Art auction market report: August 2025
In August 2025, ArtSell recorded 5,846 auction lots from 28 auction houses, of which 4,853 sold (83% sell-through). The 4,833 sales with a published price total $33,776,252, with a median of $1,008 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Howard Arkley, “Contemporary Units 1988”, at $1,593,540 (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 | D. Howard Hitchcock American | $382,060 | 9 | Hanalei Valley, Kauaʻi — $229,100 |
| 2 | Lloyd Sexton, Jr. American | $235,320 | 6 | Puakō Ponds, Hawaiʻi — $89,400 |
| 3 | Bob Ross American | $210,550 | 2 | Lake Below Snow-Capped Peaks and Cloudy Sky — $114,800 |
| 4 | E. Irving Couse American | $189,248 | 3 | Song of the Blue Aspens — $117,000 |
| 5 | Dave McGary American | $123,326 | 11 | Last Stand Hill — $21,060 |
| 6 | Frank McCarthy American | $116,641 | 8 | The Chase — $58,500 |
| 7 | Ed Mell American | $115,830 | 4 | Orange Range — $55,575 |
| 8 | Madge Tennent American | $114,800 | 1 | Lily, Hawaiian Dancer — $114,800 |
| 9 | Joseph Henry Sharp American | $113,958 | 4 | Before the Hunt, Glorieta Forest — $111,150 |
| 10 | Clement Meadmore Australian | $105,895 | 2 | Emanation 2000 — $79,026 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur Boyd British | $975,439 | 12 | Figure in a Hillside 1961-62 — $205,469 |
| 2 | Pierre Bonnard French | $632,212 | 1 | Bouquet de Cheminée (also known as Fleurs sur une Cheminée) 1913 — $632,212 |
| 3 | Alfred Wolmark British | $108,266 | 4 | Decorative Arrangement (also known as Two Girls in Kimonos and Two Women in Japanese Costume, Red Background) 1909 — $59,270 |
| 4 | Axel Salto Danish | $100,965 | 4 | Summer vase — $63,500 |
| 5 | Elizabeth Blackadder British | $83,211 | 16 | SELF PORTRAIT WITH RED LACQUER TABLE, KYOTO -1988 — $29,065 |
| 6 | Jack Vettriano British | $83,091 | 4 | A MARVELLOUS NIGHT FOR A MOONDANCE, 1990 — $54,710 |
| 7 | John Kelly British | $75,693 | 1 | Mixed Metaphors 1998 — $75,693 |
| 8 | Aristide Maillol French | $75,075 | 1 | La Montagne, 1er état (petit modèle) conceived 1936; cast later — $75,075 |
| 9 | David Hockney British | $74,522 | 12 | Black Tulips — $30,480 |
| 10 | John Byrne British | $63,601 | 7 | SNAKE CHARMER — $11,968 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Arkley | Contemporary Units 1988 Smith & Singer | $1,593,540 | $1,073,327 (91 earlier) |
| Rick Amor | The Waiter 1997 Menzies | $276,593 | $206,078 (97 earlier) |
| D. Howard Hitchcock | Hanalei Valley, Kauaʻi Bonhams | $229,100 | $115,313 (53 earlier) |
| Margaret Olley | Ipswich Hotel 1948 Smith & Singer | $215,128 | $144,577 (116 earlier) |
| William Piguenit | Pitt Water, Tasmania 1910 Smith & Singer | $199,192 | $87,881 (10 earlier) |
| Rah Fizelle | Sleeping Nude (circa 1938-1939) Smith & Singer | $127,483 | $29,082 (7 earlier) |
| Madge Tennent | Lily, Hawaiian Dancer Bonhams | $114,800 | $30,720 (6 earlier) |
| Bruce Armstrong | Bunjil 2003 Menzies | $110,637 | $62,468 (13 earlier) |
| Paul Resika | Provincetown, Canaletto Bonhams | $70,350 | $14,080 (7 earlier) |
| Cj Hendry | American Flag 2015 Menzies | $59,270 | $45,557 (14 earlier) |
| Imre Goth | Neusachliches Damenportrait Auktionshaus Mehlis | $48,964 | $34,781 (3 earlier) |
| Harold Newton | Upshore Sunset Circle Auction | $45,000 | $11,340 (6 earlier) |
| Llew Summers | Sprung Man Art+Object | $41,881 | $3,536 (10 earlier) |
| Albert Henry Fullwood | Somme Valley, Attack on Vaire and Hamel, July 4, 1918 1918 Menzies | $39,514 | $7,061 (18 earlier) |
| Ildiko Kovacs | Aquine 2021 Menzies | $37,933 | $27,074 (11 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Auktionshaus Mehlis (770)Rago Auctions (548)Bonhams (544)Wright (480)Morton Subastas (432)Scottsdale Art Auction (417)Strauss & Co (360)Lyon & Turnbull (288)Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (248)Barridoff Auctions (227)Helmuth Stone Gallery (225)Crocker Farm (182)Anderson & Garland (169)Davidson Auctions (135)Abell Auction Company (119)Menzies (114)Art+Object (97)Elstob & Elstob (94)Smith & Singer (93)Toovey's (91)Agra-Art (51)Sworders (48)Circle Auction (41)Leonard Joel (29)Ketterer Kunst (24)Vogt Auction (11)Bid & Hammer (6)Jackson's International Auctioneers (3)