Art auction market report: August 2019
In August 2019, ArtSell recorded 937 auction lots from 11 auction houses, of which 750 sold (80% sell-through). The 750 sales with a published price total $12,579,705, with a median of $1,779 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Fred Williams, “Mountain Creek, Mount Kosciusko (1976)”, at $1,155,599 (Smith & Singer). 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 | Joseph Raphael American | $583,225 | 3 | Tea in the Orchard — $548,075 |
| 2 | Thomas Hill American | $177,250 | 5 | Yosemite Valley (El Capitan and Bridal Veil Falls) — $68,825 |
| 3 | Arthur Grover Rider American | $96,475 | 3 | Spanish Fisherman — $43,825 |
| 4 | Andy Warhol American | $94,454 | 1 | Marilyn — $94,454 |
| 5 | August François Gay American | $87,575 | 1 | Fishing Boat Aground — $87,575 |
| 6 | Alson S. Clark American | $75,225 | 3 | La Jolla Seascape — $60,075 |
| 7 | Selden Connor Gile American | $73,350 | 3 | Alameda Slough — $40,075 |
| 8 | James Bama American | $68,900 | 2 | Francis Setting Eagle - Oldest Living Arapahoe, Wind River Reservation, Wyoming — $52,575 |
| 9 | Wilson Hurley American | $66,475 | 3 | September Thunderhead — $31,325 |
| 10 | Benjamin Brown American | $60,075 | 1 | Poppy Fields Near Pasadena — $60,075 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur Boyd British | $396,205 | 5 | Ocean Beach, Rye (1957) — $132,068 |
| 2 | Eugene von Guerard Austrian | $156,831 | 1 | Lake Wakatipu, with Mount Earnslaw, New Zealand (1877) — $156,831 |
| 3 | Władysław Podkowiński Polish | $132,122 | 1 | Wyjazd (Wyjazd na polowanie, Kompozycja z saniami), 1888 r. — $132,122 |
| 4 | John Kelly British | $132,068 | 2 | Man Lifting Cow (Large) 2017 — $99,051 |
| 5 | Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski Polish | $116,877 | 2 | W drodze na jarmark — $83,846 |
| 6 | Louis Buvelot Swiss | $82,543 | 1 | Goodman's Creek, Bacchus Marsh 1876 — $82,543 |
| 7 | Birger Sandzén Swedish | $50,075 | 1 | Pines by the Sea — $50,075 |
| 8 | Paul Henry Irish | $40,273 | 1 | Peat Stacks, Connemara — $40,273 |
| 9 | Jacek Malczewski Polish | $27,949 | 1 | Portret Karola Potkańskiego, 1900 r. — $27,949 |
| 10 | Adam Styka French | $25,408 | 1 | Przekroczenie wadi — $25,408 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Dobell | The Dead Landlord (1936) Smith & Singer | $825,428 | $671,286 (55 earlier) |
| Joseph Raphael | Tea in the Orchard Bonhams | $548,075 | $192,000 (46 earlier) |
| Peter Booth | Untitled 1999 Smith & Singer | $470,494 | $164,069 (37 earlier) |
| Cressida Campbell | Interior with Cat 2010 Smith & Singer | $198,103 | $183,078 (18 earlier) |
| Louis Buvelot | Goodman's Creek, Bacchus Marsh 1876 Smith & Singer | $82,543 | $27,804 (7 earlier) |
| John Pule | Higher Ground, Lower Ground Art+Object | $55,098 | $54,397 (81 earlier) |
| G. | Spinnin' Yarns Bonhams | $40,075 | $20,315 (6 earlier) |
| Barry Lett | Dog Art+Object | $19,678 | $8,747 (17 earlier) |
| Jan Matulka | Rodeo Rider Bonhams | $18,825 | $9,900 (12 earlier) |
| Seung Yul Oh | Pokpo Art+Object | $14,168 | $8,857 (21 earlier) |
| Adam Bakalarz | K.155, 2019 Sopocki Dom Aukcyjny | $12,704 | $11,886 (17 earlier) |
| Gavin Hurley | Untitled Art+Object | $12,594 | $10,452 (37 earlier) |
| Clas Edvard Friström | Portrait of the Artist’s Wife, Margaret Art+Object | $11,019 | $5,050 (3 earlier) |
| Ferdinand Richardt | The Mill Bonhams | $8,825 | $3,750 (3 earlier) |
| Ian Pollock | Swallows in Flight Morgan O'Driscoll | $4,251 | $2,398 (3 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Morgan O'Driscoll (218)Bonhams (173)Sloans & Kenyon (109)Art+Object (96)Smith & Singer (87)Sopocki Dom Aukcyjny (77)Van Ham (51)Toovey's (45)Michaan's Auctions (38)Clarke Auction Gallery (30)Sworders (13)