Auction Results: The World of Eugène Atget: Photographs from The Museum of Modern Art, October 18, 2024 @Sotheby’s (online)

It was a dismal afternoon at the single artist sale of prints by Eugène Atget coming from the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Admittedly, the works on offer were second (or even third) tier Atgets, regardless of the provenance, so most were being sold without reserve, seemingly in a “clear the decks” mode. Those lots did of course sell, but almost uniformly below their estimate ranges, and the few higher priced lots with reserves largely failed to sell. So while the overall Buy-In rate of 20% might look vaguely acceptable, the fact that just 8% of the lots that found buyers did so in or above their estimate ranges tells a better story about the weakness of the demand. When the timers had all expired, the Total Sale Proceeds (of roughly $310K) 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 60
Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate $764000
Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate $1175000
Total Lots Sold 48
Total Lots Bought In 12
Buy In % 20.00%
Total Sale Proceeds $311880

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

Detailed Breakdown
Low Total Lots 12
Total Low Lots Sold 12
Total Low Lots Bought In 0
Low Buy In % 0.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots $95000
Total Proceeds from Low Lots $46680
Mid Total Lots 48
Total Mid Lots Sold 36
Total Mid Lots Bought In 12
Mid Buy In % 25.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots $1080000
Total Proceeds from Mid Lots $265200
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 11, Eugène Atget, Coin du Boulevard de la Chapelle et 76 rue Fleury (18e arr.), 1921, estimated at $30000-50000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 14, Eugène Atget, Parc de Sceaux (avril, 7 heures du matin) (statue), 1925, estimated at $20000-30000, sold at $28800 (image above via Sotheby’s).

Just 8.00% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range, and there were no positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate).

The complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Send this article to a friend

Read more about: Eugène Atget, Sotheby's

One comment

  1. Pete /

    There were some really wonderful Atget photographs included.

    The first one in the catalogue, Fortifications, Porte d’Arcueil, is very special. 125 years vanish imagining him going up to that family and asking permission to include them in his composition. The unyielding glare of the child, the Ralph Meatyard-esque scarecrow-man on his knees just behind, the louche father. The eye contact. What would Atget think of it all, inspecting his slightly strange result after taking it through to the final print.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recent Articles

Christian Patterson, Gong Co.

Christian Patterson, Gong Co.

JTF (just the facts): Co-published in 2024 by TBW Books (here) and Éditions Images Vevey (here). Casebound hardcover with French fold dust jacket and printed edges, 9 x 11 inches, ... Read on.

Sign up for our weekly email newsletter

This field is required.