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Banksy Leads Christie's Online $1.67m 'Post-War and Contemporary Art Online' Auction

3 min read  ·  16 Oct 2024

Rat Clock (Gold) by Banksy sold for $78,900.
Image courtesy of Christie's Online

Rat Clock (Gold) by Banksy sold for $78,900. Image courtesy of Christie's Online

A work by Banksy was the headline sale at Christie's Online 'Post-War and Contemporary Art Online' auction on October 15.

  • The sale totaled $1.67m (GBP1.28m), meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

  • 107 works sold totaling $1.67m.
  • Estimates totaled: $1.39m (low) and $2.04m (high), excluding premiums.
  • The sell-through rate was 83% of the original 129 lots announced.

The star lot was: Banksy, Rat Clock (Gold) (2021), which sold for $78,900, 99% above its $39,500 low estimate. It has not been traded before.

The outperformer sold for 399% above its low estimate. Wolfgang Tillmans, The Air Between (2016), sold for $19,700 ($3,951 low estimate). It has been traded twice in the past.

Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed

Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed

  • 45 works, or 42%, sold above their high estimate.
  • 35 works, or 33%, sold within their low and high estimate.
  • 27 works, or 25%, sold below their low estimate.
  • 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

21 works were bought-in, including: Rainer Fetting, Ina Mit Hut und Rotwein (Ina with Hat and Red Wine) (1999), estimated at $32,900 (low) to $46,100 (high). It has been traded once in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

1 work was withdrawn before the sale: Saul Steinberg, Untitled (Alligator, Building) (1960) estimated at $3,951 (low) to $6,585 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.