Results: Phillips de Pury Evening Editions Print Sale

It has been some time since I reported on sales at Phillips de Pury auction sales. On April 21st Phillips held its first evening sale at 450 Park Avenue in NYC and was very pleased with both attendance and the results. The print sale had 78 lots with respectable 76% selling for a total of $3.64 million. The sale set several auction records for prints, with the top lot being a Warhol Mao portfolio for $938,500.00 including buyers premium (see image). Phillips described the "editions" sale as "This impressive sale of editioned works showcasing the art of printmaking sets a new precedent for the Editions market – a small, select group of works from various sources being given focused attention."

Phillips reported on the sale

Phillips de Pury & Company opens New York’s spring print season with strong results showcasing the continued success of the Modern and Contemporary Editions department.

“Our first evening sale at 450 Park Avenue, New York drew a standing room only crowd and record prices for iconic works. We were especially pleased with the strong results of our top three lots. We are most proud to bring Editions to the forefront in an evening sale context and happy that collectors from all mediums participated in the sale.” Worldwide Directors, Kelly Troester & Cary Leibowitz.

Records continued throughout the sale with works by Baldessari, Dubuffet, Johns, Katz, LeWitt, Picasso, Warhol and other notable modern and contemporary multiples.


Top Ten Lots:

Lot 37 Andy Warhol Mao portfolio $938,500
Lot 59 Bruce Nauman Double Poke in the Eye II $290,500
Lot 12 Pablo Picasso Grand vase aux danseurs $236,500
Lot 73 Agnes Martin On a Clear Day portfolio $134,500
Lot 9 Lucian Freud Lord Goodman in his Yellow Pyjamas $92,400
Lot 74 Sol LeWitt Lines in Two Directions and In Five Colors on Five Colors with All Their Combinations $86,500
Lot 24 Willem de Kooning Guatre Lithographies $74,500
Lot 26 Helen Frankenthaler Freefall $72,100
Lot 40 Andy Warhol Reigning Queens: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom $62,500
Lot 3 Pierre-Auguste Renoir Le chapeau épinglé: 2e planche $62,500