Artnet Specialists Discuss Market Trends and Key Lots in Current Auctions
Right now, Artnet Auctions has three sales going on: Post-War and Contemporary Art, which wraps up on May 20, Contemporary Editions ending May 29, and ongoing Private Sales. Experts are highlighting important pieces and trends. Jason Rulnick mentions the growing role of artist foundations like the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, which help collectors with research and keep the market stable. He points out Rauschenberg's work 'Corridor (Hoarfrost)' from 1978, estimated at $40,000–$60,000, as key. Johannes Vogt discusses Emily Mason's 'Express Report' from 1988, valued at $25,000–$35,000, noting market shifts with her 1980s pieces. Conner Williams observes that print prices are rising, with private sales gaining traction, like Andy Warhol's 'Double Mickey Mouse' from 1981, previously selling for over $600,000 and now in Private Sales from May 12 to June 9.
Key facts
- Three Artnet Auctions sales are live: Post-War and Contemporary Art (through May 20), Contemporary Editions (through May 29), and Private Sales.
- Robert Rauschenberg's 'Corridor (Hoarfrost)' (1978) is estimated at $40,000–$60,000.
- Artist foundations, including the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Sam Francis Foundation, and Carl Andre and Melissa L. Kretschmer Foundation, are increasingly important for market scholarship.
- Emily Mason's 'Express Report' (1988) is estimated at $25,000–$35,000.
- Artnet set a global auction record for Emily Mason last year with 'The Green In Go' (1983) at $200,000.
- Mason's 1980s works are undergoing a market correction, closing the gap with Helen Frankenthaler and Color Field artists.
- Andy Warhol's 'Double Mickey Mouse' (1981) is available via Private Sales; the last auction example sold for over $600,000.
- Private sales are becoming a powerful strategy in the prints market, with works priced from $50,000 to over $500,000.
Entities
Artists
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Emily Mason
- Andy Warhol
- Helen Frankenthaler
- Wolf Kahn
- Sam Francis
- Carl Andre
- Melissa L. Kretschmer
- Dante Alighieri
Institutions
- Artnet Auctions
- Artnet News
- Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
- Sam Francis Foundation
- Carl Andre and Melissa L. Kretschmer Foundation
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- National Academy of Design
Locations
- New York
- United States