Auction Results: Photographs, May 7, 2013 @Bonhams New York

The results of Bonhams' Photographs sale yesterday in New York were generally lackluster. The overall Buy-In rate was more than 35% and the Total Sale Proceeds missed the low end of the estimate range by more than a whisker.

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

Total Lots: 135
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $843000
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $1204500
Total Lots Sold: 86
Total Lots Bought In: 49
Buy In %: 36.30%
Total Sale Proceeds: $674750

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 113
Low Sold: 74
Low Bought In: 39
Buy In %: 34.51%
Total Low Estimate: $633500
Total Low Sold: $393000

Mid Total Lots: 20
Mid Sold: 11
Mid Bought In: 9
Buy In %: 45.00%
Total Mid Estimate: $396000
Total Mid Sold: $201250

High Total Lots: 2
High Sold: 1
High Bought In: 1
Buy In %: 50.00%
Total High Estimate: $175000
Total High Sold: $80500

The top lot by High estimate was lot 27, Edward Weston, Fiftieth Anniversary Portfolio, 1902-1952, c1952, estimated at $60000-90000; it was also the top outcome of the sale at $80500.

70.93% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range. There were a total of 4 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):
Lot 38, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, La buena fama, durmiendo, 1938-1939/1970s, estimated at $5000-7000, sold at $21250 (image at right, bottom, via Bonhams)
Lot 81, Nicholas Nixon, Yazoo City, 1979, estimated at $2000-3000, sold at $6000 (image at right, middle, via Bonhams)
Lot 93, Sebastião Salgado, Man Lying in Oil, Kuwait, 1991, estimated at $3000-5000, sold at $15000 (image at right, top, via Bonhams)
Lot 94, Sebastião Salgado, Greater Buhrman Oil Field, Kuwait, 1991, estimated at $2000-3000, sold at $6875

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction: Photographs, May 7, 2013 @Bonhams New York

Bonhams has a various owner Photographs sale coming up next week in New York, with a broad selection of mostly lower priced 20th century black and white works. Overall, there are 135 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of $1204500.

Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 113
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $633500

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 20
Total Mid Estimate: $396000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 2
Total High Estimate: $175000

The top lot by High estimate is lot 27, Edward Weston, Fiftieth Anniversary Portfolio, 1902-1952, c1952, estimated at $60000-90000.

Below is the list of photographers represented by 4 or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Ansel Adams (11)
Ruth Bernhard (8)
Sebastiao Salgado (8)
Manuel Alvarez Bravo (6)
Brett Weston (5)
Harry Callahan (4)
Robert Doisneau (4)
Andre Kertesz (4)
O. Winston Link (4)

Other items of interest include lot 107, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, 1998, estimated at $65000-85000 (image at right, top, via Bonhams), lot 109 John Coplans, Self-Portrait (Front Hand III), 1987, estimated at $5000-7000 (image at right, middle, via Bonhams), and lot 105, Garry Winogrand, Park Avenue, 1959/late 1970s, estimated at $20000-30000 (image at right, bottom, via Bonhams).

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
May 7th

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction Results: Photographs, May 19, 2011 @Bonhams London

The recent results of the Photographs sale at Bonhams in London were quite soft, with a Buy-In rate over 50%, few positive surprises, and Total Sale Proceeds that missed the estimate range by a wide margin.

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

Total Lots: 102
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: £240200
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: £340900
Total Lots Sold: 50
Total Lots Bought In: 52
Buy In %: 50.98%
Total Sale Proceeds: £166080

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 81
Low Sold: 42
Low Bought In: 39
Buy In %: 48.15%
Total Low Estimate: £155900
Total Low Sold: £100680

Mid Total Lots: 21
Mid Sold: 8
Mid Bought In: 13
Buy In %: 61.90%
Total Mid Estimate: £185000
Total Mid Sold: £65400

High Total Lots: 0
High Sold: NA
High Bought In: NA
Buy In %: NA
Total High Estimate: £0
Total High Sold: NA

The top lot by High estimate is lot 56, Irving Penn, Five Dahomey Girls, Two Standing, 1967/1985, at £15000-20000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 47, Hans Haas, Hans Haas at work photographing the world under the ocean, n.d., at £14400. (Image at right, top, via Bonhams.)

