Alexej Jawlensky Leads Bonhams $2.27m 'Impressionist & Modern Art' Auction in London

A work by Alexej Jawlensky was the headline sale at Bonhams 'Impressionist & Modern Art' auction on April 18 in London.

• The sale totaled $2.27m, meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 53 works sold totaling $2.27m.
• Estimates totaled: $2.21m (low) and $3.31m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 76% of the original 70 lots announced.

The star lot was: Alexej Jawlensky, Bretonin (1906), which sold for $475,700, 25% above its $379,000 low estimate. It has been traded 6 times in the past.

The outperformer sold for 1400% above its low estimate. Jean Delville, Méditation (1929), sold for $119,300 ($7,579 low estimate). It has been traded twice in the past.

• 41 works, or 77%, sold above their high estimate.
• 11 works, or 21%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 1 works, or 2%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

15 works were bought-in, including: Henri Lebasque, Les Andelys (1921), estimated at $101,100 (low) to $151,600 (high). It has been traded once in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

2 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Giorgio de Chirico, Rialto bridge (1956) estimated at $164,200 (low) to $227,400 (high).

Terms and definitions

All results include the fees and premiums added to the price of a work of art when the auctioneer's hammer falls. Sale prices are compared to the auction house’s low estimate, which do not include premiums.

Guarantees: Sometimes an auction house guarantees to pay a seller for a work, regardless of whether the bidding reaches the reserve price, a figure that is typically confidential.

Bought-in: If there are no bids for a work, or if bidding falls short of the reserve price, the lot is unsold or “bought-in”.

Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.

Premiums: Typically a sliding-scale of charges paid in addition to the hammer price by the buyer, plus any other fees.