2008 Auction History

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

All Results in BOLD

Look at Helmut Newton on December 16 in New York at Christie's, including a Big Nude III estimated $ 400 K, sales 2252, lot 16. (SOLD 480 K$ including fees)

Cindy Sherman expects $ 300 K by lighting her cigarette. It is the lot 341 of the 2050 sale of Christie's in New York on November 13. (UNSOLD)

Let us not just talk about the the most expensive lots. A 50 x 60 cm portrait of Keith Haring by Annie Leibovitz is estimated 30 K$ at Sotheby's in New York on October 15 (1986 photo, 1995 issue, lot 222). (SOLD 19 K$ including fees).

We have more information on the sale of Sotheby's in New York on 14 and 15 October. There is a nude of Tina Modotti by Edward Weston (250 K$), (SOLD 300 K$ including fees), a detail of a flower by Imogen Cunningham (150 K$), (UNSOLD), a moonrise by Ansel Adams ( 200 K$), (SOLD 360 K$ including fees), Mudmen by Irving Penn (250 K$), (UNSOLD), and also a Stills by Cindy Sherman (300 K $).(UNSOLD)

Now I present to you a negative. It is a portrait of Jacqueline Goddard by Man Ray, at Sotheby's in New York on October 14 and 15 (250 K$). (SOLD 375 K$ including fees).

It is a little old photographic gem: a daguerreotype of flowers by Southworth and Hawes, circa 1852, hand tinted, for sale at Christie's in New York on October 14 (100 K$). (SOLD 110 K$ including fees).

In Paris on November 15 at Sotheby's are coming a trichrome of Cros (150 K €) (UNSOLD) and several daguerreotypes of travel by Girault de Prangey (maximum 70 K €). (top SOLD lot 95 K€ including fees).

Here is at Christie's in New York on September 9 an early work by Cindy Sherman, of the Stills series (1978, $ 300 K). (SOLD 900 K$ including fees).

At number 29 from the sale of Webb's on July 23 in New Zealand, here is for 25 K$ a cibachrome 155x125 cm by Boyd Webb representing a jellyfish (Incubus, 1989). The portrait of a bird which I mentioned earlier is at number 14 (c-type, 98x117 cm, 8 K $).

A 13x18 cm oval photograph of Lincoln in 1858, beardless, is estimated 150 K$. It is the lot 610 of the sale organized by Profiles in History in Hollywood, or more exactly in Calabasas Hills, on 31 July and 1 August. (SOLD 180 K$).
Among the many photos of movie actresses that are always found in the sales of this house, my favorite is this time a portrait of Louise Brooks by Otto Dyar (8 K$, 30x35 cm, lot 368). (SOLD 11 K$).
(These prices, probably before fees).

On October 13 at Drouot Montaigne, Millon auctions 800 photographs by Blanc and Demilly. (SOLD 8,1 K€ each including fees two photos showing water drops).

"At low tide," a 30 x 40 by Misonne, is for sale at Drouot on June 17 by Robert et Baille (12.5 K €, lot 67). (UNSOLD).

The heartfelt lot of the week is the photo by Jeanloup Sieff, Alfred Hitchcock Hollywood in 1962, estimated at 4 K € at Leclere in Marseilles on June 15 (Lot 36). (SOLD 4 K€ before fees).

18 salt paper prints by Salzmann showing Jerusalem will be presented by Leclere in Marseilles on June 7 (lots 202 to 219). Their estimates range from 1.5 to 6 K €. (SOLD 6 lots, maximum 12 K€ before fees).

Again two photographs by Lachapelle, this time at Millon in Drouot on May 14 (thank you to Christophe Goeury, expert of this sale, to have sent a hard copy of the catalogue to me). Pamela Anderson, Secret Garden (lot 47) is estimated 30 K€ but its important size (111x151 cm) can enable it to reach more (UNSOLD) ; Naomi Campbell, Have you seen me (lot 46) is announced at 8 K€, but it is a print of 2001 (SOLD 12 K€ before fees) whereas that of the Elfering collection (Christie's, 9 April, sold 30 K$ including fees) was a print of 1994.

By Eisenstaedt, one finds in the Kapandji Morhange sale in Drouot on April 30 a photograph of children in a puppet theatre (lot 761, print of 1995, 20 K€). (thank you to Antoine Romand, expert of this sale, to have sent a hard copy of the catalogue to me). (UNSOLD).

A C-print of Naomi Campbell by David Lachapelle is included in the sale of contemporary art in Espace Tajan on April 30 (lot 170, 40x60 cm, 7 K€). (SOLD 10 K€ including fees).

Artcurial announce for May 27 a set of autochromes by the best specialist, Leon Gimpel. (top SOLD 1.9 K€ before fees).

