Christie's Prints from the Sonnabed Collection Totals $2.71m

A work by Roy Lichtenstein, which had a guarantee, was the headline sale at Christie's 'Prints from the Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend' auction on October 20 in New York.

• The sale totaled $2.71m, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 52 works sold totaling $2.71m.
• Estimates totaled: $1.38m (low) and $2.04m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 100%, so a white-glove sale.

The star lot was: Roy Lichtenstein, Thunderbolt Banner (1968), which sold for $307,200, 338% above its $70,000 low estimate. The work was backed by a guarantee. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 412% above its low estimate. Andy Warhol, SAS Passenger Ticket (1968), sold for $15,400 ($3,000 low estimate). The work was backed by a guarantee. It has been traded once in the past.

• 34 works, or 65%, sold above their high estimate.
• 14 works, or 27%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 4 works, or 8%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

52 works were backed by guarantees, including: Andy Warhol, Mao (1972). It sold for $256,000, 28% above its $200,000 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

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Withdrawn before the sale

0 works were withdrawn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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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