Jean-Michel Basquiat Work Sells for $6.54m to Deliver a 15% Annualized Return
3 min read · 21 May 2026
Asbestos. Image courtesy of Christie's
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Asbestos (1982), sold for $6.54m, more than twice the low estimate at Christie's in New York on May 20.
The sale beat the previous auction result for this work by $6.5m, equivalent to an annualized return of 15%. It last sold at auction in 1990 for $37,500 at Sotheby's.
Oil and oilstick on paper, 70.2 x 49.2cm. The work has been traded 5 times in the past.
Sale Date | Price | Price Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
May 20, 2026 | $6.54m | 17343 % | Christie's | New York |
May 09, 1990 | $37,500 | - | Sotheby's | New York |
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