Toyen Leads Christie's $8.33m 'Collection Paul et Jacqueline Duchein, Le Théâtre de l'imaginaire' Auction in Paris

A work by Toyen was the headline sale at Christie's 'Collection Paul et Jacqueline Duchein, Le Théâtre de l'imaginaire' auction on September 24 in Paris.

• The sale totaled $8.33m (EUR7.47m), exceeding the pre-sale high estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 143 works sold totaling $8.33m.
• Estimates totaled: $4.8m (low) and $7.29m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 94% of the original 152 lots announced.

The star lot was: Toyen, Flux et reflux de la nuit (1955), which sold for $1.33m, 49% above its $889,800 low estimate. It has been traded twice in the past.

The outperformer sold for 1415% above its low estimate. Oliver Tovar Urbina, Sabotier (Undated), sold for $8,430 ($556 low estimate).

• 87 works, or 61%, sold above their high estimate.
• 42 works, or 29%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 14 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

6 works were bought-in, including: Max Ernst, La Horde (1927), estimated at $389,300 (low) to $611,700 (high). It has been traded 8 times in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

3 works were withdrawn before the sale, including: Georges Braque, Pour le Lieutenant Duchein Paul (1957) estimated at $6,674 (low) to $8,898 (high).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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.