Christie's Auction Preview

 Last June, John and I were lucky enough to see great art on view at an auction preview at Christie's showrooms at the bottom of Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. 

We recorded Christie's estimates for works that we liked and then checked the prices that were realized later on-line. Our idea of fun!

 Robert Mapplethorpe, Self portrait, 1985.

Estimate 60,000-80,000 euros. Realized 75,000 euros.

Adrian Ghenie, Untitled (Self-portrait), 2007. 

Estimate 20,000-30,000. Realized 18,900 euros.

Alighiero Boetti, Talvolta sole talvolta luna (Sometimes sun, Sometimes moon). Estimate 25,000-35,000. Realized 63,000 euros.

Detail of the above fabric work.

Walter  Swennen, Sans  Titre, 1957.

 Estimate 2,000-3,000 euros. Realized 1,260 euros.

Meret Oppenheim, Agate (top, green and yellow with reddish edge), 1975. Estimate 4,000-6,000 euros. Realized 27,720 euros.

Adam Fuss Untitled (Sunflower), 1993.

Estimate 4,000-6,000 euros. Realized 18,900 euros.

Sam Francis, Sans Titre, 1982. Estimate 12,000-18,000 euros. Realized 22,680 euros.

Cindy Sherman Untitled (Lucile Ball), 1975.

Estimate 7000-9,000 euros. Realized 12,600 euros.

Irving Penn, Two Men Fishing from a Boat (The Marne), 1966. Estimate 10,000-15,000 euros. Realized 11,340 euros.

George Hoyningen-Huene, Portrait of Horst, Paris, Vogue, 1931. Estimate 5000-7,000 euros. Realized 9,450 euros.

Duane Michals, Constantine's Dream, 2003. 

Estimate 6,000-8,000 euros. Realized 6,300 euros.

Duane Michals, Constantine's Dream (detail).

Peter Beard, Loliondo Lion Charge (for 'The End of the Game'), 1964. Estimate 18,000-25,000 euros. Realized 21,420 euros

Wilfredo Lam (1902-1982), Damballah. Estimate 800,000-1,200,000 euros. Realized 856,800 euros. 

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Paris tip: do look for auction previews. They make for fun and unusual art viewing.