92.00% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above their estimate. There were a total of 3 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 5, David Octavius Hill & Robert Adamson, Four portraits, 1840s, at £4560 (image at right, bottom, via Bonhams)
Lot 47, Hans Haas, Hans Haas at work photographing the world under the ocean, n.d., at £14400 (image at right, top, via Bonhams)
Lot 77, Mario Testino, Kate Moss in Blue Cafe, 2005, at £5280

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams
101 New Bond Street
London W1S 1SR

Auction Results: Photographs, May 10, 2011 @Bonhams

In terms of generating solid results in an auction, there's nothing like selling 24 out of the top 25 lots you have available. Bonhams did just that in its recent Photographs sale in New York, led by a long string of Sugimoto prints that all found buyers. Overall, the Buy-In rate was nicely below 20% and the Total Sale Proceeds bumped up against the High end of the range.

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

Total Lots: 170
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $871000
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $1283600
Total Lots Sold: 140
Total Lots Bought In: 30
Buy In %: 17.65%
Total Sale Proceeds: $1204018
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Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 139
Low Sold: 111
Low Bought In: 28
Buy In %: 20.14%
Total Low Estimate: $673600
Total Low Sold: $536068

Mid Total Lots: 31
Mid Sold: 29
Mid Bought In: 2
Buy In %: 6.45%
Total Mid Estimate: $610000
Total Mid Sold: $667950

High Total Lots: 0
High Sold: NA
High Bought In: NA
Buy In %: NA
Total High Estimate: $0
Total High Sold: NA

The top lot by High estimate was tied between two lots: lot 122, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Colors of Shadow C1018, 2006, and lot 123, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Colors of Shadow C1027, 2006, both at $30000-50000; lot 122 sold for $30500 and lot 123 sold for $24400. The top outcome of the sale was lot 101, Irving Penn, Alfred Hitchcock, New York, May 23, 1947/1955, at $54900.

75.00% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range. There were a total of 4 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 70, Lucien Clergue, Picasso a la Cigarette a la Californie, Cannes, 1956/1977, at $6710
Lot 93, Flor Garduno, Basket of Light, Sumpango, Guatelmala, 1989/1993, at $4270 (image at right, bottom, via Bonhams)
Lot 101, Irving Penn, Alfred Hitchcock, New York, May 23, 1947/1955, at $54900 (image at right, top, via Bonhams)
Lot 110, Richard Avedon, Humphrey Bogart, Actor, New York, 1953/1970, at $30500 (image at right, middle, via Bonhams)

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction: Photographs, May 19, 2011 @Bonhams London

Following up on its New York Photographs sale earlier this week, Bonhams has another Photographs auction scheduled for London next week. The sale includes mostly lower end material, with few standouts that really caught my eye. Overall, there are a total of 102 lots on offer, with a Total High Estimate of £340900.

Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including £5000): 81
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): £155900

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between £5000 and £25000): 21
Total Mid Estimate: £185000

Total High Lots (high estimate above £25000): 0
Total High Estimate: NA

The top lot by High estimate is lot 56, Irving Penn, Five Dahomey Girls, Two Standing, 1967/1985, at £15000-20000. (Image at right, bottom, via Bonhams.)

Here is the list of the photographers who are represented by three or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Willy Ronis (12)
Horst P. Horst (5)
Edouard Boubat (4)
Mario Giacomelli (4)
Jürgen Schadeberg (4)
Jock Sturges (4)
Brassaï (3)
Robert Doisneau (3)
Erna Lendvai-Dircksen (3)
André Villers (3)

(Lot 77, Mario Testino, Kate Moss in Blue Cafe, 2005, at £1500-2000, image at right, middle, and lot 88, Luigi Ghirri, Mirrors, 1977, at £1000-1500, image at right, top, both via Bonhams.)

