Auctions

Phillipsarchive

Contemporary sales, London: Phillips struggles in bid to lead auction week

But Bacon brings profitable business to Christie’s and Sotheby’s

Art marketarchive

British Art Auction report: The Bacon and Freud effect

Recent record prices for the two artists boosted results for 20th-century British works, while Victorian art struggled

Collectorsarchive

Roman Abramovich brings home the $86.3m Bacon and the $33.6m Freud

The London-based Russian billionaire has bought the record-breaking works; he has not previously been known to collect art

Mortgage crisis and resulting stock market plunge be damned—the party isn’t over yet

In 2007 we noted that strong sales at auction and fairs and more money coming from Russia, Indian and Chinese collectors indicated that confidence in art remained strong

Auctionsarchive

Phillips de Pury plans seven-hour sale during Frieze week

The sales include the private collection of Marino Golinelli

Books: Basquiat from street artist to superstar

Banksy’s rise from street artist to gallery star, embraced by the commercial art world, is by no means unique

Bacon “rubbish” including sketches and diaries makes £1m at auction

An alternative end for the rubbish that was to be thrown out from Bacon’s famously chaotic studio at 7 Reese Mews in London

Art marketarchive

Swedish and German auction houses take advantage of the rising Russian Market

A growing number of mid-size European auction houses are trying to cash in on the Russian boom

Art marketarchive

Christie’s Warhol could set new record in New York

The work is one of the “Death and Disaster” series which rarely come on the market

Art marketarchive

Warhol “Athletes” commissioned for $800,000 to be sold for $28m

This is the first time a complete set of the series is on offer

Rediscovered Bacon “rubbish” could fetch £50,000

Documents and paintings will be sold at a country auction

Collectorsarchive

Collector sells £15m Turner collection to buy Chinese contemporary art

Baron Ullens is acquiring new works for his Beijing gallery

Albright-Knox sells the old to pay for the new

Sotheby's is auctioning 200 antiquities and pre-Modern works worth $15m from the US museum's collection to raise funds to purchase Modern and contemporary art

Why you cannot trust dealers’ prices—or auction results either

In 2006 we reported that attempts to accurately measure the market are being thwarted by auction guarantees and private sales between tight-lipped collectors

Auctionsarchive

Best results ever for Italian art at auction

An unnamed East European collector bought several works at both Sotheby’s and Christie’s

Auctionsarchive

Foundation sells late collector’s art

Proceeds go to fund for young artists

Auctionsarchive

Christie’s launches online bidding

Clients will be able to follow live auctions at home

July 2006archive

How long can this amazing art market boom last?

In recent years have seen works sold for explosive prices—and now in 2006 we are asking if this an indication of an accelerating trend or a reflection of the cyclical nature of the market?

Auctionsarchive

“There is so much money in the market now that... price seems to be irrelevant”

Oil-rich private collectors are dominating the salerooms and pushing aside dealers and investment funds

Auctionsarchive

Impressionist art: unknown Russian buys $95m Picasso

New buyer beat established collectors at Sotheby’s impressionist and modern art sales in New York

Lawsuitsarchive

Court action after Renoir archive fails to sell at auction

Collector sues family trust which had withdrawn the artist’s belongings from sale

Auctionsarchive

New Ukrainian buyer spends £12 million on Modern paintings

American buyers have returned and Asian collectors were also active

Sotheby'sarchive

Two plump catalogues prove the major auction houses can drive the contemporary market

A week of new records will leave dealers wondering how to set their prices

Auctionsarchive

British and Irish art sale a subdued affair

Some big collectors have stopped buying and bidders held back

Authentication issues: "Trust me, this is a fake"

Pierre Valentin suggests that the decisions of expert committees should not be beyond the reach of the law