The Quillan collection, which will be dispersed in 69 lots by Sotheby's New York on April 7, includes an ancestor, a "photogenic drawing" (WITHDRAWN for additional investigation). There is also a truly exceptional set of photos from all times, including a stunning portrait by Strand (Lot 7, 600 K$), (SOLD 645 K$), a remarkable study of Nude by Weston (Lot 19, 600 K$), (SOLD 1.6 M$), a classic but still astonishing lying woman by H.P. Robinson (lot 12, 80 K$), (SOLD 169 K$), not to forget a small "Schadograph" by Schad gone through the Tzara collection (Lot 13, 200 K$), (SOLD 181 K$), a close-up of a doll by Bellmer (Lot 15, $ 200 K ), (SOLD 325 K$), an almost abstract Modotti at 150 K$ (Lot 17), (SOLD 145 K$), a young girl by Lewis Carroll at 80 K$ (Lot 23) (SOLD 133 K$) and a simple still life by Kertesz at 150 K $ (Lot 46). (SOLD 121 K$).
Results include fees.

On April 8 at Sotheby's New York will be dispersed an important set of Edward Weston photographs from the artist's family, including a Nude on Sand, Oceano, lot 81, at 120 K $. From 20x25 cm format, it was signed by the artist in 1936. (SOLD 325 K$). From another source, in the same sale, a close-up view of a dune by Weston (Lot 192, 150 K$, the same format, signed the same year). (SOLD 169 K$). It should also be noted a Rayograph 20x25 by Man Ray (lot 210, $ 150 K) (SOLD 157 K$) and a table-top in height by Outerbridge (Lot 214, 40x26 cm, $ 150 K). (SOLD 241 K$).
Results include fees.

Photography is definitely in the spotlight at Christie's New York, with collections which I mentioned earlier (I add a portrait of Bardot by Avedon at 80$, (SOLD 181 K$ including fees) April 10) but also with lots " from various sellers", as they say here, including works by Penn (250 and 200 K$) (SOLD two photos 530 and 480 K$ including fees) and Mapplethorpe (100 K$), April 11. (SOLD one photo 265 K$ including fees).

At Tajan on April 9 at Drouot, a beautiful set of photographs by Edward S. Curtis (photoprints, lots 1 to 17, (SOLD maximum 5 K€) and vintage silver prints, lots 18 and 25 (SOLD maximum 3.7 K€)), all due in below 4 K€, and vintage prints on Che Guevara by Korda (lots 97 to 102) below 2 K €. (SOLD maximum 5.5 K€).
Results include fees.


A sale of Arabic Art organized on March 29 by the CMOOA in Casablanca. It includes four photos by Shadi Ghadirian (50 to 130 KDh). (all UNSOLD).

Christie's presents on April 11 in New York a series of prints of Ansel Adams. Among them a Yosemite winter scenery (102x139 cm, $ 250 K), (SOLD 480 K$ including fees).

The coup de coeur (it does not often happen!): A c-type colour portrait of a small bird in a very large format (98x117 cm) at Webb's in New Zealand on July 24: 8 K $. Photographer's name is Michael Parekowhai.

Christie's announced as the voluntary dispersal in 3 sales at New York, from April 2008 to April 2009, of the collection of photographs of Bruce and Nancy Berman. The first sale will be devoted to Diane Arbus. The date is now known: April 10, (maximum SOLD 115 K$ including fees) two days after the sale of photos of Phillips de Pury.

In a general sale in London on March 15, Phillips de Pury sells a Performance My America (102x150 cm) by Zhang Huan, which does not seem expensive at 8 K£ (Lot 278) (SOLD 6.8 K£ including fees) and two lots (91 and 92, each at £ 1200 ) of five Polaroids by Araki. (SOLD 1.1 K£ including fees and UNSOLD).

On May 21, at Drouot, Le Mouel sells photos of Africa, including a Scarred girl, Dahomey 1967, by Irving Penn evaluated 25 K €. This is a reprint of 1985. (SOLD 20.5 K€ before fees).

A cibachrome by Gursky, 157x316 cm, is estimated £ 800 K in the sale of Sotheby's London on February 27. (SOLD 1.5 M£ including fees). Yellow God, a 60x50 cm photograph by Gilbert and George, is estimated £ 150 K. (SOLD 200 K£ ; another work 640 K£, both including fees)

In the sale of photos of Phillips de Pury in London on May 17 will be presented a picture of Mayakovsky by Rodchenko (200 K£). (SOLD 63 K£ including fees). In New York on April 8 by the same house: a torso by Drtikol (60 K$). (SOLD 67 K$).

In the sale of the Albou collection at Artcurial Paris on January 30, photos of the 1930's to 1960's (no significant result) and two Mapplethorpes (both UNSOLD).

Christie's announced the voluntary dispersal in 3 sales in New York from April 2008 to April 2009, of the collection of photographs owned by Bruce and Nancy Berman. The first sale will be devoted to Diane Arbus (Press Release, November 30). (highest SOLD 115 K$ including fees).
Curiously, Phillips de Pury had just announced (Press Release, 26 November) the sale of 20 prints of the same vintage photographer for the same month. (cancelled ; SOLD 181 K$ a photo by Diane Arbus from another owner).