The various owner Photographs auction at Phillips in London last week generally performed to expectations. The top lot Peter Beard work found a buyer above its estimate range and the overall Buy-In rate came in just above a respectable 22%, leading to Total Sale Proceeds that fell solidly in the middle of the aggregate pre-sale estimate range.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 120 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | £1396500 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | £2043500 |
| Total Lots Sold | 93 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 27 |
| Buy In % | 22.50% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | £1655750 |
Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 25 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 20 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 5 |
| Low Buy In % | 20.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | £92500 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | £71125 |
| Mid Total Lots | 75 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 55 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 20 |
| Mid Buy In % | 26.67% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | £856000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | £669000 |
| Total High Lots | 20 |
| Total High Lots Sold | 18 |
| Total High Lots Bought In | 2 |
| High Buy In % | 10.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | £1095000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | £915625 |
The top lot by High estimate was lot 10, Peter Beard, 756 elephants in a “misery likes company” formation / destroyed social units from starvation / exceeding carrying capacity / over-population / + mismanagement / TSAVO / @ the Mkomazi border / for The End of the Game / last word from Paradise, 1976, estimated at £10000-150000. It was also the top outcome of the sale at £212500 (image above, via Phillips).
88.17% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were a total of 6 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above via Phillips):
Lot 9, Fan Ho, Hurrying Home, 1956, estimated at £8000-12000, sold at £25000
Lot 37, Thomas Ruff, cassini 24, 2009, estimated at £5000-7000, sold at £21250
Lot 76, Nino Migliori, Il Tuffatore, 1951/later, estimated at £10000-15000, sold at £32500
Lot 109, Norman Parkinson, The Art of Travel, 1951/later, estimated at £4000-6000, sold at £12500
Lot 114, Bill Brandt, Skye Mountains, 1947/1979-1980, estimated at £1000-2000, sold at £5125
Lot 115, Bill Brandt, Cuckmere River, Sussex, 1963/1979-1980, estimated at £1000-2000, sold at £4000
The complete lot by lot results can be found here.
