A selection of vintage Margaret Bourke-White prints soared to big prices at Bonhams’ various owner Photographs sale earlier this week, helping to prop up an otherwise lackluster outing. Her iconic image of refugees in front of a Kentucky billboard came in more than 10 times its high estimate, while her concrete pillars from the Fort Peck Dam brought in more than 16 times its high estimate. The overall Buy-In rate topped 40%, so these positive surprises provided the necessary push to keep the Total Sale Proceeds in the middle of the pre sale range.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 108 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | $820000 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | $1174500 |
| Total Lots Sold | 64 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 44 |
| Buy In % | 40.74% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | $986775 |
Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 72 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 48 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 24 |
| Low Buy In % | 33.33% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | $439500 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | $402000 |
| Mid Total Lots | 35 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 15 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 20 |
| Mid Buy In % | 57.14% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | $675000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | $415375 |
| 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 | $60000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | $151400 |
The top lot by High estimate was lot 132, Eadweard Muybridge, 236 plates from Animal Locomotion, 1887, estimated at $40000-60000; it sold for $151400 (image above, middle, via Bonhams). The top outcome of the sale was lot 16, Margaret-Bourke White, At the Time of the Louisiana Flood, Kentucky, 1937, estimated at $10000-15000, sold at $161000 (image above, left, via Bonhams).
Only 75.00% 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):
Lot 14, Margaret Bourke-White, Fort Peck Dam, Montana, 1936, estimated at $7000-9000, sold at $149000
Lot 15, Margaret Bourke-White, Commercial Solvents Company, Terre Haute, Indiana, 1936-1937, estimated at $5000-7000, sold at $16250 (image above, right, via Bonhams)
Lot 16, Margaret-Bourke White, At the Time of the Louisiana Flood, Kentucky, 1937, estimated at $10000-15000, sold at $161000 (image above, left, via Bonhams)
Lot 132, Eadweard Muybridge, 236 plates from Animal Locomotion, 1887, estimated at $40000-60000, sold at $151400 (image above, middle, via Bonhams)
Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
