Ahead of the major fall sales, September lacked fireworks, but provided some sturdy results for mainstays across international auction houses. Sotheby’s tapped actor Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame for its latest Contemporary Curated sale, and three of his selections made the month’s top lots list. Willem de Kooning’s Untitled abstract work from around 1964 fetched double its high estimate to bring in $4 million, Vija Celmins’s hypperrealistic Pink Pearl Eraser brought in $1.9 million; and Warhol’s Marilyn (Reversal) landed within its estimate at $1.4 million.
Elsewhere, newly-minted market star Ernie Barnes’s delightfully raucous Solid Rock Congregation (1993) brought in more than $1.6 million, well over its $500,000 to $700,000 estimate. Tyreb Mehta has once again landed among the top lots of the month, this time for Diagonal; and as always, Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkins and infinity nets made the cut.
Below, see the full list of the top 15 most expensive works sold at auction in September, courtesy of Artnet’s Price Database.
1. Wen Jia, The vertical axis of the Yanbin map of Wenjia Caoge
Wen Jia, The vertical axis of the Yanbin map of Wenjia Caoge. Courtesy of Hollys International Auction Co., Ltd.
Estimate: 12 million to 18 million CNY ($1.7 million to $2.5 million)
Final Price: 28.2 million CNY ($3.9 million)
Where & When: Holly’s International Auctions Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China, September 23, 2022
2. Willem de Kooning, Untitled (ca. 1964)
Willem de Kooning, Untitled (ca. 1964). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $1.8 million to $2.5 million
Final Price: $4.16 million
Where & When: Sotheby’s New York, September 30, 2022
3. Tyreb Mehta, Diagonal (1973)
Tyeb Mehta, Diagonal (1973). Courtesy of Asta Guru.
Estimate: INR 210 million to INR 260 million ($2.6 million to $3.2 million)
Final Price: INR 253 million ($3.09 million)
Where & When: AstaGurua, Mumbai, September 26, 2022
4. Vija Celmins, Pink Pearl Eraser (1966-67)
Vija Celmins, Pink Pearl Eraser (1966-67). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $800,000 to $1.2 million
Final Price: $1.9 million
Where & When: Sotheby’s New York, September 30, 2022
5. Yayoi Kusama, INFINITY-NETS TOWPP (2008)
Yayoi Kusama, INFINITY-NETS TOWPP (2008). Courtesy of New Art Est-Ouest Auctions.
Estimate: JPY 180 million to JPY 280 million ($1.26 million to $1.9 million)
Final Price: JPY 257.7 million ($1.8 million)
Where & When: New Art Est-Ouest Auctions, Tokyo, September 24, 2022
6. Rufino Tamayo, Hombre contra el muro (also known as Personaje) (1981)
Rufino Tamayo, Hombre contra el muro (also known as Personaje) (1981). Courtesy of Christie’s Images, Ltd.
Estimate: $1.5 million to $2 million
Final Price: $1.74 million
Where & When: Christie’s New York, September 30, 2022
7. Xiao Huirong, Mirror Heart of Peace and Harmony in 2020 (2020)
Xiao Huirong, Mirror Heart of Peace and Harmony in 2020 (2020). Courtesy of Holly’s International Auctions Co., Ltd.
Estimate: CNY 6 million to CNY 8 million ($842,459 to $1.1 million)
Final Price: CNY 9.8 million ($1.64 million)
Where & When: Holly’s International Auctions Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China, September 24, 2022
8. Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (2004)
Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (2004). Courtesy of Seoul Auctions.
Estimate: KRW 1,900,000,000 to KRW 3,000,000,000 ($1.3 million to $2.1 million)
Final Price: KRW 1,950,000,000 ($1.63 million)
Where & When: Seoul Auction, Seoul, September 27, 2022
9. Ernie Barnes, Solid Rock Congregation (1993)
Ernie Barnes, Solid Rock Congregation (1993). Courtesy of Bonhams.
Estimate: $500,000 to $700,000
Final Price: $1.62 million
Where & When: Bonham’s New York, September 9, 2022
10. Frederick Ronald Williams, LYSTERFIELD LANDSCAPE (1968-69)
Fred Williams, LYSTERFIELD LANDSCAPE (1968-69). © Estate of Fred Williams/Copyright Agency 2022. Courtesy of Deutscher and Hackett.
Estimate: AUD 1.6 million to AUD 2 million ($1.08 to $1.3 million)
Final Price: AUD 2.33 million ($1.57 million)
Where & When: Deutscher and Hackett, South Yarra, Australia, September 14, 2022
11. Francis Newton Souza, Broken Head (1957)
F N Souza, Broken Head, (1957). Courtesy of Saffronart.
Estimate: $1.02 million to $1.5 million
Final Price: $1.5 million
Where & When: Saffronart New York, September 17, 2022
12. Andy Warhol, Marilyn (Reversal) (1986)
Andy Warhol, Marilyn (Reversal) (1986). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $1.2 million to $1.8 million
Final Price: $1.4 million
Where & When: Sotheby’s New York, September 30, 2022
13. Dirck van Baburen, The Offering to Ceres (ca. 1621)
Dirck van Baburen, The Offering to Ceres (ca. 1621). Courtesy of Koller International Auctions.
Estimate: CHF 500,000 to CHF 800,000 ($509,476 to $815,162)
Final Price: CHF 1.4 million ($1.433 million)
Where & When: Koller Auktion, Zurich, September 23, 2022
14. Colin McCahon, Is There Anything of Which One Can Say Look This is New? (1982)
Colin McCahon, Is There Anything of Which One Can Say Look This is New? (1982). Courtesy of Webb’s Auction.
Estimate: NZD 1.5 million to NZD 2.5 million ($898,472 to $1.5 million)
Final Price: NZD 2.39 million ($1.431 million)
Where & When: Webb’s Auckland, New Zealand, September 18, 2022
15. Leonora Carrington, Pig-rush (1960)
Leonora Carrington, Pig-rush (1960). Courtesy of Christie’s Images, Ltd.
Estimate: $1 million to $1.5 million
Final Price: $1.13 million
Where & When: Christie’s New York, September 30, 2022
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