Lichtenstein's Wimpy Leads Sotheby's $26.68m 'Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein' Auction in New York

A work by Roy Lichtenstein, which had a guarantee, was the headline sale at Sotheby's 'Reflections on Pop: Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein' auction on September 26-26 in New York.

• The sale totaled $26.68m, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 92 works sold totaling $26.68m.
• Estimates totaled: $14.55m (low) and $20.96m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 100%, so a white-glove sale.

The star lot was: Roy Lichtenstein, Reflections: Wimpy I (1988), which sold for $2.86m, 185% above its $1m low estimate. The work was backed by a guarantee. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 3286% above its low estimate. Roy Lichtenstein, Teardrop Pendant (1966), sold for $101,600 ($3,000 low estimate). The work was backed by a guarantee. It has been traded once in the past.

• 75 works, or 82%, sold above their high estimate.
• 9 works, or 10%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 8 works, or 9%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

92 works were backed by guarantees, including: Roy Lichtenstein, Eclipse of the Sun II (1975). It sold for $2.58m, 3% above its $2.5m low estimate.. It has been traded once in the past.

Works that did not sell

0 works were bought-in.

Withdrawn before the sale

0 works were withdrawn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. 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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.