Christie'sKing Streetpresented a wide range of specialist, collection and house sales throughout the year. Highlights of the second half include: Property from the Collection of H.R.H., The Prince George, Duke of Kent K.G., K.T., and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent G.C.V.O. and their families which doubled pre-sale expectations, and the spectacular Manolo March Collection from Son Galceran which was sold 97% by value and 89% by lot. An important private collection of 9 Orientalist works was 100% sold in November's sale attracting attention from international private bidders from Turkey, North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and America. Christie's continues to lead the market globally for Collections sales, and in 2009 Christie's achieved a 91% global market share.
The growing participation of Asian buyers in the international marketplace was reflected in strong sales at Christie'sAsian sales week in November which totaled £9.4 million (€10.6 million/$14.8 million. Competitive bidding in the Chinese Works of Art & Textiles sale at Christie's South Kensington brought outstanding prices across all categories including porcelain, cloisonné enamel and jade. The total, £2.6 million was the highest for this category at Christie's South Kensington to date.
Christie's South Kensingtonoverallcontinued to demonstrate its strong positioning in the UK and international markets. Exceptional results were achieved for house sales and single owner collections sales which sold on average 88% by lot. Buyers came from all over the world and there was a 42% increase in Asian buying on 2008.
2009 was an historic year for Christie'sFrance whose Paris sales totaled €440.6 million (£389.9 million/$612.2 million). The magnificent sale of the Collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in February, totaled €342.5 million (£304.9 million/$443.1 million). Christie's Paris sold 48 works of art for over €1 million in 2009, establishing numerous artists' records. It also successfully sold 13 major private collections throughout the year and achieved total average sell-through rates for its sales of 80% by value and 78.2% by lot.
With annual sales of CHF 107.8 million in 2009, Christie's confirmed its dominant position for auctions in
Switzerland, for the 9th year in a row. Although volume of sales fell by 27% compared to 2008, participation from private collectors was greater than ever and prices proved remarkably strong at the high end, in all categories. The market clearly gained in strength as the year progressed and sell-through rates rose to nearly 100% in both Geneva and Zurich during the Fall. With bidders coming from all over the world, Switzerland remains a key centre for jewellery, watches and Swiss art on a global level, alongside New York and Hong Kong.
In 2009, Christie's Holland, where Amsterdam sales totaled €34.6 million (£30.6 million/$48.1 million), achieved 67.9% market share. 34 lots sold above €100,000 and 83% of all objects offered for sale found buyers, an all time record. Highlights included a series of four portraits by Gerard ter Borch (€745,000), a pair of Austrian silver-gilt centre-pieces which sold for €361,000, 60 times their estimate, and a wooden Mother and Child sculpture by Ossip Zadkine (€433,000).
Christie's sales in Italy of Modern and Contemporary Art, Jewellery and Old Master Paintings in 2009 totaled €18.6 million (£16.5 million/$25.8 million). Its Milan autumn sales revitalized the interest of many private buyers including new collectors. Bought by an American, a ring manufactured by Bulgari with a Kashmir sapphire of more than 8 cts and diamonds tripled its high estimate to fetch €152,000, becoming one of the most expensive prices per carat for a sapphire sold at auction in Italy.
Americas In the Americas, sales in 2009 totaled £599.6 million ($941.4 million), down 42% in £ from the same period. 2009 was a strong year for notableEstates and Single Owner Sales across multiple categories. Highlights in the second half of the year included the sale of the John Cage and Merce Cunningham Collection sold to benefit the Merce Cunningham Trust, which sold 100% by lot, the William F. Reilly Collection which totaled $6.5 million (£4.0 million/€4.4 million) and Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections which sold 99% by value and 97% by lot.
New York Asian Art Sales registered $53.1 million for 2009. The Autumn sales achieved $36.5 million and included a very rare Imperially inscribed Zitan stand and cover, which realized $1.4 million , and Tyeb Mehta's painting, Mahishasura, from 1994, which sold for $1.3 million.
The New York Autumn Evening Sales achieved a combined total of $139.8 million (£91.6 million/€95.1 million) for Impressionist & Modern and Post-War & Contemporary Art. The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening sale totaled $65.7 million (£46.9 million/€45.3 million). Highlights included Edgar Degas's Danseuses which sold for $10.7 million (£6.5 million). The Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale totaled $74.2 million (£44.7 million/€49.8 million). The top lot was Peter Doig's Reflection (What does your soul look like), which brought $10.1 million (£6.1 million).
2009 was an extraordinary year for historical American documents:George Washington's Autographed letter signed to Bushrod Washington, 9 November 1787, sold for $3.2 million (£1.9 million/€2.1 million) setting a world auction record for a George Washington letter and document and Cormac McCarthy's Olivetti manual typewriter on which he typed all his work from 1958 to 2009 achieved $254,500 (£153,313/€168,543).
The December 2 Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture sale achieved a total of $32.4 million with works by Andrew Wyeth, Mary Cassatt, and Charles Prendergast commanding the highest prices.
Christie's New York's 20th Century Decorative Art & Designauctions totaled $15.5 million in the Fall, an increase of 70% over the Fall 2008 ($9.1 million), with 85% of lots sold on December 8 across a trio of sales: Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design, Magnificent Tiffany Featuring The Gluck Collection and Historical Design Reflects: The East 61st Street Years. The sale featured the largest single-owner collection of works by François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne to come to auction, which comprehensively achieved $5.2 million against a pre-sale estimate of $1.9-$2.9 million.
