Adolf Wolfli Leads Christie's $2.07m 'Outsider Art' Auction in New York

A work by Adolf Wolfli was the headline sale at Christie's 'Outsider Art' auction on January 22 in New York.

• The sale totaled $2.07m, meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 145 works sold totaling $2.07m.
• Estimates totaled: $1.37m (low) and $2.39m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 100%, so a white-glove sale.

The star lot was: Adolf Wolfli, DER GROSSE SKT. ADOLF-STARN (THE GREAT ST. ADOLF-STAR), DOUBLE-SIDED (1923), which sold for $119,700, 199% above its $40,000 low estimate. It has been traded twice in the past.

The outperformer sold for 719% above its low estimate. Lucy Mingo, "HOUSETOP" VARIATION (2000), sold for $8,190 ($1,000 low estimate). It has not been traded before.

• 54 works, or 37%, sold above their high estimate.
• 66 works, or 46%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 25 works, or 17%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

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Withdrawn before the sale

0 works were withdrawn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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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