CHRISTIE'S Realizes a Grand Total of $937.5 Million for the November Sales of Imp&Mod and Pwa/Cty Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, concluded its November Sales of Impressionist & Modern and Post-War & Contemporary Art in New York with a grand total of $937,463,050.
News-Antique.com - Nov 16,2007 - New York – Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, concluded its November Sales of Impressionist & Modern and Post-War & Contemporary Art in New York with a grand total of $937,463,050, the most monumental figure ever in art auction history, far surpassing the previous record sales total of $866 million which was set by Christie’s in November 2006 when the legendary Bloch-Bauer Klimt paintings were sold.
HRISTIE’S REALIZES A
GRAND TOTAL OF $937,463,050
FOR THE NOVEMBER SALES OF IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN AND POST-WAR & CONTEMPORARY ART IN NEW YORK
· Industry Record Total for Season Series of Sales
· Continued Market Leadership in the Impressionist & Modern and Post-War & Contemporary Art Fields
· Second Most Valuable Sale Ever in the History of Art Auctioneering with $395 Million Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale
· Most Successful Post-War & Contemporary Art Evening Sale of the Season at $325 Million
· 57 New World Auction Records Set
· 144 Lots Sold Above One Million Dollars
New York – Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, concluded its Autumn Sales of Impressionist & Modern and Post-War & Contemporary Art in New York with a grand total of $937,463,050, the most monumental figure ever in art auction history, far surpassing the previous record sales total of $866 million which was set by Christie’s in November 2006. Market watchers were on alert but without fail, all sales at Christie’s showed tremendous strength and energy, with results that resolutely contradicted speculations about a softening of the market. Evening as well as Day Sales were carried by a confident, committed and eager audience, which included a plethora of new buyers, whose activities were clearly sparked by the strong presence of the seasoned collectors. Fifty-seven new world auction records were set for masters including Henri Matisse, Paul Signac and Camille Pissarro in Impressionist and Modern Art and Lucian Freud, Ed Ruscha, Richard Prince, Wayne Thiebaud and Gerhard Richter in Post-War and Contemporary Art.
“Christie's Autumn Sales Season, which totaled $937,463,050, is continuing proof that the art market is stronger, deeper, more global and more confident than ever before. This record total was produced by seven sales only, each one of which performed exceedingly well and above pre-sale expectations. Of the 136 works we sold in our two evening sales, 97% sold above one million dollars; 17% sold above ten million dollars; and 94% of all sold lots went for prices within or above their estimate,” said Marc Porter, President Christie’s Americas. “We were especially delighted that despite shifts in the financial and currency markets, American clients continued to collect passionately and comprised 50% of the buyers in our evening sales. Works of art at all price levels continue to increase in value and we believe that the market will further expand.”
Christie’s sales of Impressionist and Modern Art took place on November 6 and 7 and realized a total of $472,972,100, which was composed of $394,977,200 for the Evening Sale and $77,994,900 as a combined total for the