Christie'sKing Streetpresented a wide range of specialist, collection and house sales throughout the year. Highlights of the second half include: Property from the Collection of H.R.H., The Prince George, Duke of Kent K.G., K.T., and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent G.C.V.O. and their families which doubled pre-sale expectations, and the spectacular Manolo March Collection from Son Galceran which was sold 97% by value and 89% by lot. An important private collection of 9 Orientalist works was 100% sold in November's sale attracting attention from international private bidders from Turkey, North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and America. Christie's continues to lead the market globally for Collections sales, and in 2009 Christie's achieved a 91% global market share.
The growing participation of Asian buyers in the international marketplace was reflected in strong sales at Christie'sAsian sales week in November which totaled £9.4 million (€10.6 million/$14.8 million. Competitive bidding in the Chinese Works of Art & Textiles sale at Christie's South Kensington brought outstanding prices across all categories including porcelain, cloisonné enamel and jade. The total, £2.6 million was the highest for this category at Christie's South Kensington to date.
Christie's South Kensingtonoverallcontinued to demonstrate its strong positioning in the UK and international markets. Exceptional results were achieved for house sales and single owner collections sales which sold on average 88% by lot. Buyers came from all over the world and there was a 42% increase in Asian buying on 2008.
2009 was an historic year for Christie'sFrance whose Paris sales totaled €440.6 million (£389.9 million/$612.2 million). The magnificent sale of the Collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in February, totaled €342.5 million (£304.9 million/$443.1 million). Christie's Paris sold 48 works of art for over €1 million in 2009, establishing numerous artists' records. It also successfully sold 13 major private collections throughout the year and achieved total average sell-through rates for its sales of 80% by value and 78.2% by lot.
With annual sales of CHF 107.8 million in 2009, Christie's confirmed its dominant position for auctions in
Switzerland, for the 9th year in a row. Although volume of sales fell by 27% compared to 2008, participation from private collectors was greater than ever and prices proved remarkably strong at the high end, in all categories. The market clearly gained in strength as the year progressed and sell-through rates rose to nearly 100% in both Geneva and Zurich during the Fall. With bidders coming from all over the world, Switzerland remains a key centre for jewellery, watches and Swiss art on a global level, alongside New York and Hong Kong.
In 2009, Christie's Holland, where Amsterdam sales totaled €34.6 million (£30.6 million/$48.1 million), achieved 67.9% market share. 34 lots sold above €100,000 and 83% of all objects offered for sale found buyers, an all time record. Highlights included a series of four portraits by Gerard ter Borch (€745,000), a pair of Austrian silver-gilt centre-pieces which sold for €361,000, 60 times their estimate, and a wooden Mother and Child sculpture by Ossip Zadkine (€433,000).
Christie's sales in Italy of Modern and Contemporary Art, Jewellery and Old Master Paintings in 2009 totaled €18.6 million (£16.5 million/$25.8 million). Its Milan autumn sales revitalized the interest of many private buyers including new collectors. Bought by an American, a ring manufactured by Bulgari with a Kashmir sapphire of more than 8 cts and diamonds tripled its high estimate to fetch €152,000, becoming one of the most expensive prices per carat for a sapphire sold at auction in Italy.
Americas In the Americas, sales in 2009 totaled £599.6 million ($941.4 million), down 42% in £ from the same period. 2009 was a strong year for notableEstates and Single Owner Sales across multiple categories. Highlights in the second half of the year included the sale of the John Cage and Merce Cunningham Collection sold to benefit the Merce Cunningham Trust, which sold 100% by lot, the William F. Reilly Collection which totaled $6.5 million (£4.0 million/€4.4 million) and Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections which sold 99% by value and 97% by lot.
New York Asian Art Sales registered $53.1 million for 2009. The Autumn sales achieved $36.5 million and included a very rare Imperially inscribed Zitan stand and cover, which realized $1.4 million , and Tyeb Mehta's painting, Mahishasura, from 1994, which sold for $1.3 million.
The New York Autumn Evening Sales achieved a combined total of $139.8 million (£91.6 million/€95.1 million) for Impressionist & Modern and Post-War & Contemporary Art. The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening sale totaled $65.7 million (£46.9 million/€45.3 million). Highlights included Edgar Degas's Danseuses which sold for $10.7 million (£6.5 million). The Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale totaled $74.2 million (£44.7 million/€49.8 million). The top lot was Peter Doig's Reflection (What does your soul look like), which brought $10.1 million (£6.1 million).
2009 was an extraordinary year for historical American documents:George Washington's Autographed letter signed to Bushrod Washington, 9 November 1787, sold for $3.2 million (£1.9 million/€2.1 million) setting a world auction record for a George Washington letter and document and Cormac McCarthy's Olivetti manual typewriter on which he typed all his work from 1958 to 2009 achieved $254,500 (£153,313/€168,543).
The December 2 Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture sale achieved a total of $32.4 million with works by Andrew Wyeth, Mary Cassatt, and Charles Prendergast commanding the highest prices.
Christie's New York's 20th Century Decorative Art & Designauctions totaled $15.5 million in the Fall, an increase of 70% over the Fall 2008 ($9.1 million), with 85% of lots sold on December 8 across a trio of sales: Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design, Magnificent Tiffany Featuring The Gluck Collection and Historical Design Reflects: The East 61st Street Years. The sale featured the largest single-owner collection of works by François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne to come to auction, which comprehensively achieved $5.2 million against a pre-sale estimate of $1.9-$2.9 million.
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