World’s largest art business and a fine arts auction house, Christie’s continues with very, very successful sales. With sales for the first half of 2012, some $3.5 billion, representing the highest total for a corresponding period in company and art market history, Christie’s boasts the result from its London evening auction of Post-War & Contemporary Art, held on February 13th, 2013, where realised a total of £81,668,850 ($127,730,081), selling 96% by value.
During the evening ten artists have set new records, 19 works were sold for for over £1 million ($1.55 million) and 27 works for over $1 million. The highest price of the evening session was hit by a piece by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Museum Security (Broadway meltdown), sold for £9,337,250 ($14,603,459). A selection of works offered from the collection of Mrs. Ingvild Goetz realised £4,286,750 ($6,704,477), achieving three times the low pre-sale estimate.
Other highlights of the sale include:
Gerhard Richter’s Abstraktes Bild (2004) sold for £8,441,250 ($13,202,115) – estimate: £4,000,000-6,000,000 ($6,200,000-9,300,000)
Peter Doig’s The Architect’s Home in the Ravine (1991) sold for £7,657,250 ($11,975,939) – estimate £4,000,000-6,000,000 ($6,200,000-9,300,000)
David Hockney’s Great Pyramid at Giza with Broken Head from Thebes sold for £3,513,250 ($5,494,723) – estimate £2,500,000-3,500,000 ($3,870,000-5,420,000) – becoming the 2nd highest price for the artist at auction
Allen Jones’ Table, Chair, Hatstand sold for £2,169,250 ($3,392,707) – estimate £1,500,000-2,000,000 ($2,320,000-3,100,000)
Damien Hirst’s Away from the Flock (Divided) sold for £1,945,250 ($3,042,371) – estimate £1,800,000-2,500,000 ($2,790,000-3,870,000)