €6930

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Send this article to a friend

Read more about: Adam Fuss, Bruce Weber, Nan Goldin, Peter Beard, Robert Mapplethorpe, Christie's

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recent Articles

Nan Goldin, You never did anything wrong @Gagosian

Nan Goldin, You never did anything wrong @Gagosian

JTF (just the facts): A total of 27 photographic works, framed in black and unmatted, and hung against white walls in the main gallery space and the entry area. The ... Read on.

Sign up for our weekly email newsletter

This field is required.