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
May 19th

Bonhams
101 New Bond Street
London W1S 1SR

Auction: Photographs, May 10, 2011 @Bonhams

Bonhams' various owner Photographs sale in two weeks has a deeper selection of Sugimoto prints than we've seen at auction anywhere this year. The top seven lots in the sale are all Sugimotos, including a solid mix of seascapes and blurred architecture images; another four Sugimotos can be found down the estimate list a little further. Overall, there are 170 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of $1283600.
Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 139
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $673600
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Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 31
Total Mid Estimate: $610000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 0
Total High Estimate: NA

The top lot by High estimate is tied between two lots: lot 122, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Colors of Shadow C1018, 2006, and lot 123, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Colors of Shadow C1027, 2006, (image at right, top, via Bonhams), both at $30000-50000.
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Below is the list of photographers represented by 4 or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Ansel Adams (13)
Hiroshi Sugimoto (11)
Lee Friedlander (8)
Edward Curtis (7)
Alfred Eisenstaedt (6)
Joel Meyerowitz (5)
Richard Misrach (5)
Peter Beard (4)
Andre Kertesz (4)
Michael Light (4)
Irving Penn (4)
Sandy Skoglund (4)
Joel-Peter Witkin (4)

(Lot 89, Lee Friedlander, Stems, 1994, at $3000-4000, image at right, middle, and lot 131, Richard Misrach, Plate 4 from Desert Night Series, 1977, at $5000-7000, image at right, bottom, both via Bonhams.)
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The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
May 10th
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Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction Results: Photographs, April 13, 2011 @Bonhams Dubai

Bonhams' recent Photographs sale in Dubai didn't generate much notable momentum. The overall Buy-In rate was up over 33% (more than a third of the lots failing to find a buyer) and the Total Sale Proceeds missed the low end of the estimate range by a significant margin on both a dollar basis and as a percentage. With no positive surprises, there were no individual outcomes really worth highlighting, and thus no accompanying images for this results roundup.
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The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):

Total Lots: 85
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $570000
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $757900
Total Lots Sold: 56
Total Lots Bought In: 29
Buy In %: 34.12%
Total Sale Proceeds: $394920
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Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 72
Low Sold: 49
Low Bought In: 23
Buy In %: 31.94%
Total Low Estimate: $430900
Total Low Sold: $253920
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Mid Total Lots: 13
Mid Sold: 7
Mid Bought In: 6
Buy In %: 46.15%
Total Mid Estimate: $327000
Total Mid Sold: $141000
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High Total Lots: 0
High Sold: NA
High Bought In: NA
Buy In %: NA
Total High Estimate: $0
Total High Sold: NA
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The top lot by High estimate was tied between two lots: lot 33, Shirin Neshat, Mystified, 1997, and lot 70, Halim Al-Karim, Goddess of the Desert, 2010, both at $35000-45000. The Al-Karim didn't sell. The Neshat sold for $36000, and was tied with lot 41, Camille Zakharia, Cultivate Your Garden, 1998, also at $36000, for top outcome of the sale.
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91.07% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range. There were no surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate).
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Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
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Bonhams
Royal Mirage Hotel

Villa No. 23
Beach Road
Jumeirah 1
Dubai, UAE

Auction: Photographs, April 13, 2011 @Bonhams Dubai

Later this week, Bonhams is having a Photographs sale in Dubai. While many Western collectors (including ourselves) might still be somewhat uncertain about bidding/buying in Dubai (and figuring out the constraints of the US sanctions on Iran), I think a flip through the catalog is an interesting window into contemporary Middle Eastern photography; there are plenty of photographers in this sale that we just don't see much of in New York. Overall, there are a total of 85 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of $757900.
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Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 72
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $430900

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 13
Total Mid Estimate: $327000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 0
Total High Estimate: NA
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The top lot by High estimate is tied between two lots: lot 33, Shirin Neshat, Mystified, 1997, (image at right, top, via Bonhams) and lot 70, Halim Al-Karim, Goddess of the Desert, 2010, both at $35000-45000.

Here's the complete list of photographers represented by two or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Norman Parkinson (4)
Sebastiao Salgado (4)
Andre Villers (4)
Jamie Balbridge (3)
Chuck Close (3)
Shadi Ghadirian (3)
Peter Anderson (2)
Lillian Bassman (2)
Majid Koorang Beheshti (2)
Amr Fekry (2)
Philippe Halsman (2)
Horst P. Horst (2)
Bahman Jalali (2)
Rana Javadi (2)
Nadine Kanso (2)
Laila Muraywid (2)
Herbert Ponting (2)
Bijan Sayfouri (2)
Todd Webb (2)
Camille Zakharia (2)
Siamak Zomorrdi-e Motlach (2)
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(Lot 37, Shadi Ghadirian, Untitled from the Qajar series, 1998, at $7000-9000, at right, middle, and lot 50, Faisal Samra, Distorted Reality #36, 2007, at $10000-15000, at right, bottom, both via Bonhams.)

