Mahmud Said Leads Christie's $6.42m 'Middle Eastern Art Including Highlights from the Dalloul Collection' Auction in London
3 min read · 01 Nov 2024
Vue de la plage à Cassata en Grèce (View of the beach in Cassata in Greece) by Mahmud Said sold for $1.1m. Image courtesy of Christie's
A work by Mahmud Said was the headline sale at Christie's 'Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art Including Highlights from the Dalloul Collection' auction on October 31 in London.
- The sale totaled $6.42m (GBP4.94m), exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.
Snapshot of the sale
- 41 works sold totaling $6.42m.
- Estimates totaled: $3.28m (low) and $4.69m (high), excluding premiums.
- The sell-through rate was 80% of the original 51 lots announced.
The star lot was: Mahmud Said, Vue de la plage à Cassata en Grèce (View of the beach in Cassata in Greece) (1963), which sold for $1.1m, 235% above its $326,600 low estimate. It has been traded 4 times in the past.
The outperformer sold for 401% above its low estimate. Ziad Dalloul, La Chambre (2011), sold for $45,800 ($9,146 low estimate). It has been traded twice in the past.
Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed
- 29 works, or 71%, sold above their high estimate.
- 12 works, or 29%, sold within their low and high estimate.
- 0 works, or 0%, sold below their low estimate.
- 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.
Guaranteed sales
No sales had a guarantee.
Works that did not sell
10 works were bought-in, including: Ahmed Mater, Artificial Light (From the Desert of Pharan series) (2012), estimated at $91,500 (low) to $130,600 (high). It has been traded 4 times in the past.
Withdrawn before the sale
0 works were withdrawn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. 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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.