Buoyed by a cache of Helmut Newton prints consigned by former auctioneer Simon de Pury, the recent various owner Photographs sale at Phillips in London performed well. Ten of the Newton prints doubled their high estimates or more, many at strong five figure prices. With the overall Buy-In rate coming in under 20%, the Total Sale Proceeds (of roughly £2.4M) fell near the top of the aggregate pre-sale estimate range.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 169 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | £1735500 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | £2570500 |
| Total Lots Sold | 136 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 33 |
| Buy In % | 19.53% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | £2435606 |
Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions).
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 58 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 54 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 4 |
| Low Buy In % | 6.90% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | £327500 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | £359156 |
| Mid Total Lots | 103 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 74 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 29 |
| Mid Buy In % | 28.16% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | £1753000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | £1463040 |
| Total High Lots | 8 |
| Total High Lots Sold | 8 |
| Total High Lots Bought In | 0 |
| High Buy In % | 0.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | £490000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | £613410 |
The top lot by High estimate was tied between two lots, each estimated at £60000-80000: lot 37, Mario Testino, Kate Moss, London, 2001, and lot 103, Nick Brandt, Elephant Drinking, Amboseli, 2007; both lots found buyers, the Testino at £114300 and the Brandt at £57150, but neither was the top outcome of the sale. That honor went to lot 58, Irving Penn, The Palm of Miles Davis, New York, 1986/1992, estimated at £40000-60000, sold at £152400 (image above, via Phillips).
91.18% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were a total of 13 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above via Phillips):
Lot 16, Seiji Kurata, Tattooed Man from Flash Up, 1975/1978, estimated at £20000-30000, sold at £69850
Lot 32, Slim Aarons, Swimming Pool on the Beach, 1980/later, estimated at £2000-3000, sold at £6985
Lot 58, Irving Penn, The Palm of Miles Davis, New York, 1986/1992, estimated at £40000-60000, sold at £152400
Lot 121, Helmut Newton, Woman into Man, Paris, 1979/early 1990s, estimated at £12000-18000, sold at £49530
Lot 126, Helmut Newton, Mannequins, Quai d’Orsay III, Paris, 1977/early 1990s, estimated at £10000-15000, sold at £36830
Lot 131, Helmut Newton, Two Pairs of Legs in Silk Stockings, Ritz Hotel, Paris, 1979/early 1990s, estimated at £18000-22000, sold at £55880
Lot 143, Helmut Newton, Battleship, Monte Carlo, 1993/2001, estimated at £15000-25000, sold at £66040
Lot 144, Helmut Newton, Monte Carlo, 1986/2001, estimated at £15000-25000, sold at £66040
Lot 153, Helmut Newton, Celia, Miami, 1991/2001, estimated at £25000-35000, sold at £107950
Lot 161, Helmut Newton, Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel and Mirrors, Paris, 1983/early 1990s, estimated at £6000-8000, sold at £20955
Lot 165, Helmut Newton, Marc Bohan for Dior, Vogue, Paris, 1977/1981, estimated at £5000-7000, sold at £15240
Lot 166, Helmut Newton, Self Portrait with Reclining Woman, Valentino Place, Hollywood, 1986, estimated at £5000-7000, sold at £22860
Lot 168, Helmut Newton, David Lynch and Isabella Rossellini, Los Angeles, 1988, estimated at £5000-7000, sold at £27940
The complete lot by lot results can be found here.
