Art auction market report: January 2019
In January 2019, ArtSell recorded 3,210 auction lots from 16 auction houses, of which 2,561 sold (80% sell-through). The 2,561 sales with a published price total $8,263,332, with a median of $795 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Donald Judd, “Untitled”, at $227,903 (Phillips). 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 | $808,111 | 26 | Red Lenin — $105,812 |
| 2 | Donald Judd American | $231,809 | 2 | Untitled — $227,903 |
| 3 | Harry Bertoia American | $182,188 | 5 | Monumental Sculpture Screen from a set of ten executed for the First National Bank of Miami — $125,000 |
| 4 | Roy Lichtenstein American | $122,296 | 7 | Two Paintings: Dagwood, from Paintings Series — $42,325 |
| 5 | Alexander Calder American | $112,817 | 5 | Lune et soleil, fond d'azur (Moon and Sun, on a blue background) — $89,533 |
| 6 | Robert Indiana American | $112,377 | 8 | Numbers — $52,092 |
| 7 | Jeff Koons American | $102,952 | 5 | Balloon Swan (Yellow); Balloon Monkey (Blue); and Balloon Rabbit (Red) — $45,581 |
| 8 | Jean-Michel Basquiat American | $73,254 | 1 | Ascent; Olympic; Leeches; and Liberty — $73,254 |
| 9 | Betty Woodman American | $68,125 | 6 | Early pillow pitcher — $31,250 |
| 10 | Josef Albers German | $64,039 | 3 | Formulation Articulation I & II — $56,976 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pablo Picasso Spanish | $498,160 | 27 | Grand nu de femme (Large Nude Woman) — $61,859 |
| 2 | David Hockney British | $330,296 | 11 | An Image of Celia, from Moving Focus Series — $113,951 |
| 3 | Damien Hirst British | $272,343 | 15 | Mickey — $42,325 |
| 4 | Banksy British | $166,369 | 9 | I Fought the Law — $45,581 |
| 5 | Joan Miró Spanish | $157,094 | 22 | L'Aïeule devant la mer (Grandmother Before the Sea) — $29,302 |
| 6 | Marc Chagall Belarusian | $91,117 | 7 | Carmen, by Charles Sorlier — $56,976 |
| 7 | Bridget Riley British | $68,208 | 8 | Untitled (Winged Curve) — $22,790 |
| 8 | Gerhard Richter German | $60,069 | 5 | Waldhaus (House in the Woods) (P18) — $15,465 |
| 9 | Julian Opie British | $57,609 | 6 | Running Women, from Runners — $26,046 |
| 10 | Horia Bernea Romanian | $56,866 | 8 | Coloană — $22,976 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horia Bernea | Coloană Artmark | $22,976 | $12,652 (26 earlier) |
| Val Bertoia | Exceptional Sonambient sculpture Rago Auctions | $21,250 | $11,875 (4 earlier) |
| Araceli Dans | Panuelo León Gallery | $17,763 | $14,136 (7 earlier) |
| Anni Albers | Connections Phillips | $14,651 | $12,592 (13 earlier) |
| Thonet | Schaukelfauteuil Nr.511 Van Ham | $12,450 | $2,125 (9 earlier) |
| Harrison McIntosh | Fine large footed bowl Rago Auctions | $9,375 | $5,938 (25 earlier) |
| Ludwig Hohlwein | H. Bahlsens Keks-Fabrik Hannover Van Sabben Poster Auctions | $8,757 | $7,152 (34 earlier) |
| James Lovera | Exceptional teardrop-shaped vase Rago Auctions | $8,750 | $6,000 (4 earlier) |
| Edmund Thornton Crawford | A Dutch river Bonhams | $7,714 | $812 (3 earlier) |
| Marin Gherasim | Drumul (Poartă) Artmark | $6,893 | $4,562 (17 earlier) |
| Corita Kent | Thoreau Wright | $6,875 | $1,560 (3 earlier) |
| Roberto Sebastian Matta | Untitled (Study for Painting) Wright | $6,250 | $4,445 (4 earlier) |
| Mario Puppo | Valle D'Aosta Van Sabben Poster Auctions | $5,747 | $4,675 (9 earlier) |
| Marcello Nizzoli | Campari l'aperitivo Van Sabben Poster Auctions | $5,473 | $3,917 (7 earlier) |
| Sorin Ilfoveanu | Florăreasă Artmark | $5,457 | $4,514 (28 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
León Gallery (474)Twents Veilinghuis (448)Van Sabben Poster Auctions (365)Van Ham (319)Phillips (285)Wright (280)Morgan O'Driscoll (228)Rago Auctions (166)Brunk Auctions (165)Artmark (107)Helmuth Stone Gallery (102)Clarke Auction Gallery (84)Agra-Art (60)Bonhams (53)Toovey's (38)Sworders (36)