
Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Evening sale came in slightly above the previous year's sale but for a number of internal reasons, it was far stronger than that sale. The two events represent a sea-change in Sotheby's Imp-Mod performance in May with totals approaching peak years like 2012 and within striking distance of the top in 2015.
The sales total was very top heavy with the top ten lots representing 70% of the total and more than 50% of the total coming from the top three lots. That highlights what a selective market Imp-Mods is but these results are better because they don't rest upon third-party guarantees that evinced no competition.

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