Art auction market report: April 2004
In April 2004, ArtSell recorded 813 auction lots from 6 auction houses, of which 714 sold (88% sell-through). The 714 sales with a published price total $4,277,990, with a median of $1,410 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Lin Fengmian, “Fisherwomen”, at $305,704 (Ravenel). 15 artists set a new high compared with every earlier result in the database.
Lots offered
813
6 houses
Sold
714
88% sell-through
Total
$4.3M
714 priced sales
Median
$1.4k
priced sales
Top sales
| # | Work | Artist | House · date | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fisherwomen | Lin Fengmian | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $305,704 (NT$10,066,000) |
| 2 | Taichi Shadow Boxing (Pair), 1985 | Ju Ming | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $271,690 (NT$8,946,000) |
| 3 | 15. 4. 61, 1961 | Zao Wou-ki | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $261,486 (NT$8,610,000) |
| 4 | Old Mill, Baie St. Paul | Arthur Lismer | Levis Fine Art Auctions · Apr 18, 2004 | $189,591 (CA$255,500) |
| 5 | Underarm Strike (Taichi Series), 1991 | Ju Ming | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $159,443 (NT$5,250,000) |
| 6 | RECONSTRUCTED HEAD | Louis le Brocquy | Whyte's · Apr 27, 2004 | $154,531 (€130,000) |
| 7 | Lu Xun's Old Home, 1977 | Wu Guanzhong | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $130,530 (NT$4,298,000) |
| 8 | 26.1.68, 1968 | Zao Wou-ki | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $121,844 (NT$4,012,000) |
| 9 | Guanyin | Ju Ming | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $103,926 (NT$3,422,000) |
| 10 | SWANS ON THE LAGAN | Frank McKelvey | Whyte's · Apr 27, 2004 | $85,586 (€72,000) |
| 11 | Capri, 1922 | Konrad Mägi | HAUS Galerii · Apr 4, 2004 | $79,199 (€64,295) |
| 12 | Lumière jaunne, 1993 | Chu Teh-chun | Ravenel · Apr 11, 2004 | $71,673 (NT$2,360,000) |
| 13 | MIXED FLOCK | Frank McKelvey | Whyte's · Apr 27, 2004 | $45,171 (€38,000) |
| 14 | THE LAKE | Daniel O'Neill | Whyte's · Apr 27, 2004 | $45,171 (€38,000) |
| 15 | AUTUMN DAY AT ISLAND-BRIDGE, DUBLIN | Harry Kernoff | Whyte's · Apr 27, 2004 | $42,793 (€36,000) |
Top American artists
Ranked by total of priced sales in the month; region from the artist’s recorded nationality.
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Scott American | $20,683 | 2 | PYRE II — $19,019 |
| 2 | Han Hsiang-ning American | $17,918 | 1 | Mount Huang F — $17,918 |
| 3 | Eric Hudson American | $10,580 | 1 | Schooner — $10,580 |
| 4 | Chihung Yang American | $8,959 | 1 | Mysterious Flowers — $8,959 |
| 5 | Edward Henry Potthast American | $6,900 | 1 | Western Sunset — $6,900 |
| 6 | Frank Egginton British | $5,944 | 1 | WATERVILLE LAKE, COUNTY KERRY and MEENISH ISLAND, CONNEMARA (A PAIR) — $5,944 |
| 7 | John Way American | $3,942 | 1 | Abstract — $3,942 |
| 8 | Pál Fried Hungarian | $3,840 | 1 | Maxine — $3,840 |
| 9 | Paul Strisik American | $3,737 | 1 | Bass Rocks — $3,737 |
| 10 | Hale Woodruff American | $3,450 | 1 | Modern Abstract — $3,450 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zao Wou-ki French | $383,330 | 2 | 15. 4. 61 — $261,486 |
| 2 | Frank McKelvey Irish | $188,171 | 5 | SWANS ON THE LAGAN — $85,586 |
| 3 | Louis le Brocquy Irish | $169,271 | 6 | RECONSTRUCTED HEAD — $154,531 |
| 4 | Konrad Mägi Estonian | $79,199 | 1 | Capri — $79,199 |
| 5 | Markey Robinson British | $76,315 | 11 | FISHING VILLAGE — $23,774 |
| 6 | Jerzy Nowosielski Polish | $71,165 | 7 | Dziewczyna w kostiumie kąpielowym z lustrem — $37,299 |
| 7 | Daniel O'Neill Irish | $67,756 | 3 | THE LAKE — $45,171 |
| 8 | Harry Kernoff British | $62,644 | 3 | AUTUMN DAY AT ISLAND-BRIDGE, DUBLIN — $42,793 |
| 9 | Cecil Maguire British | $54,799 | 6 | SUNDAY MORNING MASS, ROUNDSTONE — $20,208 |
| 10 | Tadeusz Brzozowski Polish | $46,877 | 3 | Bicykl — $38,791 |
New artist records
The artist’s best price this month exceeded every earlier priced result for them in the ArtSell database (artists with at least three earlier priced results).
| Artist | Work | Price | Previous high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Lismer | Old Mill, Baie St. Paul Levis Fine Art Auctions | $189,591 | $10,275 (12 earlier) |
| Louis le Brocquy | RECONSTRUCTED HEAD Whyte's | $154,531 | $90,379 (24 earlier) |
| Frank McKelvey | SWANS ON THE LAGAN Whyte's | $85,586 | $39,442 (15 earlier) |
| Konrad Mägi | Capri HAUS Galerii | $79,199 | $27,737 (5 earlier) |
| Daniel O'Neill | THE LAKE Whyte's | $45,171 | $38,574 (18 earlier) |
| Harry Kernoff | AUTUMN DAY AT ISLAND-BRIDGE, DUBLIN Whyte's | $42,793 | $26,076 (26 earlier) |
| Tadeusz Brzozowski | Bicykl Agra-Art | $38,791 | $30,233 (17 earlier) |
| Norah McGuinness | FLIGHT OVER MULROY BAY Whyte's | $33,284 | $13,147 (16 earlier) |
| Markey Robinson | FISHING VILLAGE Whyte's | $23,774 | $21,347 (89 earlier) |
| Aloysius C. OKelly | THE MARKET PLACE, TANGIER Whyte's | $22,585 | $17,667 (4 earlier) |
| Cecil Maguire | SUNDAY MORNING MASS, ROUNDSTONE Whyte's | $20,208 | $19,287 (22 earlier) |
| Maurice MacGonigal | DESMOND STEPHENSON ARHA COMING HOME IN CONNEMARA Whyte's | $17,831 | $14,474 (11 earlier) |
| Fergus O'Ryan | CHRIST CHURCH, DUBLIN Whyte's | $14,859 | $5,816 (25 earlier) |
| Teresa Pągowska | Erotyk Agra-Art | $13,428 | $11,774 (10 earlier) |
| Aleksander Kobzdej | Szczelina w rozchylonej płaszczyznie Agra-Art | $12,234 | $8,245 (5 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Levis Fine Art Auctions (265)Whyte's (249)Agra-Art (144)Ravenel (68)James D. Julia (56)HAUS Galerii (31)