Art auction market report: September 2018
In September 2018, ArtSell recorded 3,410 auction lots from 21 auction houses, of which 2,716 sold (80% sell-through). The 2,716 sales with a published price total $33,260,363, with a median of $1,557 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Carlos "Botong" V. Francisco, “The Nose Flute”, at $1,173,139 (León Gallery). 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 | Andy Warhol American | $1,053,724 | 21 | Superman (from Myths) — $212,500 |
| 2 | Kaws American | $1,000,000 | 8 | Untitled — $200,000 |
| 3 | Jean-Michel Basquiat American | $550,125 | 6 | Untitled — $197,000 |
| 4 | Alfonso A. Ossorio American | $525,740 | 3 | Ascencion (Vertical); Cross-Section (Horizontal) This work can be displayed horizontally, with the title "Cross-Section" or vertically, with the title "Ascencion" — $434,496 |
| 5 | Paul Rand American | $512,923 | 181 | Untitled — $18,750 |
| 6 | Sterling Ruby German | $339,375 | 2 | WIDW. HIGH-VIZ. — $330,000 |
| 7 | Rashid Johnson American | $319,000 | 1 | Untitled Escape Collage — $319,000 |
| 8 | Carol Bove Swiss | $308,000 | 1 | Young Lovers — $308,000 |
| 9 | Keith Haring American | $295,000 | 4 | Growing Suite — $150,000 |
| 10 | Jenny Holzer American | $275,000 | 1 | Selection from Survival: People look like... — $275,000 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo Spanish | $885,937 | 4 | Saeta 52 or Pared Madrileña — $651,744 |
| 2 | Tracey Emin British | $563,750 | 2 | I Listen To The Ocean And All I Hear Is You — $495,000 |
| 3 | Nicolas Party Swiss | $330,000 | 1 | Sunset — $330,000 |
| 4 | Andreas Gursky German | $275,000 | 1 | Bangkok IX — $275,000 |
| 5 | Gary Hume British | $242,000 | 1 | Water — $242,000 |
| 6 | Ugo Rondinone Italian | $182,000 | 2 | zweiternovemberzweitausendundvierzehn — $132,000 |
| 7 | Sarah Lucas British | $176,000 | 1 | Random Mother — $176,000 |
| 8 | Giuseppe Penone Italian | $176,000 | 1 | Spine d'acacia - Contatto 22 settembre 2010 — $176,000 |
| 9 | Karl Hofer Swiss | $150,000 | 1 | Woman in Green — $150,000 |
| 10 | Pablo Picasso Spanish | $143,078 | 14 | maquette for the Richard J. Daley Center Sculpture — $47,500 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergio Camargo | Untitled (Relief No. 261) Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) | $1,165,000 | $785,000 (6 earlier) |
| Tracey Emin | I Listen To The Ocean And All I Hear Is You Phillips | $495,000 | $157,561 (63 earlier) |
| Alfonso A. Ossorio | Ascencion (Vertical); Cross-Section (Horizontal) This work can be displayed horizontally, with the title "Cross-Section" or vertically, with the title "Ascencion" León Gallery | $434,496 | $100,000 (11 earlier) |
| Rashid Johnson | Untitled Escape Collage Phillips | $319,000 | $197,000 (32 earlier) |
| Carol Bove | Young Lovers Phillips | $308,000 | $220,768 (18 earlier) |
| Kara Walker | Sampler I Booty Call Phillips | $264,000 | $225,000 (46 earlier) |
| Gary Hume | Water Phillips | $242,000 | $126,610 (13 earlier) |
| Adam Pendleton | OK DADA OK BLACK DADA OK (WE ARE) Phillips | $203,500 | $24,693 (6 earlier) |
| David Altmejd | L’oeuf Phillips | $198,000 | $112,500 (4 earlier) |
| Mauro Malang Santos | White Sun León Gallery | $173,798 | $145,701 (83 earlier) |
| Le Pho | Mère et l'enfant Brunk Auctions | $135,000 | $62,142 (15 earlier) |
| Angel Otero | Anachronic Phillips | $121,000 | $42,806 (10 earlier) |
| Carole Feuerman | Bibi on the Ball Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) | $118,750 | $87,500 (4 earlier) |
| Robert Carston Arneson | Laughing George Wright | $100,000 | $20,400 (18 earlier) |
| Beverly Pepper | Ligne Scolpite II Phillips | $93,750 | $10,000 (11 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Wright (476)Phillips (315)Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (284)Lempertz (282)Levis Fine Art Auctions (240)Pananti (239)Brunk Auctions (225)Morgan O'Driscoll (221)León Gallery (157)deVeres (143)Leonard Joel (129)Van Ham (123)Artmark (112)Bonhams (105)Clarke Auction Gallery (103)Toovey's (93)Agra-Art (58)Sopocki Dom Aukcyjny (41)Cottone Auctions (37)Schmidt Kunstauktionen Dresden (26)Sloans & Kenyon (1)