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.
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Photographs
April 13th
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Bonhams
Royal Mirage Hotel

Villa No. 23
Beach Road
Jumeirah 1
Dubai, UAE

Auction Results: Photographs, November 16, 2010 @Bonhams London

The results of the Photographs sale at Bonhams in London last week were generally uneventful, with a Buy-In rate over 40%, few positive surprises, and Total Sale Proceeds that missed the estimate range by a wide margin. Yawn.
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The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):

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Total Lots: 150

Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: £339300

Pre Sale High Total Estimate: £477000

Total Lots Sold: 83

Total Lots Bought In: 67

Buy In %: 44.67%

Total Sale Proceeds: £213900

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Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

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Low Total Lots: 130

Low Sold: 74

Low Bought In: 56

Buy In %: 43.08%

Total Low Estimate: £285000

Total Low Sold: £160020

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Mid Total Lots: 19

Mid Sold: 9

Mid Bought In: 10

Buy In %: 52.63%

Total Mid Estimate: £162000

Total Mid Sold: £53880

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High Total Lots: 1

High Sold: 0

High Bought In: 1

Buy In %: 100.00%

Total High Estimate: £30000

Total High Sold: £0

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The top lot by High estimate was lot 43, Frantisek Drtikol, Nude Study, 1927, at £25000-30000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 143, Nick Brandt, Cheetah and Cubs, Masaai Mara, 2003, at £14400. (Image at right, top, via Bonhams.)

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88.06% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above their estimate. There were a total of 2 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

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Lot 25, André Villers, Picasso wearning Peruvian hat, c1960/Later, at £9000 (image at right, bottom, via Bonhams)

Lot 27, André Villers, Picasso with revolver and hat of Gary Cooper, Cannes, 1958/Later, at £4800

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Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

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Bonhams

101 New Bond Street

London W1S 1SR

Auction: Photographs, November 16, 2010 @Bonhams London

Following up on its New York Photographs sale last week, Bonhams has another Photographs auction scheduled for London next week. The sale includes mostly lower end material, with a solid helping of British photography. Overall, there are a total of 150 lots on offer, with a Total High Estimate of £477000.

Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including £5000): 130
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): £285000

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between £5000 and £25000): 19
Total Mid Estimate: £162000

Total High Lots (high estimate above £25000): 1
Total High Estimate: £30000

The top lot by High estimate is lot 43, Frantisek Drtikol, Nude Study, 1927, at £25000-30000. (Image at right, top, via Bonhams.)

Here is the list of the photographers who are represented by four or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Willy Ronis (15)

Brassaï (6)
Henri Cartier-Bresson (6)

Peter Henry Emerson (5)
Wolfgang Suschitzky (5)
Mario Giacomelli (4)
Horst P. Horst (4)
Angus McBean (4)
Sebastião Salgado (4)
Jürgen Schadenberg (4)

Jock Sturges (4)

André Villers (4)

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Since we have a collection of vintage Brandt nudes, we would likely be interested in lot 77, Bill Brandt, St. John's Wood, London, 1958. (Image at right, bottom, via Bonhams.)

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The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
November 16th

Bonhams

101 New Bond Street
London W1S 1SR

Auction Results: Photographs, November 2, 2010 @Bonhams

Bonhams had a generally uneventful outcome at its Photographs sale in New York earlier this week. The auction had a Buy-In rate over 45% and Total Sale Proceeds that missed the low estimate by a decent margin. With few in the way of positive surprises, there just wasn't much to write home about.

The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
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Total Lots: 110
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $506500
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $748500
Total Lots Sold: 60
Total Lots Bought In: 50
Buy In %: 45.45%
Total Sale Proceeds: $423767

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 100
Low Sold: 53
Low Bought In: 47
Buy In %: 47.00%
Total Low Estimate: $517500
Total Low Sold: $287127
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Mid Total Lots: 9
Mid Sold: 7
Mid Bought In: 2
Buy In %: 22.22%
Total Mid Estimate: $171000
Total Mid Sold: $136640
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High Total Lots: 1
High Sold: 0
High Bought In: 1
Buy In %: 100.00%
Total High Estimate: $60000
Total High Sold: NA
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The top lot by High estimate was lot 38, Ansel Adams, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras, 1927, at $40000-60000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was lot 33, Ansel Adams, Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California, 1944/1970s, at $39650.

