New York auction season generates over $2 billion amid high-quality collections and rising female artist market
Between November 18 and 21, 2025, auctions conducted by Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips in New York amassed over $2 billion. A standout piece was Gustav Klimt's "Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer." Sotheby's highlighted collections from Leonard A. Lauder and Cindy and Jay Pritzker, including a record-setting painting by Frida Kahlo. Christie's presented the Edlis | Neeson Collection alongside works from the Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals led the bidding, with Christie's achieving new auction highs for artists like Firelei Báez, Joan Brown, and Olga de Amaral. Following the US government shutdown's conclusion on November 12, market confidence surged. Phillips' mixed lots sale totaled $67.3 million, while Sotheby's Surrealism collection approached $100 million.
Key facts
- Auctions from November 18-21, 2025 generated over $2 billion in sales.
- Gustav Klimt's 'Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer' was a highlight.
- Provenance from top collections (Lauder, Pritzker, Edlis|Neeson, etc.) drove demand.
- Female artists set records: Firelei Báez, Joan Brown, Olga de Amaral.
- Olga de Amaral's 'Pueblo H' sold for $3.125 million, doubling her previous record.
- US government shutdown ended November 12, boosting market confidence.
- Christie's London sale was best in 7 years, up 30% from 2024.
- Sotheby's Karpidas collection totaled £101 million, doubling estimates.
- Phillips cross-collecting sale achieved $67.3 million.
- Sotheby's Exquisite Corpus collection (surrealism) neared $100 million.
Entities
Artists
- Gustav Klimt
- Frida Kahlo
- Firelei Báez
- Joan Brown
- Olga de Amaral
- Leonor Fini
- Joan Mitchell
- Lucy Bull
- Julie Mehretu
Institutions
- Christie's
- Sotheby's
- Phillips
- Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art
- Fondation Cartier
- Frieze London
- Art Basel Paris
- Artribune
Locations
- New York
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- France