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Andy Warhol Leads Christie's $16.52m 'Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale' in London

3 min read  ·  10 Oct 2024

Vesuvius by Andy Warhol sold for $790,900.
Image courtesy of Christie's

Vesuvius by Andy Warhol sold for $790,900. Image courtesy of Christie's

A work by Andy Warhol was the headline sale at Christie's 'Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale' on October 10 in London.

  • The sale totaled $16.52m (GBP12.63m), meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

  • 113 works sold totaling $16.52m.
  • Estimates totaled: $14.95m (low) and $22.07m (high), excluding premiums.
  • The sell-through rate was 81% of the original 139 lots announced.

The star lot was: Andy Warhol, Vesuvius (1985), which sold for $790,900, 96% above its $401,700 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 597% above its low estimate. Annie Morris, Stack 3, Cobalt Turquoise (2024), sold for $140,100 ($20,100 low estimate). It has been traded once in the past.

Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed

Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed

  • 46 works, or 41%, sold above their high estimate.
  • 54 works, or 48%, sold within their low and high estimate.
  • 13 works, or 12%, sold below their low estimate.
  • 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

11 works were backed by guarantees, including: Anselm Kiefer, Liliths Töchter (Liliths Daughters) (2007). It sold for $461,400, 56% above its $294,600 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

Works that did not sell

22 works were bought-in, including: Jadé Fadojutimi, Let's take a walk on a tangent (2018), estimated at $401,700 (low) to $669,500 (high). It has been traded once in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

4 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Damien Hirst, Soul (2020) estimated at $468,700 (low) to $736,500 (high).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. Estimates, sale prices and totals are converted into US dollars. 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.