Art auction market report: December 2009
In December 2009, ArtSell recorded 2,828 auction lots from 17 auction houses, of which 2,254 sold (80% sell-through). The 2,254 sales with a published price total $47,339,626, with a median of $2,707 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Zao Wou-ki, “17.4.64”, at $4,924,656 (Ravenel). 15 artists set a new high compared with every earlier result in the database.
Top sales
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 | Norman Rockwell American | $593,860 | 2 | 'The crossword puzzle' — $578,000 |
| 2 | Paul Manship American | $434,000 | 1 | Dancer and Gazelles — $434,000 |
| 3 | Yun Gee American | $410,015 | 4 | Frost in Central Park — $194,002 |
| 4 | Walasse Ting American | $253,694 | 4 | Red Horse — $111,924 |
| 5 | Albert Bloch American | $243,048 | 1 | Stilleben XI — $243,048 |
| 6 | Tom Wesselmann American | $211,854 | 7 | Study for Nude Lithograph — $108,021 |
| 7 | Sam Francis American | $206,112 | 6 | Untitled (SF84-002) — $122,500 |
| 8 | George Chann American | $152,963 | 2 | Color Splash — $108,193 |
| 9 | Lyonel Feininger American | $144,442 | 3 | Taubach — $79,559 |
| 10 | Nam June Paik South Korean | $134,922 | 2 | TV Rabbit — $134,309 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zao Wou-ki French | $7,859,552 | 4 | 17.4.64 — $4,924,656 |
| 2 | Alexej von Jawlensky Russian | $988,858 | 5 | Mystical Head: Female Head — $379,714 |
| 3 | Emil Nolde German | $906,999 | 8 | Tänzerin — $432,085 |
| 4 | Günther Uecker German | $771,180 | 3 | Untitled — $515,326 |
| 5 | Emil Schumacher German | $459,673 | 6 | Tangun — $343,550 |
| 6 | Józef Brandt Polish | $444,553 | 1 | POCHÓD Z ŁUPAMI , lata 80 — $444,553 |
| 7 | Martin Kippenberger German | $323,304 | 3 | Ohne Titel (Aus: Uno di voi, un Tedesco in Firenze) — $270,053 |
| 8 | Hanns Bolz German | $311,461 | 3 | Montmartre — $153,030 |
| 9 | Konrad Klapheck German | $298,346 | 1 | Die Erben (The Heirs) — $298,346 |
| 10 | Diego Giacometti Swiss | $283,808 | 3 | 2 Konsolen "Arbre de vie" — $167,433 |
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 | 17.4.64 Ravenel | $4,924,656 | $2,414,126 (58 earlier) |
| Sanyu | Vase of Flower with Blue Ground Ravenel | $1,860,426 | $1,050,060 (21 earlier) |
| Chu Teh-chun | Force d'âme (quadtych) Ravenel | $1,372,934 | $990,440 (45 earlier) |
| Fred Williams | Summer Snow at Perisher 1976-77 Menzies | $755,941 | $479,190 (6 earlier) |
| Norman Rockwell | 'The crossword puzzle' Bonhams | $578,000 | $337,250 (6 earlier) |
| Günther Uecker | Untitled Lempertz | $515,326 | $408,306 (70 earlier) |
| Wang Guangyi | Coca Cola (triptych) Ravenel | $447,696 | $228,330 (4 earlier) |
| Józef Brandt | POCHÓD Z ŁUPAMI , lata 80 Agra-Art | $444,553 | $441,291 (21 earlier) |
| Rupert Bunny | Jeanne with her Terrier c1902 Menzies | $356,372 | $143,757 (4 earlier) |
| Emil Schumacher | Tangun Lempertz | $343,550 | $301,791 (133 earlier) |
| Konrad Klapheck | Die Erben (The Heirs) Lempertz | $298,346 | $275,806 (14 earlier) |
| Martin Kippenberger | Ohne Titel (Aus: Uno di voi, un Tedesco in Firenze) Ketterer Kunst | $270,053 | $129,998 (68 earlier) |
| Howard Arkley | Mosaic Entrance 1994 Menzies | $215,983 | $21,803 (4 earlier) |
| Giorgio de Chirico | Piazza d'Italia Ketterer Kunst | $192,638 | $34,299 (19 earlier) |
| Gerhard Hoehme | Wohin? (Hommage à Fautrier) Ketterer Kunst | $171,034 | $90,350 (51 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Van Sabben Poster Auctions (354)Lempertz (335)Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (314)Schmidt Kunstauktionen Dresden (266)Menzies (245)Agra-Art (221)Ravenel (205)Ketterer Kunst (175)Art+Object (144)SOGA (139)Bolsa de Arte (114)Bonhams (111)Wright (108)Grev Wedels Plass Auksjoner (70)Levis Fine Art Auctions (22)Sloans & Kenyon (4)Artmark (1)