Simeon Stafford Leads Bonhams $22,300 'Discovery Sale'

A work by Simeon Stafford was the headline sale at Bonhams 'Discovery Sale' on July 31.

• The sale totaled $22,300 (GBP16,800), falling short of its pre-sale low estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 42 works sold totaling $22,300.
• Estimates totaled: $24,900 (low) and $37,400 (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 72% of the original 58 lots announced.

The star lot was: Simeon Stafford, St Ives (Undated), which sold for $2,720, 305% above its $671 low estimate.

The outperformer sold for 305% above its low estimate. Simeon Stafford, St Ives (Undated), sold for $2,720 ($671 low estimate).

• 14 works, or 33%, sold above their high estimate.
• 12 works, or 29%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 16 works, or 38%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

14 works were bought-in, including: Stanley Pinker, Bather (Undated), estimated at $2,684 (low) to $4,026 (high). It has been traded twice in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

2 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: William Shayer Sr., Bringing in the catch (Undated) estimated at $939 (low) to $1,342 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.