With 85% of the 73 lots sold last night, Sotheby’s sale had massive strength in the collections of Clyfford Still and Gerhard Richter paintings but also very, very strong sales for Joan Mitchell and Cady Noland. The spooked consignors who pulled their Warhol and Bacon works just before the sale might have proved the lucky charm the event needed. Bacon’s self portrait triptych did a very solid $19.6m