Post-War & Contemporary Evening Sale – So Far

The action started off real strong with the first 11 lots either meeting or beating their estimate — Peter Doig’s Jetty made £6.5M (hammer – est £4-£6M) and de Stael’s Marseille bringing £2.7M (est. £1-£1.5M).  Then the water began to get a little rough from lots 12 – 21 with a Currin and Peyton selling below their estimates and a Dumas, Barcelo, Kruger and Currin going unsold.  Lot 22 was a 1961 Lichtenstein that made £2.45M (est. £1.5-£2M) and lot 23 a Warhol soup can that the auctioneer ran to £2M but it remained unsold (est. £2.25-£3.25M). Lot 25 was the Basquiat (which was financed by a third party) which opened at £13.5M and sold at £16.7M — this same work was bought by the seller in 2002 for $1.66M.  More on this sale to follow….