Robert Mapplethorpe Leads Christie's $3.47m 'The Collection of Sir Elton John: The Day Sale' in New York

A work by Robert Mapplethorpe was the headline sale at Christie's 'The Collection of Sir Elton John: The Day Sale' on February 22 in New York.

• The sale totaled $3.47m, falling short of its pre-sale low estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 151 works sold totaling $3.47m.
• Estimates totaled: $3.57m (low) and $5.4m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 54% of the original 282 lots announced.

The star lot was: Robert Mapplethorpe, Calla Lily (1988), which sold for $157,500, 150% above its $60,000 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 500% above its low estimate. Andre Kertesz, *Chair and Horn, Paris * (1935), sold for $18,900 ($3,000 low estimate). It has been traded once in the past.

A talking point was: Yves Klein, Leaping in the Void (Le Saut Dans le Vide) (1960), photographed by Harry Shunk and János Kender, which sold for $25,200, 300% above the low estimate.

• 75 works, or 50%, sold above their high estimate.
• 46 works, or 30%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 30 works, or 20%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

130 works were bought-in, including: Robert Frank, Charleston, South Carolina, 1955 (1980), estimated at $150,000 (low) to $250,000 (high). It has been traded once in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

1 work was withdrawn before the sale: Lewis W Hine *Workers, Empire State Building * (1930) estimated at $10,000 (low) to $15,000 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.