Dinosaurs and female artists enliven auctions at Phillips and Christie's

The New York auction week continued on 19 November in the afternoon at Phillips and in the evening at Christie's, with two separate catalogues with lower expectations than the collections dispersed on the previous two evenings.
Thanks in part to the profusion of third-party guarantees, which may have helped several lots remain unsold, the overall results were satisfactory despite a significant reduction in the number of buyers and bids, with a few exceptions.

Phillips offered 33 lots with three themes: 20th century art, very recent contemporary art and the novelty: dinosaurs and fossils. The results of this unusual combination saw total proceeds of $67.3 million for the 31 lots sold, thanks in part to two realisations above the $10 million mark: a diptych by Francis Bacon from 1967 featuring Isabel Rawsthorne and George Dyer, often modelled for his works, which reached $16m with the commission, within the guaranteed estimate of $13-18m, and a large, sun-coloured composition by Joan Mitchell from 1957-58 that approached the high estimate at $14.3m. Mitchell's work was not guaranteed, unlike 16 other lots, half the catalogue, including practically all the other million-dollar lots, six of which probably ended up with their respective guarantors in the absence of further bids.
Two works by Basquiat guaranteed bring $5m in total, including $3.8m for 'Exercise' from 1984 (estimate $3m-$5m), and $1.2m for a 1982 paper that reaches the high estimate with commissions. A 1947 Pollock dripping at $3.5 million with commissions possibly ends up at the guarantor, while the previous lot, a fossil skeleton of a young triceratops from 66 million years ago in exceptionally well-preserved condition, triggers bids as high as $5.4 million.
The only recent work among the top ten realisations, a blue-tone composition by Mark Tansey from 2012, triggers one of the few bidding contests by surpassing the unguaranteed estimate at $4.6 million.
Resting at the post, however, was aJadè Fadojutimi canvas from 2022 estimated at $800,000 to $1.2 million, while 45-year-old Firelei Baez achieved her first record of the evening with a 2014 work that surpassed its guaranteed estimate at $645,000 with commissions, surpassed a few hours later at Christie's auction.

«Untitled (Colonization in America, Visual History Wall Map, Prepared by Civic Education Service)» di Firelei Báez - Christie’s Images LTD. 2025

The catalogue of 45 lots auctioned in the evening by Christie's brought in proceeds of $123.6 million, with only one unsold lot and a few bids

«A Clear Unspoken Granted Magic» di Amy Sherald - Christie’s Images LTD. 2025

of bids. The sequence of the first 19 lots (16 of which were secured by third parties and three by the auctioneer) saw the dispersal of the collection of the recently deceased patron couple Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, a collection of conceptual, Pop Art, and design works reflecting their eclectic approach, for a total realisation of $49.2 million, including one of the three Warhol works offered and all of which sold above high estimates: 'The Last Supper' 1986 homage to Leonardo's Last Supper, which exceeds the high estimate at $8.1 million with commissions.
Strong interest and prolonged bidding also for one of Cindy Sherman's early 'Film Still' from 1978, a black and white photograph featuring her, which tripled its high estimate to $2.3m, as well as for three design works by Diego Giacometti, whose 1974 low table with foxes was long fought over to $4.5m with commissions, three times its low estimate.

«Skull» di Andy Warhol - Christie’s Images LTD. 2025

« Untitled (RIOT)» di Christopher Wool - Christie’s Images LTD. 2025

The only lot to surpass the $10m mark is Christopher Wool's 'RIOT', a classic enamel lettering on aluminium from 1990, which reached $19.8m with commissions, touching the high estimate. It was followed by Kerry James Marshall's dark-toned portrait from 2007, which surpassed its high estimate at $7.1m with commissions, thanks in part to the ongoing retrospective at the Royal Academy in London, and despite the fact that one of his works remained unsold at auction yesterday.