New York May auctions could total up to $2.6bn across four houses
The auctions scheduled for May 2026 in New York are projected to bring in between $1.8 billion and $2.6 billion at Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips, and Bonhams, signaling a recovery in the market. Christie's is targeting $1 billion to $1.5 billion and will feature Marian Goodman's collection, including Gerhard Richter's Kerze (estimated at $35 million to $50 million) on May 20, along with 16 lots from S.I. Newhouse's collection on May 18, highlighted by Jackson Pollock's Number 7A (estimated at $100 million). Sotheby's anticipates $690.4 million to $942.5 million, showcasing Robert Mnuchin's collection, including Mark Rothko's Brown and Blacks in Reds (estimated at $70 million to $100 million) on May 14, and Picasso's Arlequin (Buste) (estimated up to $40 million) on May 19. Phillips is estimating $108.7 million to $157 million, while Bonhams is aiming for $30 million.
Key facts
- May 2026 New York auctions estimated at $1.8bn-$2.6bn across Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips, Bonhams.
- Sotheby's low estimate of $690.4m is 70% higher than May 2025 total.
- Christie's sells Marian Goodman's collection; top lot: Gerhard Richter's Kerze (Candle) est. $35m-$50m.
- Sotheby's sells Robert Mnuchin's holdings; top lot: Mark Rothko's Brown and Blacks in Reds est. $70m-$100m.
- Christie's offers S.I. Newhouse collection including Pollock's Number 7A and Brancusi's Danaïde, each est. $100m.
- Sotheby's offers Basquiat's Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown) est. $45m and van Gogh watercolor est. $25m-$35m.
- Phillips expects $108.7m-$157m; top lots: Warhol's Sixteen Jackies est. $15m-$20m and Bontecou's Untitled est. $1.2m-$1.8m.
- Bonhams inaugurates new flagship with $30m sale; top lot: Yoshitomo Nara painting est. $4m-$6m.
Entities
Artists
- Gerhard Richter
- Mark Rothko
- Pablo Picasso
- Constantin Brancusi
- Jackson Pollock
- Cy Twombly
- Joseph Cornell
- Edouard Manet
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Willem de Kooning
- Vincent van Gogh
- Andy Warhol
- Richard Avedon
- Lee Bontecou
- Pat Passlof
- Yoshitomo Nara
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Gabrielle Renard
- Enrico Donati
- Adele Donati
- Marilyn Monroe
- Jacqueline Kennedy
- Brigitte Bardot
- Gunter Sachs
- John L. Loeb Jr.
- Marilyn Arison
- Agnes Gund
- S.I. Newhouse
- Marian Goodman
- Robert Mnuchin
- Lucius Elliott
- Robert Manley
- Loïc Gouzer
Institutions
- Christie's
- Sotheby's
- Phillips
- Bonhams
- The Art Newspaper
- Fair Warning
- Condé Nast
- Rockefeller Center
- Breuer Building
- Four Seasons
- Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc.
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Rockefeller Center
- Breuer Building
- 111 West 57th Street