Art auction market report: September 2022
In September 2022, ArtSell recorded 6,825 auction lots from 35 auction houses, of which 5,326 sold (78% sell-through). The 5,326 sales with a published price total $53,874,183, with a median of $2,250 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Lynne Mapp Drexler, “Grass Symphony”, at $957,975 (Bonhams). 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 | Lynne Mapp Drexler American | $969,315 | 2 | Grass Symphony — $957,975 |
| 2 | Judy Kensley McKie American | $660,250 | 7 | Grizzly Bear bench — $262,500 |
| 3 | Roy Lichtenstein American | $618,013 | 8 | Water Lilies with Willows, from Water Lilies (C. 266) — $436,552 |
| 4 | Alexander Calder American | $474,082 | 12 | Two Black Branches — $103,320 |
| 5 | Niki de Saint Phalle French | $461,153 | 19 | La Tempérance (Angel of Temperance) — $125,000 |
| 6 | Winfred Rembert American | $460,000 | 2 | Chain Gang Picking Cotton #4 — $230,000 |
| 7 | Andy Warhol American | $457,772 | 17 | Flowers — $100,000 |
| 8 | Keith Haring American | $357,740 | 8 | Radiant Baby (Wall Drawing) with childhood ephemera — $143,750 |
| 9 | Ernie Barnes American | $346,875 | 2 | Games and Shines — $277,575 |
| 10 | Lynda Benglis American | $334,850 | 2 | Untitled, from the Volcano Series — $327,975 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Hockney British | $3,932,740 | 80 | The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven) - 30 May — $398,816 |
| 2 | Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo Spanish | $1,233,408 | 2 | Siga-Siga — $781,158 |
| 3 | Damien Hirst British | $831,970 | 48 | The Virtues (H. 9) — $174,621 |
| 4 | Jack Butler Yeats Irish | $399,076 | 8 | THE CHANGING DAWN — $212,212 |
| 5 | Banksy British | $386,013 | 3 | Thrower (Grey) — $247,380 |
| 6 | Émile Gallé French | $333,486 | 32 | Rare Chauve Souris lamp — $137,500 |
| 7 | Ugo Rondinone Italian | $272,000 | 2 | No. 331 VIERTERMÄRZZWEITAUSENDUNDVIER — $252,000 |
| 8 | Zdzisław Beksiński Polish | $261,219 | 5 | BEZ TYTUŁU — $92,210 |
| 9 | Pablo Picasso Spanish | $250,047 | 28 | La poule (The Hen) (Bl. 694, Ba. 896) — $27,648 |
| 10 | Javier Calleja Spanish | $225,004 | 5 | El Pan De Cada Día (Everyday Bread) — $104,332 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo | Siga-Siga León Gallery | $781,158 | $740,092 (174 earlier) |
| Lynda Benglis | Untitled, from the Volcano Series Bonhams | $327,975 | $127,400 (20 earlier) |
| José John Santos III | Paperweight 1 León Gallery | $318,630 | $229,132 (23 earlier) |
| Wes Lang | The Unity Within Phillips | $252,000 | $124,664 (7 earlier) |
| Roberto Fabelo | Chicharrón Phillips | $214,200 | $56,250 (3 earlier) |
| Raimonds Staprans | Morning Mist Bonhams | $189,375 | $137,500 (32 earlier) |
| Jane Peterson | Harbor at Istanbul Bonhams | $176,775 | $100,000 (69 earlier) |
| Romulo Galicano | Poor Man's Meal (Homage to the Potato Eater by Vincent Van Gogh) León Gallery | $164,454 | $85,180 (102 earlier) |
| Wallace Berman | Radio/Aether Bonhams | $164,175 | $143,750 (22 earlier) |
| Larry Bell | Cube Bonhams | $145,275 | $66,200 (75 earlier) |
| Al Held | Summer of the Rock Bonhams | $126,375 | $52,920 (46 earlier) |
| Gladys Nilsson | By a Waterfall ..... Bonhams | $113,775 | $27,500 (7 earlier) |
| Grandma Moses | May, Making Soap, Washing Sheep Bonhams | $113,775 | $88,500 (21 earlier) |
| Frederick Hurten Rhead for Rhead Pottery | Exceptional vase with Della Robbia-style design Rago Auctions | $87,500 | $4,688 (3 earlier) |
| Helen Pashgian | Sphere Bonhams | $78,495 | $46,250 (10 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Rago Auctions (867)Phillips (738)Brunk Auctions (370)Bonhams (358)Pananti (355)Artmark (342)Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (339)Schmidt Kunstauktionen Dresden (305)Sloans & Kenyon (295)Capitolium Art (248)Strauss & Co (235)Morgan O'Driscoll (220)Art+Object (219)Van Ham (217)Morton Subastas (179)Sworders (165)Levis Fine Art Auctions (162)León Gallery (152)Whyte's (149)Clarke Auction Gallery (136)Sopocki Dom Aukcyjny (128)Wright (111)Agra-Art (110)Anderson & Garland (66)Toovey's (61)Cottone Auctions (59)Michaan's Auctions (41)Haynault (41)Leonard Joel (40)Bolsa de Arte (35)Polswiss Art (31)Grisebach (21)Pandolfini (18)Maison Bibelot (11)Lyon & Turnbull (1)