Christie's Sale of S.I. Newhouse's Masterpieces Totals $630.8m

A work by Jackson Pollock, which had a guarantee, was the headline sale at Christie's sale of the private collection of S.I. Newhouse on May 18 in New York, smashing the artist's auction record.

• The sale totaled $630.8m, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.

The widow of the former co-owner of publisher Conde Naste, Victoria Newhouse, has consigned 16 masterworks, some of which they lived with in their New York apartment. The latest sale, which follows auctions in 2019 and 2023, is a highly personal selection from their blue-chip collection.

Snapshot of the sale

• 16 works sold totaling $630.8m.
• Estimates totaled: $462m (low) and $595m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 100%, so a white-glove sale.

The star lot was: Jackson Pollock, Number 7A (1948), which sold for $181.2m, 81% above its $100m low estimate. The work was backed by a guarantee. It has been traded 4 times in the past.

The outperformer sold for 140% above its low estimate. Pablo Picasso, Tête de femme (1907), sold for $14.44m ($6m low estimate). The work was backed by a guarantee. It has been traded 6 times in the past.

• 4 works, or 25%, sold above their high estimate.
• 9 works, or 56%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 3 works, or 19%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Auction records

Jackson Pollock, Number 7A (1948), which sold for $181.2m, a 175% rise.

Constantin Brancusi, Danaïde (1913), which sold for $107.6m, a 51% rise.

Joan Miro, Portrait de Madame K (1924) sold for $53.53m, a 44% rise.

Guaranteed sales

The 16 works were backed by guarantees.

Works that did not sell

0 works were bought-in.

Withdrawn before the sale

0 works were withdrawn

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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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