Helen Frankenthaler Leads Christie's $21.33m 'Post-War to Present' Auction in New York

A work by Helen Frankenthaler was the headline sale at Christie's 'Post-War to Present' auction on February 27 in New York.

• The sale totaled $21.33m, meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 157 works sold totaling $21.33m.
• Estimates totaled: $17.95m (low) and $26.41m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 73% of the original 216 lots announced.

The star lot was: Helen Frankenthaler, Concerto (1982), which sold for $2.11m, 321% above its $500,000 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 640% above its low estimate. Yu Nishimura, Sandy beach (2020), sold for $296,100 ($40,000 low estimate). It has been traded twice in the past.

• 60 works, or 38%, sold above their high estimate.
• 75 works, or 48%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 22 works, or 14%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

11 works were backed by guarantees, including: Richard Diebenkorn, Untitled (Ocean Park) (1979). It sold for $781,200, 95% above its $400,000 low estimate.. It has been traded once in the past.

Works that did not sell

55 works were bought-in, including: Mark Grotjahn, Untitled (Big Red Butterfly with Three Blue Eyes 856) (2010), estimated at $500,000 (low) to $700,000 (high). It has been traded once in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

4 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Robert Rauschenberg, Party Crasher [Anagram (A Pun)] (1997) estimated at $200,000 (low) to $300,000 (high).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. 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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.