Kaws Leads Rago Arts & Auction Center $210,200 '21st Century Art' Auction in Lambertville

A work by Kaws was the headline sale at Rago Arts & Auction Center '21st Century Art' auction on August 7 in Lambertville.

• The sale totaled $210,200, falling short of its pre-sale low estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 37 works sold totaling $210,200.
• Estimates totaled: $375,700 (low) and $551,800 (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 67% of the original 55 lots announced.

The star lot was: Kaws, Four Foot Companion (Black) (2007), which sold for $44,100, 26% below its $60,000 low estimate.

The outperformer sold for 84% above its low estimate. Alison van Pelt, Untitled (Blue, Green Nude) (Undated), sold for $2,772 ($1,500 low estimate).

• 2 works, or 5%, sold above their high estimate.
• 11 works, or 30%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 24 works, or 65%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

16 works were bought-in, including: Kehinde Wiley, The Gypsy Fortune-Teller (2007), estimated at $25,000 (low) to $35,000 (high).

Withdrawn before the sale

2 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Kenny Scharf, Object to Enjoy (2008) estimated at $10,000 (low) to $15,000 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.