2022 Auction House Records: Sotheby's, Christie's, Phillips Post Highest Sales

Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips all reported record sales for 2022. Sotheby's projected global sales exceeding $8 billion, with $6.4 billion from fine art and luxury auctions, plus $2.3 billion from RM Sotheby's and Sotheby's Concierge Auctions. Private sales reached $1.1 billion. Single-owner collections like Solinger, Macklowe, and Hotung totaled $800 million. The luxury segment more than doubled, and under-40 bidders hit a record. Italy achieved its highest total in a decade at €38.6 million, with Giorgio Morandi's Natura morta selling for €3.4 million, a record for modern and contemporary art in Italy. Phillips reported $1.3 billion, a 20% increase in private sales to $250 million. The top lot was Basquiat's Untitled from the Maezawa collection at $85 million. One-third of buyers were Millennials, and 148 artists debuted at auction. Christie's global sales reached $8.4 billion, the highest in its history, with $7.2 billion from auctions and $1.2 billion from private sales. CEO Guillaume Cerutti cited market resilience, major collections like the Paul Allen Collection ($1.62 billion), and team expertise. Other notable collections included Ammann ($359.2 million) and Bass ($363.1 million). Records included Warhol's Shot Sage Blue Marilyn at $195 million (most expensive 20th-century artwork at auction) and Man Ray's Violon d'Ingres at $12.4 million (most expensive photograph).