Man Ray’s photograph Noir et Blanche, 1926 sold for nearly twice the high estimate today breaking through the $3m barrier.

Christie’s France is pleased with the total realised for Thomas Koerfer’s private collection of photographs with €3,782,500/£3,328,600/$4,387,700. The highly anticipated masterpiece by Man Ray was sold to an anonymous telephone bidder after a long bidding battle between 4 clients on the phone and 3 clients present in the room. This photograph, formerly in the collection of Jacques Doucet, portraying Kiki de Montparnasse, Man Ray’s muse and lover of was sold €2,688,750/$3,120,658, establishing a new auction record for a photograph by Man Ray,for any photograph sold in France and established a new world auction record for any classic photograph