Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale Totals $15.69m
3 min read · 15 Oct 2026
Twice Told Tales I by Cecily Brown sold for $1.33m. Image courtesy of Christie's
A work by Cecily Brown was the headline sale at Christie's 'Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale' on October 15 in London.
- The sale totaled $15.69m (GBP11.82m), meeting the pre-sale estimate.
Snapshot of the sale
- 78 works sold totaling $15.69m.
- Estimates totaled: $13.95m (low) and $20.3m (high), excluding premiums.
- The sell-through rate was 75% of the original 104 lots announced.
The star lot was: Cecily Brown, Twice Told Tales I (1998), which sold for $1.33m, 66% above its $794,800 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.
Cityscape with Rooftops by Paul Thek sold for $64,600 (387% above estimate). Image courtesy of Christie's
The outperformer sold for 387% above its low estimate. Paul Thek, Cityscape with Rooftops (1979), sold for $64,600 ($13,200 low estimate). It has been traded twice in the past.
- 38 works, or 49%, sold above their high estimate.
- 30 works, or 38%, sold within their low and high estimate.
- 10 works, or 13%, sold below their low estimate.
- 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.
Guaranteed sales
1 work was backed by a guarantee: Nicolas Party, Portrait (2020). It sold for $373,800, 12% above its $331,200 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.
Works that did not sell
22 works were bought-in, including: Anselm Kiefer, Die Ungeborenen (The Unborn) (2001), estimated at $463,600 (low) to $728,600 (high). It has been traded once in the past.
Withdrawn before the sale
4 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: George Condo, St. Jerome (2007), estimated at $596,100 (low) to $861,000 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.
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