Viola Frey Leads Bonhams $1.61m 'Post-War & Contemporary Art X Made in California' Auction in Los Angeles
3 min read · 27 Sep 2024
Reclining Woman, Hand Outstretched by Viola Frey sold for $114,800. Image courtesy of Bonhams
A work by Viola Frey was the headline sale at Bonhams 'Post-War & Contemporary Art X Made in California' auction on September 25 in Los Angeles.
- The sale totaled $1.61m, falling short of its pre-sale low estimate.
Snapshot of the sale
- 78 works sold totaling $1.61m.
- Estimates totaled: $2.71m (low) and $4.04m (high), excluding premiums.
- The sell-through rate was 66% of the original 118 lots announced.
The star lot was: Viola Frey, Reclining Woman, Hand Outstretched (2002), which sold for $114,800, 63% above its $70,000 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.
The outperformer sold for 386% above its low estimate. Gregory Kondos, Half Dome Yosemite (2011), sold for $48,600 ($10,000 low estimate). It has been traded once in the past.
Breakdown of results against auction house estimates that are disclosed
- 28 works, or 36%, sold above their high estimate.
- 45 works, or 58%, sold within their low and high estimate.
- 5 works, or 6%, sold below their low estimate.
- 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.
Guaranteed sales
No sales had a guarantee.
Works that did not sell
39 works were bought-in, including: Ed Ruscha, Various Plastics (1979), estimated at $400,000 (low) to $600,000 (high). It has been traded 4 times in the past.
Withdrawn before the sale
0 works were withdrawn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Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.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.