Auctions: Contemporary Art Evening and Day Sales, with the Valencia Collection, February 17 and 18, 2011 @Phillips London

Phillips seems to have lost the battle of the recent photography consigments, as its first offering of photography in 2011 is decidedly underwhelming. In contrast to the total photo value on offer at Sotheby's (roughly 3 million pounds) and Christie's (roughly 4 million pounds) earlier in the week in London, Phillips' sale is a distant third, hardly within shouting distance. Overall, there are a total of 29 lots of photography available across the three Phillips sales (none in the high end Evening sale), with a Total High Estimate for photography of £458000.

Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including £5000): 3
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): £11000

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between £5000 and £25000): 21
Total Mid Estimate: £287000

Total High Lots (high estimate above £25000): 5
Total High Estimate: £160000

The top lot by High estimate is tied between two works: lot 298, Fischli and Weiss, Untitled (SAS and Concorde, NY), 1988/1989, image at right, middle, and lot 306, Marilyn Minter, Runs, 2005, image at right, bottom, both at £25000-35000. (Images via Phillips.)

Here is the very short list of the photographers who are represented by more than one lot in the three sales (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Marilyn Minter (3)
Vik Muniz (2)
Thomas Ruff (2)

(Lot 310, Jörg Sasse, 2075, 2003, at £4000-6000, image at right, top, via Phillips.)

The complete lot by lot catalogs can be found here (Evening), here (Day) and here (Valencia).
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Contemporary Art Evening Sale
February 17th
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Contemporary Art Day Sale
February 18th

Valencia Contemporary Art Collection
February 18th

Phillips De Pury & Company
Howick Place
London SW1P 1BB