70.00% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range. There were a total of 2 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 13, Edward Curtis, The Vanishing Race, Navajo, 1904, at $15860
Lot 89, Duane Michals, Magritte with Hat, 1965/1989, at $5795 (image at right, top, via Bonhams)

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
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Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction: Photographs, November 2, 2010 @Bonhams

Bonhams' various owner Photographs sale next week brings together its customary West coast flavored selection of lower end material. The auction contains a number of Cole Weston prints of Edward Weston negatives. Overall, there are 110 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of $748500.

Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 100
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $517500

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 9
Total Mid Estimate: $171000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 1
Total High Estimate: $60000

The top lot by High estimate is lot 38, Ansel Adams, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras, 1927, at $40000-60000. (Image at right, top, via Bonhams.)

Below is the list of photographers represented by 3 or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Edward Weston (14)
Ansel Adams (11)
Harry Callahan (8)
Brett Weston (6)
Philippe Halsman (4)
Herb Ritts (4)
Ruth Bernhard (3)
Edward Curtis (3)
Andre Kertesz (3)
Terry O'Neill (3)
RISD portfolios (3)
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For our own collection, I quite liked lot 107, Uta Barth, Untitled (05.6), 2005. (Image at right, bottom, via Bonhams.)

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
November 2nd

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction Results: Photographs, May 20, 2010 @Bonhams London

The results of the recent Photographs sale at Bonhams in London were generally muted, with a buy-in rate over 40% and total sale proceeds that missed the estimate range by a decent margin. In an otherwise uneventful sale, André Villers' images of Picasso all sold above their High estimates.

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

Total Lots: 137
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: £304500
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: £490400
Total Lots Sold: 81
Total Lots Bought In: 56
Buy In %: 40.88%
Total Sale Proceeds: £241320

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 109
Low Sold: 68
Low Bought In: 41
Buy In %: 37.61%
Total Low Estimate: £219400
Total Low Sold: £150120

Mid Total Lots: 27
Mid Sold: 13
Mid Bought In: 14
Buy In %: 51.85%
Total Mid Estimate: £236000
Total Mid Sold: £91200

High Total Lots: 1
High Sold: 0
High Bought In: 1
Buy In %: 100.00%
Total High Estimate: £35000
Total High Sold: £0

The top lot by High estimate was lot 125, Thomas Ruff, Porträt (V. Liebermann), 1998, at £25000-35000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was tied between lot 47, André Villers, Picasso Popeye, Cannes, 1957/1989, and lot 137, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Satellite Tower City, 2002, both at £12600.

78.57% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above their estimate. There were a total of 7 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 10, Grace Robertson, On the Caterpillar, London Women's Pub Outing (Clapham), 1956/Later, at £1920
Lot 18, Thurston Hopkins, Keeping Warm, Islington, London, 1950/Later, at £3600
Lot 25, Wolfgang Suschitzky, Charing Cross Road from No. 84 (Marks and Co.), 1937/Later, at £1920
Lot 26, Wolfgang Suschitzky, Embankment, London, 1947/Later, at £1920
Lot 46, André Villers, Picasso, Cannes, 1958/1989, at £3120
Lot 47, André Villers, Picasso Popeye, Cannes, 1957/1989, at £12600
Lot 48, André Villers, Picasso with revolver and hat of Gary Cooper, 1958/1989, at £7200 (image at right, top, via Bonhams)

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams
101 New Bond Street
London W1S 1SR

Auction Results: Photographs, May 18, 2010 @Bonhams

Bonhams had a bit of a rough outing at its Photographs sale in New York earlier this week. With a buy-in rate approaching 50% and total sale proceeds that missed the low by a wide margin, there isn't much excitement to be found these results. Nearly a third of the lots that did sell came in under their estimate ranges, and there were only two positive surprises in the whole sale.

