With 75% of the 61 lots offered making $227,561,000 at Sotheby’s last night, the sale inched slightly above the low estimate of a $195 million hammer price. Though both Modiglianis sold very well,, only three of the top ten lots exceeded the high estimates. The Monet Nympheas, which sold to a private collector, was fizzle even at nearly $25 million.
There were four lots sold above $15 million and 38 lots that cost a minimum of $1 million to buy reminding us that the ticket price for an evening sale mostly starts at seven-figures.
