3 min read · 11 Oct 2024
Maternidad by Fernando Botero sold for $332,000. Image courtesy of Bonhams
A work by Fernando Botero was the headline sale at Bonhams 'Post-War & Contemporary Art' auction on October 11 in London.
The star lot was: Fernando Botero, Maternidad (1995), which sold for $332,000, 66% above its $199,300 low estimate. It has been traded twice in the past.
The outperformer sold for 301% above its low estimate. Sonja Sekula, Skeletons of Feelings (1952), sold for $80,100 ($19,900 low estimate). It has been traded 3 times in the past.
Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed
No sales had a guarantee.
13 works were bought-in, including: Frank Auerbach, Head of David Landau (2012), estimated at $398,500 (low) to $664,200 (high). It has been traded once in the past.
2 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Harland Miller, I'm so fucking hard - Ernest Hemingway (2002) estimated at $106,300 (low) to $159,400 (high).
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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.