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

Total Lots: 132
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $722500
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $1039550
Total Lots Sold: 70
Total Lots Bought In: 62
Buy In %: 46.97%
Total Sale Proceeds: $481290

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 112
Low Sold: 61
Low Bought In: 51
Buy In %: 45.54%
Total Low Estimate: $545550
Total Low Sold: $247660

Mid Total Lots: 19
Mid Sold: 8
Mid Bought In: 11
Buy In %: 57.89%
Total Mid Estimate: $439000
Total Mid Sold: $184830

High Total Lots: 1
High Sold: 1
High Bought In: 0
Buy In %: 0.00%
Total High Estimate: $55000
Total High Sold: $48800

The top lot by High estimate was lot 100, Richard Avedon, Nastassja Kinski and the Serpent, 1981, at $35000-55000; it was also the top outcome of the sale at $48800.

Only 67.14% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range. There were a total of 2 surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 76, Danny Lyon, Highway 49 from Jackson to Yazoo City, the Entrance to the Delta, 1964/1968, at $4880 (image at right, via Bonhams)
Lot 79, William Garnett, Train Crossing Desert near Kelso, California, 1974, at $13420 (image at right, top, via Bonhams)

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction: Photographs, May 20, 2010 @Bonhams London

Following up on its New York Photographs sale earlier in the week, Bonhams has scheduled a twin Photographs auction in London for this coming Thursday. This sale has primarily lower end and lesser known material, with a healthy mix of British photographers. Overall, there are a total of 137 lots on offer, with a Total High Estimate of £490400. (Catalog cover at right, via Bonhams.)

Here's the statistical breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including £5000): 109

Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): £219400

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between £5000 and £25000): 27

Total Mid Estimate: £236000

Total High Lots (high estimate above £25000): 1

Total High Estimate: £35000

The top lot by High estimate is lot 125, Thomas Ruff, Porträt (V. Liebermann), 1998, at £25000-35000. (Image at right, via Bonhams.)

Here is the list of the photographers who are represented by three or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Horst P. Horst (9)

Thurston Hopkins (6)
Nobuyoshi Araki (5)

Ken Griffiths (5)

O. Winston Link (5)

Wolfgang Suschitzky (5)

Brassaï (4)

Norman Parkinson (4)

Grace Robertson (4)

Sebastião Salgado (4)

Jock Sturges (4)

André Villers (4)

Andy Warhol (4)

David Bailey (3)

Lillian Bassman (3)

Terence Donovan (3)

Mario Giacomelli (3)

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs

May 20th

Bonhams
101 New Bond Street

London W1S 1SR

Auction: Photographs, May 18, 2010 @Bonhams

Bonhams' various owner Photographs sale next week begins the string of auctions that bridge from the end of the New York season to the beginning of the season in Europe (London, Paris, Germany and elsewhere). Overall, there are 132 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of $1039550. (Catalog cover at right, via Bonhams.)

Here's the statistical breakdown:
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Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 112

Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $545550

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 19

Total Mid Estimate: $439000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 1

Total High Estimate: $55000
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The top lot by High estimate is lot 100, Richard Avedon, Nastassja Kinski and the Serpent, 1981, at $35000-55000.
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Below is the list of photographers represented by at least 3 lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Ansel Adams (8)

Andre Kertesz (8)

Joel-Peter Witkin (7)

Edward Curtis (6)

Jim Dow (5)

Herb Ritts (5)

Edward Weston (5)

Berenice Abbott (4)

Johan Hagemeyer (4)

O. Winston Link (4)

Ruth Bernhard (3)

Robert Mapplethorpe (3)

Sebastiao Salgado (3)

For our particular collection, the platinum Laura Gilpin, Narcissus, 1928, would be the best fit. (Image at right, via Bonhams.)

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs

May 18th
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Bonhams

580 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Auction Results: Photographs, November 10, 2009 @Bonhams

Even with a mixed batch of generally lower end material, the various owner photography sale at Bonhams last week performed solidly in line with the rest of the New York season, with Total Sale Proceeds covering the Total Low Estimate and a Buy-In Rate only a bit higher than the others (at just over 30%, but within striking distance of "normal").

