Auction Results: Rome in Early Photographs – The Orsola and Filippo Maggia Collection and Photography, December 7, 2020 @Lempertz

The results from the paired photography sales at Lempertz in Cologne earlier this week didn’t ruffle too many feathers. An Otto Steinert luminogram was the top outcome of the sales, and a large number of lower priced positive surprises helped keep the momentum up. But the overall Buy-In rate of roughly 45% ultimately dampened the results, leading to Total Sale Proceeds of roughly €375K, below the aggregate pre-sale high estimate.

The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):

Summary Statistics
Total Lots 267
Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate NA
Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate €626600
Total Lots Sold 145
Total Lots Bought In 122
Buy In % 45.69%
Total Sale Proceeds €376364

Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High definitions):

Detailed Breakdown
Low Total Lots 252
Total Low Lots Sold 140
Total Low Lots Bought In 112
Low Buy In % 44.44%
Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots €462600
Total Proceeds from Low Lots €325614
Mid Total Lots 15
Total Mid Lots Sold 5
Total Mid Lots Bought In 10
Mid Buy In % 66.67%
Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots €164000
Total Proceeds from Mid Lots €50750
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 1024, NASA, Buzz Aldrin beside the Stars and Stripes, 1969, estimated at €15000-20000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 939, Otto Steinert, Luminogramm (Die Lampen der Place de la concorde, Paris), 1952, estimated at €12000-15000, sold at €16250 (image above via Lempertz).

91.03% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range, and there were a total of 22 positive surprises in the sales (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate). The 7 outcomes at €4000 and above are listed below (images above, via Lempertz):

Lot 890, Guglielmo (Wilhelm) Plüschow, Untitled, c1900, estimated at €1200, sold at €4000

Lot 891, Vincenzo Galdi, Untitled, c1900, estimated at €1200, sold at €4500

Lot 968, F.C. Gundlach, Jump Suit aus Nerz, Mirella Petteni, Oslo, 1963/1980s, estimated at €1500-2000, sold at €4000

Lot 975, Elliott Erwitt, Provence, France, 1955/2014, estimated at €3000, sold at €9375

Lot 1000, Peter Leibing, Leap to freedom, 1961, estimated at €1200-1500, sold at €4000

Lot 1033, Anton Corbijn, Nick Cave, Santa Monica, 1991, estimated at €5000-6000, sold at €12500

Lot 1046, Luigi Ghirri, Verso Lagosanto (from the series: Il profilo delle nuvole), 1989, estimated at €3000-4000, sold at €14375

The complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Send this article to a friend

Read more about: Anton Corbijn, Elliott Erwitt, F.C. Gundlach, Guglielmo (Wilhelm) Plüschow, Luigi Ghirri, Otto Steinert, Peter Leibing, Vincenzo Galdi, Kunsthaus Lempertz

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.