From the auction house’s press release:
The $744.9million total of Tuesday evening’s sale represents the highest total for a single auction in art market history. Bidders from 35 countries competed for an exceptional offering of masterworks by some of the century’s most influential artists: Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Jeff Koons, Christopher Wool and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
With a wide range of examples from the collections of Edwin A. and Lindy Bergman, the Estate of Anita Reiner, Phillip Schrager, Frances R. Dittmer, and institutions such as the E.ON Art Collection in Düsseldorf, and The Art Institute of Chicago, collectors competed enthusiastically for works with the best quality and significant provenance. The two evening sales established 26 new world auction records, selling 2 works over $80million, 4 over $50million, 12 over $20 million, 19 over $10 million and 86 over $1 million. 80% of the lots were completely new to the auction market.