As the last few straggler sales of the 2024 auction season finish up, it’s decently clear that attention has drifted elsewhere. The results from the recent Photography Online Only sale at Grisebach in Berlin were underwhelming, with the top lot Peter Beard work failing to sell and an overall Buy-In rate over 53%. With just a few positive surprises to stem the tide, the Total Sale Proceeds (of roughly €215K) fell well 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 | 157 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | €415700 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | €588500 |
| Total Lots Sold | 73 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 84 |
| Buy In % | 53.50% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | €214182 |
Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 146 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 69 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 77 |
| Low Buy In % | 52.74% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | €421000 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | €169097 |
| Mid Total Lots | 11 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 4 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 7 |
| Mid Buy In % | 63.64% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | €167500 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | €45085 |
| 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 1307, Peter Beard, Loliondo Lion Charge, 1964/later, estimated at €15000-25000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was tied between two lots, both sold at €12700: lot 1308, Peter Beard, Tracking the Mt. Gorilla, Rwanda, 1984/1998, estimated at €12000-18000, and lot 1447, Umbo, 10 Photographien, 1927-1930/1980, estimated at €12000-15000 (images above, via Grisebach).
91.78% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were 3 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above, via Grisebach):
Lot 1314, Ilse Bing, Paris, rue de Valois, 1932, estimated at €2400-3400, sold at €10795
Lot 1421, August Sander, The Painter Heinrich Hoerle portrays the boxer Hein Domgörgen, Cologne 10. August, 1932/1986, estimated at €700-900, sold at €2286
Lot 1428, Gundula Schulze Eldowy, Angelika, Berlin, 1984, estimated at €700-900, sold at €1905
Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