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

Total Lots: 151
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $677100
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $969300
Total Lots Sold: 105
Total Lots Bought In: 46
Buy In %: 30.46%
Total Sale Proceeds: $718641

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 136
Low Sold: 92
Low Bought In: 44
Buy In %: 32.35%
Total Low Estimate: $660300
Total Low Sold: $431941

Mid Total Lots: 14
Mid Sold: 12
Mid Bought In: 2
Buy In %: 14.29%
Total Mid Estimate: $219000
Total Mid Sold: $176900

High Total Lots: 1
High Sold: 1
High Bought In: 0
Buy In %: 00.00%
Total High Estimate: $90000
Total High Sold: $109800

73.33% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above their estimate. There were only two surprises in this sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate):

Lot 37 Martin Munkacsi, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Mexico, 1934, at $23180
Lot 73 Henri Cartier-Bresson, Jumna River, Agra, India, 1948/Later, at $7320

The top lot by High estimate was lot 112 (also the cover lot) Edward Weston, Nude (Charis, Santa Monica), 1936, at $70000-90000; it was the top outcome of the sale at $109800.

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction: Photographs, November 10, 2009 @Bonhams

Bonhams' various owner Photographs sale begins the string of auctions in November that bridge from New York to London, Paris, Berlin and beyond. The sale has a heavy dose of lesser known Ansel Adams images, along with a generally lower end mix of material lacking in major star power. If the turnout is soft, there should be some bargains here. Overall, there are 151 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of $969300. (Catalog cover at right, via Bonhams.)

Here's the breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 136
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $660300

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 14
Total Mid Estimate: $219000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 1
Total High Estimate: $90000

The top lot by High estimate is lot 112 (also the cover lot) Edward Weston, Nude (Charis, Santa Monica), 1936, at $70000-90000.

Below is the list of photographers represented by at least 3 lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):

Ansel Adams (20)
Edward Curtis (6)
Horst P. Horst (6)
Andre Kertesz (6)
Jacques Henri Lartigue (6)
Robert Doisneau (5)
Julius Shulman (5)
Brett Weston (5)
Joel-Peter Witkin (5)
Manuel Alvarez-Bravo (4)
Ruth Bernhard (4)
Walker Evans (4)
O. Winston Link (4)
Berenice Abbott (3)
Rene Burri (3)

Beyond the cover lot, there really aren't any great fits for our collection in this sale.

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
November 10th

Bonhams
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction Results: Photographs, May 19, 2009 @Bonhams

Bonhams was able to marginally improve on the now standard results for a photography sale this season, with a slightly lower buy in rate and total proceeds closer to the total Low estimate; overall, a solid performance, especially given its out of phase scheduling.

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

Total Lots: 166
Pre Sale Low Total Estimate: $642800
Pre Sale High Total Estimate: $938300

Total Lots Sold: 111
Total Lots Bought In: 55
Buy In %: 33.13%
Total Sale Proceeds: $608231

Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post, here):

Low Total Lots: 149
Low Sold: 99
Low Bought In: 50
Buy In %: 33.56%
Total Low Estimate: $619300
Total Low Sold: $348981

Mid Total Lots: 17
Mid Sold: 12
Mid Bought In: 5
Buy In %: 29.41%
Total Mid Estimate: $319000
Total Mid Sold: $259250

High Total Lots: 0
High Sold: NA
High Bought In: NA
Buy In %: NA
Total High Estimate: $0
Total High Sold: NA

Only 62.12% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range, so more than a third of the lots sold below their range. Surprises (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) included: lot 52, Yousuf Karsh, Sir Winston Churchill, 1941/1980s, at $6710, lot 102, Ray Metzker, Kayak, Frankfurt, 1995 at $9760, and lot 129, Larry Clark, Untitled from Tulsa, 1972/Later, at $7320.

Complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Bonhams & Butterfields
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Auction: Photographs, May 19, 2009 @Bonhams

The Photographs sales at the old San Francisco-based Butterfields (now part of Bonhams in New York) have always had a heavier dose of West coast material (Ansel Adams et al) and have often been a good place to look for bargains. The upcoming sale matches this description and includes mostly affordable works, with the standout lot (to our eyes) being a 1950s print of Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother, although from the online image, it looks like it might have a few condition problems in one corner. (No catalog cover image available.)

Here are the statistics for the auction:

Total Lots: 166
Total Low Estimate: $642800
Total High Estimate: $938300

Total Low Lots (high estimate $10000 and below ): 149
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $619300

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 17
Total Mid Estimate: $319000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 0
Total High Estimate: NA

A couple of lots that would fit into our specific collection include:

Lot 61, Harry Callahan, Eleanor, 1947/Later
Lot 62, Imogen Cunningham, Triangles, 1928/1960s

The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here.

Photographs
May 19th

Bonhams & Butterfields
580 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022