Mixed Results for London Photography Auctions: Irving Penn and Peter Beard Shine
The end of London's spring art week revealed some lackluster results in photography auctions, with many items not selling and prices falling below their modest forecasts. At Sotheby's, 53 out of 134 lots went unsold, though total sales still topped £1 million. The standout piece was Irving Penn's 'Mouth (For L'Oreal), New York,' which was bought for £180,000 by Ute Hartjen from Camera Work Ag Berlin. Some notable unsold works included pieces by William Eggleston and Cindy Sherman. Christie's fared slightly better, moving 62 of 94 lots for £1,350,500, with a Peter Beard collage selling for £360,000. Shirin Neshat and Irving Penn's 'Two Fighting Crickets' also performed well above expectations. Mario Bucolo provided commentary and photos from the auctions.
Key facts
- Sotheby's sold 81 of 134 lots, with 53 unsold, totaling just over £1 million.
- Irving Penn's 'Mouth (For L'Oreal), New York' sold for £180,000 at Sotheby's.
- Ute Hartjen of Camera Work Ag Berlin was the most active buyer, also purchasing a Peter Lindbergh for £65,000 and a Hans Feurer for £14,000.
- Unsold artists at Sotheby's included William Eggleston, Bernd & Hilla Becher, Cindy Sherman, Thomas Ruff, and Massimo Vitali.
- Christie's sold 62 of 94 lots, with 32 unsold, totaling £1,350,500.
- Top lot at Christie's was a Peter Beard collage sold for £360,000 (estimate £300,000–£400,000).
- Hiroshi Sugimoto sold for £220,000 at Christie's.
- Shirin Neshat sold for £38,000 at Christie's, exceeding its high estimate of £18,000.
- Irving Penn's 'Two Fighting Crickets' sold for £55,000 at Christie's, above its £25,000 estimate.
Entities
Artists
- Irving Penn
- Peter Beard
- William Eggleston
- Bernd & Hilla Becher
- Cindy Sherman
- Thomas Ruff
- Massimo Vitali
- Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Shirin Neshat
- Peter Lindbergh
- Hans Feurer
Institutions
- Sotheby's
- Christie's
- Camera Work Ag Berlin
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- Berlin
- Germany