Calder's Loose Yolks Leads Rago Arts & Auction Center $749,200 'Curated: Calder' Auction in Lambertville

A 1966 gouache and ink on paper work by Sandy Calder was the headline sale at Rago Arts & Auction Center 'Curated: Calder' auction on January 29 in Lambertville.

• The sale totaled $749,200, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 31 works sold totaling $749,200.
• Estimates totaled: $340,100 (low) and $488,900 (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 94% of the original 33 lots announced.

The star lot was: Sandy Calder, Loose Yolks (1966), which sold for $95,200, 90% above its $50,000 low estimate. The gouache and ink on paper work has not been traded before.

The outperformer sold for 789% above its low estimate. Sandy Calder, Cercle jaune (1953), sold for $35,600 ($4,000 low estimate).

• 23 works, or 74%, sold above their high estimate.
• 5 works, or 16%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 3 works, or 10%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

1 work was bought-in: Sandy Calder, Untitled (Santa Claus X) (1974), estimated at $800 (low) to $1,000 (high).

Withdrawn before the sale

1 work was withdrawn before the sale: After Alexander Calder, Landscape tapestry (1981) estimated at $8,000 (low) to $12,000 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.