SOTHEBY’S ACHIEVES HIGHEST SALE TOTAL IN 263-YEAR HISTORY Tonight Sotheby’s achieved its highest sale total ever when its evening sale of Contemporary Art in New York brought $315,907,000, exceeding its high estimate (est. $220.3/298.7 million).
Other works by Andy Warhol which brought strong prices included his Campbell’s Soup Can (Pepper Pot), 1962, which sold for $8,441,000 (lot 41, est. $7/9 million). This classic pop painting combines Warhol’s keen graphic sensibility with his use of an appropriated image in the manner of Jasper Johns’ flag and target paintings. This work was formerly in the collection of Emily and Burton Tremaine, who had one of the foremost collections of avant-garde and contemporary art on the East coast from the 1950s through early 1980s. Also by Warhol from his Death and Disaster series was Four Jackies, 1964, which achieved $5,641,000 (lot 13, est. $4/6 million), and Suicide, 1964, which brought $5,193,000 (lot 12, est. $3.5/4.5 million).
Works by Chinese Contemporary artists brought strong prices, including Zhang Xiaogang’s Family Portrait, 1994, which sold for $4,969,000 (lot 68, est. $2.5/3.5 million) and Fang Lijun’s Series 2, No. 6, 1991-92, which brought $4,073,000 (lot 65, est. $800,000/1.2 million).
The sales will continue tomorrow with Morning and Afternoon sessions of Contemporary Art.
