Art auction market report: December 2006
In December 2006, ArtSell recorded 2,600 auction lots from 12 auction houses, of which 2,146 sold (83% sell-through). The 2,146 sales with a published price total $29,054,964, with a median of $2,760 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Maynard Dixon, “High Hills of Tehachapi (No.558)”, at $997,250 (Bonhams). 15 artists set a new high compared with every earlier result in the database.
Lots offered
2,600
12 houses
Sold
2,146
83% sell-through
Total
$29M
2,146 priced sales
Median
$2.8k
priced sales
Top sales
| # | Work | Artist | House · date | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High Hills of Tehachapi (No.558), 1936 | Maynard Dixon | Bonhams · Dec 11, 2006 | $997,250 |
| 2 | 21.3.1964, 1964 | Zao Wou-ki | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $975,197 (NT$31,570,000) |
| 3 | 27. 8. 84, 1984 | Zao Wou-ki | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $836,810 (NT$27,090,000) |
| 4 | Die Kurtisane, 1910 | Wladimir Georgiewitsch von Bechtejeff | Ketterer Kunst · Dec 5, 2006 | $631,689 (€473,850) |
| 5 | Girl, 2005 | Zhang Xiaogang | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $629,229 (NT$20,370,000) |
| 6 | Venice, 1962 | Liāu Kè-chhun | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $629,229 (NT$20,370,000) |
| 7 | Effluves de Printemps (Emanations of Spring), 1987 | Chu Teh-chun | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $473,544 (NT$15,330,000) |
| 8 | Yehliu Scenery, 1972 | Liāu Kè-chhun | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $387,052 (NT$12,530,000) |
| 9 | Invasion du Sombre (Invasion of the Dark), 1999 | Chu Teh-chun | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $369,753 (NT$11,970,000) |
| 10 | Goya's Lover, 1977 | Walasse Ting | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $352,455 (NT$11,410,000) |
| 11 | White Plum Blossoms, 1950 | Sanyu | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $352,455 (NT$11,410,000) |
| 12 | 18. 3. 1964, 1964 | Zao Wou-ki | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $335,157 (NT$10,850,000) |
| 13 | Sounds Getting Away, 1989 | Ai Xuan | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $276,342 (NT$8,946,000) |
| 14 | Einer und Viele (Un dans la foule) | Konrad Klapheck | Lempertz · Dec 1, 2006 | $275,806 (€208,250) |
| 15 | Lady Playing Moon Guitar, 1950 | Lin Fengmian | Ravenel · Dec 3, 2006 | $227,906 (NT$7,378,000) |
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 | Maynard Dixon American | $1,076,120 | 5 | High Hills of Tehachapi (No.558) — $997,250 |
| 2 | Walasse Ting American | $685,197 | 7 | Goya's Lover — $352,455 |
| 3 | Selden Connor Gile American | $408,735 | 5 | Hills in Autumn — $227,250 |
| 4 | Thomas Hill American | $283,123 | 4 | Purissima Falls — $117,250 |
| 5 | George Chann American | $185,896 | 2 | Life — $94,771 |
| 6 | Percy Gray American | $158,935 | 8 | Winding Creek with Mt. Tamalpais in the Distance (triptych) — $50,788 |
| 7 | Edgar Alwin Payne American | $148,180 | 4 | Sierra Slopes (Heart Lake) — $59,750 |
| 8 | Xavier Martínez American | $144,138 | 2 | Eucalyptus Grove in a Vast Landscape — $117,250 |
| 9 | Franz Bischoff Austrian | $136,300 | 3 | A Woodland Brook — $88,500 |
| 10 | William Keith American | $130,162 | 2 | High Sierra Canyon — $128,250 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zao Wou-ki French | $2,149,692 | 4 | 21.3.1964 — $975,197 |
| 2 | Jörg Immendorff German | $364,833 | 16 | Frühling der Theorie (Immendorffs Lieblingsgedichte) — $78,802 |
| 3 | Albert Birkle German | $280,684 | 3 | Der Akrobat Schulz V — $191,846 |
| 4 | Konrad Klapheck German | $275,806 | 1 | Einer und Viele (Un dans la foule) — $275,806 |
| 5 | Friedensreich Hundertwasser Austrian | $243,454 | 3 | Jacquis Sharing — $220,645 |
| 6 | Emil Nolde German | $230,026 | 2 | Blumen — $142,775 |
| 7 | Gerhard Richter German | $224,072 | 9 | Rot-Blau-Gelb — $58,696 |
| 8 | Martin Kippenberger German | $219,069 | 5 | ÄTZ — $97,714 |
| 9 | Pierre Soulages French | $218,362 | 1 | Bronze I — $218,362 |
| 10 | Pablo Picasso Spanish | $196,712 | 8 | Tête de Femme — $33,314 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zao Wou-ki | 21.3.1964 Ravenel | $975,197 | $565,112 (44 earlier) |
| Walasse Ting | Goya's Lover Ravenel | $352,455 | $181,098 (15 earlier) |
| Konrad Klapheck | Einer und Viele (Un dans la foule) Lempertz | $275,806 | $190,623 (9 earlier) |
| Selden Connor Gile | Hills in Autumn Bonhams | $227,250 | $104,750 (8 earlier) |
| Chao Chung-Hsiang | Yellow Splash with Four Candles Ravenel | $220,987 | $71,632 (8 earlier) |
| Friedensreich Hundertwasser | Jacquis Sharing Lempertz | $220,645 | $23,284 (139 earlier) |
| Pierre Soulages | Bronze I Ketterer Kunst | $218,362 | $45,673 (27 earlier) |
| Albert Birkle | Der Akrobat Schulz V Ketterer Kunst | $191,846 | $149,590 (20 earlier) |
| William Keith | High Sierra Canyon Bonhams | $128,250 | $35,850 (19 earlier) |
| Thomas Hill | Purissima Falls Bonhams | $117,250 | $67,200 (7 earlier) |
| Pierre Alechinsky | Copeaux d'ivoire Lempertz | $109,535 | $43,658 (8 earlier) |
| Neo Rauch | Selbstbildnis Ketterer Kunst | $105,495 | $27,450 (12 earlier) |
| Natalia Goncharova | Blumenstillleben mit blauer Vase Ketterer Kunst | $99,943 | $55,678 (7 earlier) |
| Franz Bischoff | A Woodland Brook Bonhams | $88,500 | $35,250 (6 earlier) |
| Granville Redmond | Catalina Island Coast under a Moonlit Sky Bonhams | $88,500 | $47,000 (7 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Ketterer Kunst (339)Whyte's (329)Van Sabben Poster Auctions (298)James D. Julia (294)Lempertz (292)Bonhams (282)Agra-Art (277)Ravenel (163)Schmidt Kunstauktionen Dresden (157)Grev Wedels Plass Auksjoner (127)Sloans & Kenyon (39)SOGA (3)