Barbara Hepworth Leads Bonhams $2.61m 'Modern British Art' Auction in London

A work by Barbara Hepworth was the headline sale at Bonhams 'Modern British Art' auction on November 20 in London.

• The sale totaled $2.61m (GBP2.06m), meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 56 works sold totaling $2.61m.
• Estimates totaled: $2.18m (low) and $3.24m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 79% of the original 71 lots announced.

The star lot was: Barbara Hepworth, Miniature Divided Circle (1971), which sold for $323,000, 211% above its $103,800 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 368% above its low estimate. Paul Nash, Early Spring, Fulmer (1919), sold for $121,400 ($25,900 low estimate). It has been traded twice in the past.

• 33 works, or 59%, sold above their high estimate.
• 23 works, or 41%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 0 works, or 0%, 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: L.S. Lowry, A Ferry (1964), estimated at $259,400 (low) to $389,100 (high). It has been traded 3 times in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

1 work was withdrawn before the sale: William Scott, Seated Girl (1953) estimated at $13,000 (low) to $19,500 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.