Invader Leads Phillips $4.26m 'New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art' Auction in London

A work by Invader was the headline sale at Phillips 'New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art' auction on April 19 in London.

• The sale totaled $4.26m, meeting the pre-sale estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 137 works sold totaling $4.26m.
• Estimates totaled: $3.35m (low) and $4.85m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 84% of the original 164 lots announced.

The star lot was: Invader, Bruce Lee 3D (2015), which sold for $252,600, its estimated price. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 500% above its low estimate. Blek Le Rat, Tango (2021), sold for $118,400 ($18,800 low estimate), an auction record for the artist. It has not been traded before.

• 54 works, or 39%, sold above their high estimate.
• 45 works, or 33%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 38 works, or 28%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

23 works were bought-in, including: Jonas Burgert, Wundtun (2014), estimated at $62,600 (low) to $87,600 (high). It has been traded once in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

2 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Sterling Ruby, SNAKE (4694) (2013) estimated at $18,800 (low) to $25,000 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.