François-Xavier Lalanne Leads Sotheby's $35.95m 'Pauline Karpidas: The London Collection Day Auction' in London

A work by François-Xavier Lalanne, which had a guarantee, was the headline sale at Sotheby's 'Pauline Karpidas: The London Collection Day Auction' on September 18-18 in London.

• The sale totaled $35.95m (GBP26.35m), exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 193 works sold totaling $35.95m.
• Estimates totaled: $13.16m (low) and $18.41m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 99% of the original 194 lots announced.

The star lot was: François-Xavier Lalanne, Console Végétale (2011), which sold for $2.38m, 885% above its $241,900 low estimate. The work was backed by a guarantee. It has not been traded before.

The outperformer sold for 5270% above its low estimate. David Gill, Pair of Totem Table Lamps (2013), sold for $43,300 ($806 low estimate). The work was backed by a guarantee. It has not been traded before.

• 170 works, or 88%, sold above their high estimate.
• 14 works, or 7%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 9 works, or 5%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

193 works were backed by guarantees, including: François-Xavier Lalanne, Aux Canards Table (1994). It sold for $727,600, 9% below its $806,500 low estimate..

Works that did not sell

0 works were bought-in.

Withdrawn before the sale

1 work was withdrawn before the sale: Jacques Grange, Pair of Rouleaux Sofas (2011) estimated at $6,721 (low) to $9,409 (high).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. 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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.